10 for Ten (8)
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Introduction
“What is truth?”
Perhaps Pilate felt like we do today
Under the pressures of Rome, the Jews and his own life and then Jesus as he stood before him
Who or what could he actually believe?
Today, with the overwhelming flood of info, ads, rhetoric - truth broadly speaking, seems illusive
Is anyone telling us the truth anymore?
By the way, this is just as Satan would have it, he continues to deceive people not only that they know what is true but that God ultimately is the liar
So since Gen 3, we look, as humans, to create life as we want, according to what we believe is true, both individually and culturally.
So this is not new
However, we see this most clearly today in the view that truth is not illusive but relative
This view cannot hold up very long before our truth competes and conflicts with others and then what?
Here’s what we’re seeing, someone’s “truth” must to give, in many cases it’s God’s
But
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
And so God’s people were and are to walk in truth before God and each other.
God had been faithful to what he said through Moses to lead them out of Egypt and so he calls his people to be the same
Therefore,
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
I. False Testimony
I. False Testimony
as Benjamin Disraeli, former Prime Minister of England(1800’s) said, “Justice is truth revealed”
For this reason, God is deeply concerned with Justice
Thus this the 9th commandment
In Exodus - false - sager(shaquer) - a misleading falsehood
The picture is that of a legal proceeding
God desired and commanded that sin, mistreatment and harm be dealt with but dealt with in truth
Any accusations must therefore be coroborrated by two or three witnesses
“A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established. If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you. Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
By the way, the Lord sets up a similar standard for dealing with sin in the church in Matt 18
Again potential for misuse was always there among fallen people
Imagine there is someone who you don’t like, who’s in your way, who is taking what’s rightfully yours, you suppose, all you would have to do is find a few others that you could convince to testify to the same.
ie. Jesus’ trial
Therefore, this commandment and the consequence in Deut 19 for one who breaks it.
Also,
“ ‘If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible.
Our silence can also be a sinful misuse of the truth and potentially justice
So God wants his people to live in truth and to use truth justly and not for their own gain/benefit.
This was for the greater community, their neighbours
As we have seen with the other commandments, this is the extreme end of this sin, but it points to the broader reality of falsehood that can be part of our lives
A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.
II. Lying
II. Lying
The word for false in Deut 5:20 is (Shave) - insincere, empty, frivilous
John is deeply concerned with this in regards to our relationship with God
Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,
“You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another.
Lying in word or action was deeply offensive to God and contrary to his nature
Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.
To be people of lies and falsehood was a breaking of the covenant they had made with Yahweh
Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
In John 8 the Lord calls Satan the father of lies and ties the act of those who lied, to him
Lies therefore are an act of congruence with Satan not with Yahweh
Not to be apart of God’s people
Therefore Paul says,
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Lying is about self - self exaltation, self protection, self gain
Amazing how many people we have that call or show up at the church and use a search for God to try to get help.
This is damaging to any organization, group of people or relationship
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;
III. Our Words
III. Our Words
But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.
but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
And so right heart = right words and actions
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
It’s not just about knowing and speaking the truth but of living lives of integrity
We are seeing the opposite today, we have seen a number of very public Christian leaders fall
How many of us have seen someone, perhaps close to us, claim to follow Christ and then walk away in to a life completely devoid of Him?
The idea is not just watch what you say, but what you think
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Conclusion