When you see a baby boy, what do you ask yourself? Isn’t it, Does he look like his father? You expect to see some physical resemblance – and the more so as he grows up. And of course, fathers ask themselves the same question! Does he look like me? But most fathers want more than that – Christian fathers, especially – they want their sons to grow up with integrity, to have a character that reflects – or perhaps surpasses their own.

What is true of earthly fathers is even truer of our heavenly Father. Isn’t that what lies behind our reading from Luke? In his love for us, God knows true life is found in him alone, in our surrender to his love, wanting to obey him and become like him.

The true character of God.

What then is God’s character – that he so desires to see in us – especially in its aspect that we’re thinking about today? He says

Let him who boasts boast about this – that he knows me, and understands that I am the LORD, who acts with steadfast love, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight. (Jer 9:24)

If this then is God’s character – that he is utterly just and fair towards us, unswerving in his integrity, yet showing mercy and love to those who put their trust in him – then we should have no difficulty understanding the reason for the ninth commandment, nor lack a motive for obeying it! For it is the same Lord, who says to us, Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy and Love your neighbour as yourself (Lev 19:2,18) – who commands us, You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour. (Ex 20:16; Deut 5:20)

The primary reference is to accusations made in court – but you can’t be a false witness without lying – so, in applying this command, we shall need go beyond the courts and think how it applies to the whole of our life. We will therefore first see how this safeguards justice, and then how this promotes truth.

1. Safeguarding justice.

In a court of law we may be exhorted or sworn to give the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. In the ancient world especially, when physical forensic evidence was scarce or unknown, a man’s reputation, his livelihood, and possibly his life were at stake – and depended on the truthfulness or falsity of the accuser and any other witness.

It was essential therefore, among God’s people, that they be distinguished by having upright judges, unwilling to be bribed, and at least two eye-witnesses whose truthful testimony agreed – so that justice could be done, and seen to be done. For that reason God made plain his anger against lying witnesses and corrupt judges, against those who with a word make a man out to be guilty, who ensnare the defender in court, and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice. (Isa 29:21; see also Ex 23:1-9; Deut 16:18-20; 19:15-20)

The Bible teaches this by examples of injustice brought about by lying.

• (1) When Joseph was a slave in Egypt, his master’s wife tried to seduce him and when this failed, she accused him of attempted rape. This resulted in his being in prison for several years.
• 2) Adjoining King Ahab’s palace in Jezreel was a vineyard that the king coveted to make into a vegetable garden. Its owner, Naboth, refused however to sell, because for him it was a sacred inheritance. The king’s evil wife, Jezebel, wrote letters in the king’s name to the elders of Jezreel, telling them to get two false witnesses to accuse Naboth of cursing God and king – and then to stone him. The elders agreed to do this, and so became complicit in Naboth’s murder.

We in the West owe it to the biblical teaching – whether people acknowledge it or not – that we uphold the principle of an incorruptible judiciary, the careful sifting of evidence, the responsibility of witnesses to tell the truth – and, I might add, a police force that favours none.

Sadly, even here, officials can exercise blatant ignorance and effect great injustice. A convert from Islam to Christianity seeking asylum in Britain, was refused, despite evidence she would be stoned if forced to return to Iran. People like her are tested about their new faith by being asked questions like, How do you cook a turkey for Christmas? Or, Name the thieves crucified with Jesus.

What then is the application of this command to ourselves, who are not officials with power to affect the whole lives of others, nor judges in courts of law, nor police, nor – in all probability – witnesses in court, nor even members of a jury?

We do however have a responsibility to uphold the rule of law and of justice. We must speak up whenever this is in danger – wherever this is flouted through ignorance, indifference or evil intent. Don’t hesitate to rescue someone who is about to be executed unjustly. You may say it is none of your business, but God knows and judges your motives. (Prov 24:11,12 GNB) As God’s people we must strive to see his will done in the world.. We should support and pray for ACAT, Barnabas Fund, and all who work to that end. God’s will is that justice be done everywhere. (Prov 29:4,7)

2. Promoting truth.

If justice must be done because God himself is just – and all justice comes from him – so it is equally true that truth must be spoken by his people, because God is completely truthful, and the source of all truth. Both David and Isaiah call him the God of Truth (Psa 31:5; Isa 65:16) and he himself says, I, the LORD, speak the truth. (Isa 45:19) And David was right when he said, You desire truth in the inner parts (Psa 51:6) by which he means truthful sincerity through and through, so that we always speak the truth.

