Building Godly Character: Honesty

I have said this before. I am a redeemed liar. Some of you can say that you are a redeemed alcoholic. In this world you are a slave to sin. You can’t beat it on your own. That is why they say once and alcoholic always an alcoholic or once a liar always a liar. The truth is that except by the grace of God in this natural world you will never set yourself free from a sin addiction. Oh just let me I’ll do this on my own will never work. We need to the redeeming power of the grace of Jesus Christ. Let me tell you some stories. I came home and told my mother that they were building a swimming pool at our school. I remember taking a picture of an older girl I knew in middle school, you know I was like 13 and I had a picture of this family friend who was like 18 took it to school and said. This is my gf. I remember lying about how good I was at sports and even my favorite to this day, I had a baseball card of Dave Wilson the football player and I told my friends that is my Dad. My wife always says to our girls “Always tell the truth!” Oh she will get so frustrated when one of our kids lie. It’s only by the grace of God that she has a husband that isn’t out their lying.

Lying is something that we do.

Acts 5:1–4 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

There are consequences to lying.

Acts 5:5–6 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.

We know that Ananias wife saphira also suffered the same fate after she lied to Peter just three hours after her husband lied yes there are serious consequences for lying

Liars are not welcome in God’s presence.

Psalm 101:7 He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence.

If you think that you can go to God and you are a liar don’t even try to ring the door bell. If heaven has one of those ring door bells. You will press it and do do do do do do and it will be like the wizard of Oz. “ Go away get out of hear, see you later.”

Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD.

Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.

WOW! Well it’s just a little white.... Stop right there, if you lie your a LIAR! We don’t say oh it’s just a little white murder.... Oh wait I take that back maybe people try to do that today in our judicial system I don’t know but that’s crazy. A lie is a LIE!

Liars belong in the Lake of Fire.

Revelation 21:8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

Liars are outside heaven! (Exclamation point for emphasis)

Revelation 22:15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

Why is liars always at the end of the list. It is my belief that God is trying to make a point LIARS not welcome here. Hence my wife’s theme. Always tell the truth. I’m trying to fix it. Not on my own accord but by the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ. Do you get it.

Liars have chosen thier side.

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

You are of your father the devil he is a liar and a murder from the beginning. I am learning to be molded into the image of Christ. It takes awhile.

It is time to put off lying.

Colossians 3:9–10 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

I heard chuck Swindoll give an example to this of a man sculpting a lion out of stone and someone asked him how do you do that how do you make that big ugly rock look like a lion. Easy you just cut off everything that doesn’t look like a lion. We need God to remove the parts of us that are of the old man and look like the devil and not the LORD Jesus. Let’s pray LORD chip off the lies

I started off by saying lying is something that you do. Think of the stories about the truth in the Bible. They are all really stories about lying. Ananias and Sapphira, Potiphors wife, Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and Esau and the Gibeonites who come to Joshua and are like look at this old water sacks and moldy bread this was fresh when we left because we came from so far away. Jezebel lied about Naboth to get him killed and Even David tried to lie and hide the truth. But you want to know what some of those people are redeemed some of them aren’t. I would guess that over 75 percent of you are liars. Good news, God is a Redeemer.

The Truth is someone you have.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Lying is something you do. I wanted to say that the truth is a lifestyle or the truth is something you are but than I thought about John 14.6 and thought about Jesus saying I am the truth. In a world that it is impossible to know the truth. Jesus is the truth. You can question that but that is where faith comes in and on judgment day my hope is securely placed in the fact that Jesus is the truth that he died on the cross for my sins. Jesus is the truth. If we are going to be truthful people it has to rest securely on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ. In a world where you can’t trust anything. Jesus is the truth. I have seen people so divided on opinions in this church. Scientifically, socially, politically, but you need to keep your eyes fixed on the truth.

The truth is something you put on.

Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.

The process of putting off and putting on. I believe that telling the truth isn’t an action it is who you are or who Christ is making you to be. You may have been a liar, but you can become someone defined as truthful.

Look for a story in Bible about telling the truth. Maybe there is one, I am sure someone will come to me with one, but I had a hard time finding one. I found plenty of stories about lying and the consequences that follow lying. The consequences of lying extend to others around you. Does anyone know what happened in I Kings 13 and the man of God who had the prophecy of Josiah for Jeraboam. I know it’s not one you learn in Sunday School like David and Goliath. I read this story the day I wrote this sermon. About how the man of God was told once you’ve done your job GO HOME make no detours. Another “prophet” came and lied to him and told him well God told me that you are to come to my house. The 1st man of God listened to the liar and did not obey God. A lion ate that great prophet because he believed a scam. Be careful of scams! Love the truth! Let the truth be who you are.

There are dozens of stories about lies but what about the truth. I was suggested stories like Daniel, Zacheus, Joseph, Job, and the prophet NATHAN which may be the closest when he says to David “You are the man!”. But none of them are really stories are really about telling you the truth. The truth is just who you are it’s part of your character. I like these sayings. “How do you know if a teenager is lying, there lips are moving” another is if someone has to start out there statement with I’m being honest, they probably aren’t. You shouldn’t have to say I swear to you, or I promise you should have the truth (Jesus Christ) resting right here

The truth is character, not action.

Psalm 15:1–2 Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart;

It is difficult to find a real honest person in the Bible. Maybe JOB! Maybe Daniel, I don’t think that you could say that of David, Abraham, or Moses. They are redeemed liars that God cut away the lying that kept them away from God. Truthfulness is something that you become and something that you strive for.

Being truthful is a real act of love.

1 Corinthians 13:6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

See this phone. It can cause a lot of problems. Those of you who didn’t have a phone when you were dating or young in your marriage thank God. This is normal, one person in a relationship gets jealous, breaks into the persons phone to find out if they are lying and then they lie about looking into there phone. Both end up feeling betrayed and always feel like the other is lying to them. I will tell you how it is with Michelle and myself. She uses my phone often. I don’t have a second thought about it. I use her phone all the time. Doesn’t bother her. She can and should read all my text messages. The two have become one. We are happy in that becuse we live the Truth with each other.

Speak the truth.

Ephesians 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ

People like to use this verse when convieniet. Like you need to use deoderant son, I speak the truth in love. But that isn’t always the reason. It’s hard to love someone so much that you are going to tell them the truth. That drugs will kill you, that sexual immorality is wrong, that lies will destroy you, that abortion is wrong, and that they shouldn’t do wrong. It is hard to speak that truth but it is worth it.

Living the truth is freedom in Christ.

John 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

I hate when this verse gets taken out of contest. Someone told me. People need to know the truth. There is flourdie in the water and people are dying. You know the Bible says that you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. I have heard the same thing about the twin towers being all the work of George W Bush. I want to tell you something. When I hear all these worldly things.

The truth is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

John 8:28–30 Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

The truth saves you from slavery to sin.

John 8:34–36 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Let’s be clear about the truth. Jesus is the truth. It is something that is in your heart. It is something that you live. Not just do one time. It’s not let me tell you the truth this time. This is a Godly characteristic that you are just honest. You tell the truth every single time you open your mouth.

Those close to Jesus, live the truth.

Psalm 145:18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.