Is it ever ok to Lie?

The argument begins with Rahab.

Joshua 2:1–8 ESV

And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof. So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. And the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out. Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof

(Have students say why they believe what they believe in 2 minutes or less. )

What does the 10 commands say?

Deuteronomy 5:20 ESV

“ ‘And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

By definition bearing false witness is a lie

Sheqer is the greek word meaning lie

That is reaffirmed in Leviticus 19:11 and 1 John 2:21.

John 8:44 teach

John 8:44 KJV 1900

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.

for the man named Ananias lying meant death.

Acts 5:3–5 ESV

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.

because we are sinners which is described in

Romans 5:12 ESV

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

We will all die one day.

We know this because the wages of sin are death.

for death there is an appointed time

Ecclesiastes 3:2 ESV

a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

so because we will all die by lying we are delaying the inevitable.

Now living in the flesh in a unfaithful manner.

Proverbs 12:19 ESV

Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

proverbs 3:5

Proverbs 3:5 ESV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

when we choose to lie even in a precarious situation we lean on our own understanding.

We define it this way, if I say they aren’t here they wont be killed.

But we do not have that promise.

What keeps the one who wanted harm on us from storming in the front door and killing us all anyway?

Nothing at all.

By God’s understanding truthfulness leads us to knowing that it is in God’s hands and not our own.

Now a lie for selfish motive is always guilty of death and in the case of Anias immediate death.

Acts 5:29 ESV

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

Matthew 28:18 KJV 1900

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.