Injustice is founded on lies – and both come from the devil, of whom Jesus said, He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44) But God is wholly trustworthy and cannot lie. (Tit 1:2; Num 23:19)

Having believed the devil’s lies – humanity has this problem – that the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. (Jer 17:9) As a result we are immersed in a society that finds it easier to tell lies than to tell the truth. Indeed the biggest lie in our modern world is the lie that there is no such thing as absolute and universal truth – but only the shifting sands of “what is true for me” – that does not have to be true for you!

Consequently we are continually tempted to massage the truth to our own advantage. How truthful are our tax-returns? How accurate is our CV when we apply for a job? A columnist for Time magazine wrote, On the one hand, nearly everybody condemns lying. On the other, nearly everyone does it every day. He went on to ask, more or less in these words, How many of the Ten Commandments can be broken so easily over the telephone and with so little risk of detection?

The ninth commandment not only condemns us when we lie in court, but whenever we lie or gossip about someone – whether in talking over our neighbour’s fence, to a colleague at work, or when we share coffee together after this service. Untruthfulness can take many forms – from the outright lie to the half-truth, or even a word or action that involves no lie, but is said or done in such a way as to deceive.

Examples abound in the first book of the Bible – from the serpent’s outright lie in Eden that, You will not surely die! (Gen 3:4) – to Jacob’s sons subtly presenting him with Joseph’s coat dipped in goat’s blood, and saying, We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe. (Gen 37:32) An earlier example is Rebekah deceiving her blind husband Isaac, by persuading her favourite son Jacob to disguise himself as his brother Esau. In due course Jacob is himself deceived (not only as above) but also when Laban leads Leah into Jacob’s bed, instead of her sister, Rachel.

God has given us the capacity to communicate with each other by word or gesture. We can use this ability to bless other people, and to praise God and extol him to those who don’t know him – or, from our sinful hearts, we can do others great harm, and thereby dishonour God by corrupting his image in us. James writes, Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. (Jas 3:6)

Perhaps you don’t think gossip is serious? But we’re stealing the good name and reputation of someone, without their being able to defend themselves. We tend to exaggerate their failings. We twist people’s words, taking them out of context, or we just pass on hearsay. What we pass on may even be true – but we pass it on to the wrong person, or for the wrong reason. So the testimony is false because it is malicious.

Christians may even do this under pretence of the need to pray for the one named! Martin Luther rightly said, a reputation is quickly stolen, but not quickly returned. Let’s ask ourselves, Do we need to speak in this way, even if it’s true? Would we do so if the person we’re talking about were also present?

Equally, of course, we must not listen to gossip – or we become implicated in its sin. (2 Cor 12:20) We get drawn into making judgements when it’s not our place to judge! We should interrupt and say, This is starting to sound like gossip – let’s change the subject – or – let’s pray about this. Or we should ask, Have you spoken about this to the people involved? Because if you haven’t, it wouldn’t be right for us to talk about it.

Jesus told us clearly how we are to deal with the sins of others. Before talking to anyone else, we are to go directly to the one concerned and discuss it. Only if that person refuses to acknowledge his fault, are you to bring others in. Sadly, we usually shirk this challenge to spiritual responsibility the Lord gives us, for we are loath to confront, and thereby help that person to grow spiritually.

Clearly, if this commandment forbids lying – we are instead always to speak and to promote the truth. We are not to be complicit with lies. I know someone who quit his job as a car salesman, because he refused to rewind the odometer on used cars. How ready are you to go along with your boss’s directive to put the company’s figures in a favourable light? We’re surrounded with lies in advertising, in politics, in news-reporting. Is it any wonder to be told that even Christian young people cannot believe there is a need to be truthful at all times?

