When Pilate cross-examined the Lord Jesus, he asked the most poignant question in the world:
Pilate saith unto [Jesus], What is truth?
John 18:38
Pilate's question is one that we all must answer, both for our eternal destiny, and our practical day-to-day living. The bitter irony for Pilate is that he was looking the Truth right in the face when he asked the question!
Jesus saith unto [Thomas], I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 14:6
Truth is core issue of life. Whether they are Bible-believers or not, people generally agree that truth is good, and lies are bad. And yet, in spite of believing that truth is good and lies are bad, everyone tells lies (or half-truths) sometimes. Most of us were probably guilty of lying shortly after we learned to speak. We can lie to total strangers, we can lie to loved ones, and we can even lie to ourselves. In fact, we probably lie to ourselves more than anyone else!
In most cases, lies are a matter of self-preservation. We try to conceal what we did do, or take credit for what we did not do. Even when we lie to protect someone else's feelings, there is a selfish component - it's not that we don't want that person to know the truth, it's that we don't want to be the ones to tell them, because we don't want them to be upset with us.
But we must also consider the reverse: yes, the truth can be hard to tell, but it can be equally hard to receive. This is why, rather than being grateful for the truth, we sometimes get upset when someone tells us the truth. The difficulty of the truth is probably the primary motivation behind the lies we tell ourselves, too. The truth can hurt, and it almost always demands that we make a change to something that we are doing.
The Bible has much to say on the matter of truth. If you were to ask anyone what the Bible says on the subject, they would probably conclude that the Bible condemns lying and supports truthfulness. Even if someone has never opened a Bible before, they have enough common sense to make the correct assumption because, as we said before, people generally agree that telling the truth is good, and lying is bad.
What we might overlook, even as Christians, is just how strongly the Bible condemns lying. Consider what the Lord says in the following passages:
And there shall in no wise enter into [heaven] any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Revelation 21:27
For [outside of heaven] are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Revelation 22:15
It is unlikely that you are outwardly a sorcerer, whoremonger, murderer, or idolater (though it is easy to commit those sins in your heart). You probably have not defiled anything, or worked an abomination. But how many lies did God say it takes to be classified as a sinner barred from heaven and worthy of eternal hellfire? Look at the verses again. How many times does a person have to lie to qualify? Just one. And from God's perspective, a single lie puts a person in the same list as the other so-called "big sins." Thank God for Jesus Christ! His death, burial, and resurrection can pay for the sins of murderers, whoremongers, defilers, sorcerers, and idolaters just as much as it can pay for every lie that you and I have ever told! For the man or woman who has trusted Christ as Savior, these verses from Revelation do not need to be frightening, but they should be sobering. How often do we trample on both the precious blood of Christ and the commands of Holy, Almighty God by cheapening our definition of righteousness to "mostly righteous" or "close enough" or "better than most people" or "nobody's perfect." From God's point of view, even a single lie is abhorrent, and is a product of the father of lies:
[Satan] 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.
John 8:44
The Practical Challenge
While we may assent to the truth of the word of God, can we all agree that the practical application is a life-long challenge? Knowing the truth doesn't guarantee that we are going to tell the truth any more than owning a pair of running shoes guarantees that we're going to exercise. This is why the Holy Spirit had Paul exhort the believers at Epehsus:
…henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Ephesians 4:14-15 (underline added)
We see it again in his first letter to Corinth:
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth…
I Corinthians 13:4-8
So how do we practically apply Scripture in this matter of truth? Let's consider the following:
To tell the truth, you first have to accept the truth.
If you are lying to yourself, how are you going to tell the truth to others? If you have not accepted part (or all) of the truth of God's word yet, then the only alternative is a lie (or lies).
You have to live according to the new life God gives you, not your old life.
Part of the Christian life is the struggle between the flesh and the spirit - between your old nature (which is still alive and well) and your new nature. It is a daily, hourly, moment-by-moment choice to live in our new nature through the Lord's power and provision for us.
You have to live according to God’s definitions of things, not yours.
It doesn't matter what I think. It doesn't matter how you see things. It doesn't matter how we feel. God is the final authority, and we must accept what He thinks, how He sees things, and how He feels about every matter in life. Period.
You have to love others - is what you’re saying for their benefit, or for yours?
Telling the truth in love is the key when it comes to our interactions with both unbelievers and believers. When the truth is not told in love, it is easily abused as a bludgeon. Even if the other person chooses to be upset, there should be no question in anyone's mind that your manner and motive in telling the truth is because you genuinely care for the other person. In other words, if the other person chooses to be upset by the truth, it should not be because they're upset with you and the truth is "guilty by association" with you.
You have to recognize that loving someone is risky. They might be upset.
Telling the truth in love requires us to love others, and love is always a risky proposition. Love requires courage, because it leaves us vulnerable to being hurt. Do you have the courage to take that risk, knowing that it is what the Lord does for you daily, and what He expects you to do for others?
Follow the God-Given Patterns
Speaking of what the Lord does for us daily, it is wonderful to know that the Lord always provides us with examples to follow in His word. The Lord Jesus Christ is the model, but we can also look to Paul as our example of what it looks like to seek after that model as we live this life still struggling with our flesh.
JESUS IS THE MODEL
He always speaks the truth
He always speaks in love and is conscious of the needs of others
He always speaks for the hearer’s benefit, even if it is tough
He sometimes upsets people, although that is not His goal
PAUL IS AN EXAMPLE
Consider the way he spoke to the Corinthians - despite their varied and severe flaws, you never doubt that what he says to them over the course of two epistles is said in love. Even his sternest rebukes are laced with tender care for their physical and spiritual wellbeing.
Consider the way he spoke to the Galatians - despite their grievous doctrinal error, Paul never loses patience, dismisses the Galatians, or gets abusive or critical in the way he speaks to them. Is he upset? Certainly. Is his rebuke clear and forceful? Absolutely. Is ever word evidence of his care for them? Undoubtedly.
Consider the way he prayed for every church and individual across all of his epistles - no matter the circumstance, no matter the sin, no matter the error, no matter the personal burdens Paul himself carried, he clearly and consistently models telling the truth in love.
Hopefully we have enough of a handle on our old flesh to keep ourselves from lying, but may God help us all to start telling the truth in love!
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