In the neighborhood where I grew up if somebody was excitedly sharing some news about something they had witnessed or an awesome event that they had been a part of or giving witness to some unknown knowledge that only they had knowledge of, like, Monica Mote loves Ralph Sawyer, we would employ a phrase that became the verbal challenge indicating that we aren’t sure you’re telling us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God. Upon hearing such testimony, in whatever form, we would shout out, “No Lie?! And then the person would go on to explain why they were telling the truth or find themselves caught in their stretching of the truth...God would call it lying.
I’ve found myself screaming at the television and/or the radio on several occasions using this phrase...I hadn’t really used it in a while, but I’ve found it necessary on many occasions recently. No Lie!?
It was happening again...a prominent official of a past governmental administration spreading “fake” news. If you don’t know what “fake” news is let me help you out...it’s called lying. I mean that’s what God calls it...I mean lying (in Hebrew...seqer) is being untruthful, deceitful, and false, by implication a sham. Even Webster’s defines lying as that which is marked by or containing untrue statements. Spreading “fake” news or lying seems to have become an acceptable method of manipulation to portray what you want or who you are to get what you want...no matter the consequences. Yet, in the eyes of God...well, He hates it.
Some people have a little trouble believing that God can hate anything. But even a fleeting examination of the Scripture reveals the truth.
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; 7 you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.” Psalm 45:6-7 (ESV)
“Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” Revelation 2:6 (ESV)
“And you shall not set up a pillar,which the LORD your God hates.” Deuteronomy 16:22 (ESV)
And then of course,
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, 19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.Proverbs 6:16-19 (ESV), the lying tongue.
Since we live in a broken world, where sin has entered, we will find contrasts. We will love the right and we will hate the wrong. On the other hand, if you love sin, you will hate righteousness.
The Word of God tells us that we should love the good and hate the evil.
“...a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:8 (ESV)
God hates a lying tongue...No lie!
You probably weren’t aware of this, but there is a big “tongues” movement in America...called lying. It’s not that it hasn’t always existed, it has; it’s one of the marks of the world system. Satan, after all, is the father of lies (John 8:44) and since we are all born in sin, all men are born liars. No lie!
Well, since God hates lying, we should as well. I mean any believer can fall into lying just like he can with any other sin, but if his life is characterized by a continual habit of lying from a heart of deceit, then he would have no biblical basis for believing he is a Christian.
As believers, the old is passing away and all things are to become new in our lives.(2 Corinthians 5:17) We should stop lying, if we are, and use discernment to determine that which is true and that which is false, for only the truth can set people free.
You say, “I really don’t have a problem with lying!” Okay, but remember that lying is more than just telling direct falsehoods; it includes exaggeration, where you begin with the truth and then add a little untruth with it, making it all a lie. Then there’s cheating on taxes (sorry, it is about that time of year isn’t it?) or cheating in school, betraying a confidence, making promises you don’t intend to keep, using flattery, or just making excuses.
I mean, hang in there with me, you were all with me when I called “fake” news out for being what it really is...lying. And if we’re going to do it with “fake” news we must not deceive ourselves from realizing we just might have a little problem ourselves.
Whatever form it might take, the Lord hates it and so should we. We are to lay aside falsehood so we can do what the Lord wants us to do with our lives.
“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” Ephesians 4:25 (ESV)
We should pray like David,
Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. Psalm 120:2 (ESV)
That’s the good news, Christ in us, continues to change us, and He can and will deliver us from lying if we want Him to and ask Him to and then choose to obey Him because we want to.
We can help America return to God by telling the truth....NO LIE!