We want to be believed when we contend for the truth about God and his word. But how can we be, if we are not people of the truth? – dealing truthfully and honestly with others. For, in all this, we are to reflect the character of our God, as Jesus did. There was no deceit in his mouth. (Isa 53:9) And he is Truth personified. Jesus said, I am .. the truth.. everyone on the side of truth listens to me. (John 14:6; 18:37)

We can always take God at his word, for Jesus said, Your word is truth. (John 17:17; Psa 119:160) Since God is true and faithful to us, we must be true and faithful to him and to one another. (Lev 19:11-12; Eph 4:25) Sometimes sin must be confronted – but, when we do so, we are to speak the truth in love. (Eph 4:15) It’s very easy to forget that – we can speak brutally and fail to deal with each other in a loving way.

People sometimes ask – Is it ever permissible to lie? Can I ever tell a tall story – to pull someone’s leg? If we do this with affection, such jokes have no intention to deceive. But it is wrong to use humour to upset someone or not to respect them.

What about telling someone that they are dying? Some don’t want to know and don’t ask. But, in visiting them, we should be faithful in speaking of our Saviour’s love, and of our need to ask for his forgiveness; as well, of course, in praying with them. Others ask and want to know. These should be told the truth kindly, and also encouraged to entrust themselves to a loving Saviour.

What, you may ask, about times of war or persecution? Is it OK to lie then? Many answer, No, it isn’t. But there are occasions in the Bible when such deception is not condemned. Consider the Hebrew midwives who deceived Pharaoh to avert genocide – or Rahab who deceived her townsfolk to save Joshua’s spies. These and others chose a lesser evil to prevent a greater one. There are times when our enemies have no right to the truth. But a lie is still wrong in itself.

It is a solemn thing to lie – for the LORD hates lying speech (Prov 6:16,17) He revealed his real abhorrence of deceit once for all in the early days of the church, and I cannot conclude this talk without referring to it.

In the church at Jerusalem there was great love and generosity between believers. A Cypriot named Joseph sold a field and brought the proceeds to the apostles to help the needy. So they called him a Son of Encouragement. There was also a couple in the church who – perhaps because they wanted a reputation like that – also sold some property. But together they kept back some of the proceeds for themselves, while giving the rest to the apostles. It appears the husband Ananias must have told them that this was the entire sum from the sale.

But Peter saw through this lie and said, Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money..? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after(wards).. wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men, but to God. When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died…. Young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land? Yes, she said.. Peter said, How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The.. men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also. At that moment she fell down.. and died.. (Acts 5:1-11)

Are we shocked by what God did to Ananias and Sapphira? How we would be if it happened here, in St-Marc’s! We read, Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. You bet it did – the punishment was so severe and so sudden!

Was God fair to do that? Yes, he was, because lying is utterly incompatible with his holy people. In Psalm 15, David asks, LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? And answers, He whose walk is blameless.. who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue. (Psa 15:1-3)

In the last chapters of the Bible, Jesus makes it equally clear that no liars can enter heaven, Outside [is].. everyone who loves and practices falsehood. (Rev 22:15; 21:8) What happened to Ananias and Sapphira brings to us right now, the reality of that judgement at the end of time. It scares us because we are liars, too. We are all sinners, in need of the grace of God in Jesus Christ, who was crucified to pay for our sins.

If only we could see the love of God who went to such cost to save us from his judgement on sin! He longs for us to become like him, utterly truthful and reliable. But he knows that the first step we have to take is like that of the wayward son in Jesus’ parable. When he came to his senses, he said, I will go back to my father and say to him, Father I have sinned.. against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son… (Luke 15:17-24)

When we have done that sincerely, willing to turn from our past behaviour, and ask God’s forgiveness through what Jesus, our Lord, has done for us – then we too shall know the Father’s loving welcome, and be filled with his Spirit, who alone can change us. (Col 1:21,22; Eph 1:4; 2 Cor 3:18)

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and for evermore. Amen. (Jude 24,25)