THE SIN OF LYING

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Lying.

1.      Just the mention of the word brings many things to mind.

2.      We know that it is evil.

3.      Yet, all of us have participated in this sin from time to time.

a.      Sometimes in small ways.

b.      At other times, our lies have been big.

 

B.      We open our Bibles and in the third chapter we come across the first lie.

1.      It was spoken by Satan to Eve.

2.      Genesis 3:4

 

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.

 

3.      If this were the only instance of lying that we ever saw, it should convince us of the despicableness of just one lie.

a.      Embarrassment and shame

b.      Rebuke and punishment

c.       Curse and separation from God

 

C.     Lying seems so prevalent in our society.

1.      We hear lies every day and we know they are lies.

2.      We hate lies, but we participate in them at times.

3.      We often just overlook the liar and treat him as if he is honest.

 

D.    In this lesson, we want to discuss “The Sin of Lying.”

 

I.                   THE ORIGIN OF ALL LIES

 

A.    Jesus is the one who taught us about the origin of lies (John 8:44).

 

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do:  he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own:  for he is a liar, and the father of it.

 

B.      In the Revelation, Satan is referred to as the one who deceives the whole world.

1.      Revelation 12:9

 

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world…

 

2.      Revelation 20:10

 

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone…

 

 

 

 

C.     He as associated with the lie of Ananias (Acts 5:3).

 

But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

 

D.    When Paul wrote the church at Corinth, he was fearful Satan would beguile them just as he had beguiled Eve in the long ago (II Cor. 11:3).

 

But I fear, lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

 

E.      This one fact alone should keep Christians far from lies.

1.      When we lie, we associate ourselves with Satan, the father of lies.

2.      That association, according to Peter, is a deadly one (I Pet. 5:8).

 

II.                TO WHOM CAN WE LIE?

 

A.    We can lie to God.

1.      We may think this is impossible because God always knows whether we are telling the truth.

2.      The reality is that lying has nothing to do with the reception of the lie.  It has to do with the one who initiates the lie (i.e., a parent confronting a child).

3.      Example:  Sarah

a.      Abraham was told by God that he and Sarah would have a son.

b.      Sarah’s reaction (Gen. 18:12)

 

Therefore Sarah laughed within herself…

 

c.       When confronted about her laugh by the Lord, she lied (Gen. 18:13-15)

 

And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh…Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid.  And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

 

B.      We can lie to others.

1.      This is one of the most common forms of lies.

2.      These lies range anywhere from very small to medium to great on the scale of lies.

a.      Little lies

1)      I caught a 5 pound bass when it was really just 3 pounds.

2)      Calling into work sick when you really have something you need to do.

b.      Medium lies

1)      Lying about the condition of a car when you are going to sell it.

2)      Lying to a police officer as to why you were speeding.

c.       Big lies

1)      Covering up a sin we have committed

2)      Teaching doctrine that is contrary to the truth

3.      The old prophet lied to the young prophet (I Kings 13:18).

 

He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water.  But he lied unto him.

 

 

C.     We can lie to ourselves.

1.      This is another common form of lying.

2.      We often refer to it as self-deception.

3.      There are many Biblical examples.

a.      Saul deceived himself into thinking that he had obeyed the voice of the Lord when he had not (I Sam. 15:13).

 

And Samuel came to Saul:  and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord:  I have performed the commandment of the Lord.

 

b.      Peter had deceived himself into believing that he would never deny the Christ (Mark 14:29).

 

But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will I not.

 

III.             THE EVIL OF LIES

 

A.    Lies keep one from knowing the truth.

1.      A lie is a perversion, a manipulation, or a rejection of truth.

2.      Without truth, we buy into fantasy.

3.      Without truth, we cannot be liberated.

4.      Without truth, we do not know what is real.

5.      Proverbs 23:23

 

Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

 

B.      Lies uphold Satan and oppose the Christ.

1.      We have already seen the Satan is the father of lies.

2.      Jesus said of Himself:  “I am the truth” (John 14:6).

3.      If a person lies, he sides with the evil one and stands opposed to Jesus.

 

C.     Lies destroy character

1.      The word “character” is thought of as a positive term.  “He is a man of character.”

2.      The Bible teaches us to develop a good name (Prov. 22:1).

 

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches…

 

3.      When others find out that we are a liar, our good name is gone.

a.      He is a liar

b.      He cannot be trusted.

 

D.    Lies lead people in the wrong direction.

1.      The way of truth leads to Heaven.

2.      All lies point individuals in the opposite direction.  In the case of spiritual matters, there is only one other direction, the way to hell.

3.      Proverbs 14:12

 

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

 

E.      Lies cause the liar to lose his soul.

1.      Lies oppose the truth and they oppose Jesus Christ.

 

2.      It is not surprising that lies will cause one to lose his/her soul (Rev. 21:8).

 

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:  which is the second death.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    Lying should not be a part of the Christian’s behavior (Col. 3:9).

 

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.

 

B.      If we remain people of truth, we will certainly stand in opposition to a large segment of society who have no problem lying to others.

 

C.     There is one place where we can always go in order to find truth, God and his Word.

1.      God cannot lie (Tit. 1:2)

2.      Jesus is referred to as “the truth” (John 14:6)

3.      The Holy Spirit is “the Spirit of truth” (John 16:3).

4.      Jesus taught that God’s Word is truth (John 17:17).