Part #2..."The Lying Tongue"

"Lying is a false statement that is made with the intention of deceiving another." 
Today lying is very big problem within the church and within society. There are several reasons why lying has become so popular today in our society.

Just turn on your TV and begin to look at some the most popular shows that we have. Take for instance the show Survivor. Personally, I do not watch this program.

If a person wants to make it to the end and win the money they have to lie or deceive someone to reach that goal. (They advertise lying, cheating, stealing, backbiting)

Of course this is not the only one; Big Brother promotes the same thing. Their very ad on T.V. says there will be those things as well!!!

There's another program called "Fact or Fiction" and the writers make up false stories along with those that are based on fact and at the end of the show you are suppose to see if you guessed correctly which one was true and which one was a lie.

Not only does TV promote lying; so does the media. Gossip columns and magazines like the National Inquirer are known to lie and people just eat this stuff up.

It's because of the media, whether in paper or on TV, that has shaped a generation who thinks that lying is just a part of everyday life. 
Even without the media's influence, some find it so much easier to tell a little lie than to tell the truth. 

Children have a tendency to lie when they think they may get out of trouble. 
Adults are tempted to lie when they think they can avoid a confrontation and especially when it comes to trying to stay out of trouble themselves. 

While telling a lie might be easy to do it is certainly not without consequences.

When we think about this, I am always reminded of what happened to this husband and wife because of their lying lips in,

In Acts 5:1-11 we read, "But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. 2 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. 3 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? 4 "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." 5 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. 6 And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. 7 Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?" She said, "Yes, for so much." 9 Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." 10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. 11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things."

These two became a great example of how serious God takes the sin of lying. While God doesn't immediately kill people today for lying there are far greater consequence that we will face if we continue in this sin.

How serious is lying to God???

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."

How many lies does it take to be a liar?
Is it alright to commit a little murder, a little sexual immorality, a little idolatry? Of course not!

So even if you don't see any harm in a little lie surely you can see from this passage that if you continue in little white lies, this type of person will find their eternal home in pits of hell with all the other sinners mentioned in the text.

We need to work on avoiding this sin and not make light of it. Its important that we remember what Jesus said about the origin of lying.

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."

So if a person continues in the sin of lying they are in essence making the devil their father. 

Though Satan would love this for us as Christians; we should want to stay far away from the devil and never try to be deceitful.
This is only playing directly into his hands.

Peter gives us great advice on how we put the sin of lying behind us. 

1 Peter 2:1 "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby."

Have you ever noticed that all roads lead to THE WORD? 

Coming to Christ is only by The Word; staying faithful is only by way of The Word; If you commit sin, you return only by getting back to & obeying The Holy Word of God!!!

The most effective way to put away lying is by 'desiring the Word of God' and making it a part of everyday life. When we do this we will grow stronger and it will become easier for us to resist the temptation of lying.

We will be encouraged to tell the truth as we see that the 1st century Christian willing to stand on the truth of God 'even unto death' when they could have lied and said they did not believe Christ. So again, let's always try to not commit the sin that God hates.

God bless until our next time...