What Should Be?
The Ninth Commandment
Exodus 20: 16
We come now to the 9th Commandment. And again I want to remind you that we are
working through a section of the Moral Law where God has prescribed for us obedience in only the strongest of terms – that is, the negative – that all these behaviors matter to him and that we are not to regard them merely as appropriate, social manners or even as good, moral suggestions. These are commandments from God.
I say that, of course, because in our heart of hearts we know that not only do unbelievers regard God’s Moral Law with less and less seriousness, (and they even see some selfish, sinful advantages to violating
these commandments in order to get what they want for the moment) Christians also often regard the very commandments of God lightly as if they don’t really matter after all. We don’t even like to admit that they should really be called sin anymore. We laugh and joke about it, we might act
sheepishly if we’re caught but we often don’t think it that bad and we don’t really intend to change. And so a Christian allows himself to act like an unbeliever – he “fudges” on the law of God just a bit, he lies, cheats and steals – and does not think anything of it at all.
But think about it for a moment – such a Christian has allowed his conscience to be seared by his cheap regard for the gospel! And the farther down this list we progress
the more tendency there is for the Christian today to deny that he has a duty to obey God. But, brothers, this should not be. What do the Scriptures say even about these things?
"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." (Rev 21:8)
"But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie."
(Rev 22:15)
And so the commandment we will focus this time is the 9th Commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” If
murder is taking the image of God unjustly, and
adultery is giving away the image of God cheaply, and
stealing is possessing what belongs to the image of God unrighteously,
lying is denying the image of God intentionally.
Damage Control
Now, I want you to notice how this commandment is worded. It isn’t simply “Don’t lie” – if that was all that was said we might not understand what was so wrong. Rather, it says “Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Lying is not simply something you do with your mouth, lying is a verbal and destructive attack on someone else.
Let’s look at it from the other side of the coin: how important is the truth supposed to be to the Christian? Truth is meant by God to be to us a blessing.
1) It’s the way we know God – his word is truth.
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (Jn. 17:17)
2) It’s the way we understand the gospel.
"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (Jn. 8:32)
3) It’s the way you learn about the love of God.
“In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness. … Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.” (Ps. 31:1, 5)
4) It’s the way given you to live as a Christian.
“Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.” (Eph. 4:25)
But to bear a false witness is, like Satan, to attack others with your lies:
1) Lying denies that you know God, (it attacks the Father),
2) lying rejects the gospel message (it attacks the Son),
3) lying proves a love for self that is greater than any love for God (it attacks the Holy Spirit),
4) lying tears down relationships and the community of the church (it attacks church).
When you lie about yourself you destroy your own credit and reliability before others, you destroy honesty and your own desire to be believed, and you destroy your own growth in the spirit. When you lie about others you
destroy their reputation, their confidence, their sense of security and trust and you destroy their ability to grow, to improve, to correct, to overcome.
Repairing the Damage
This is why Scripture warns us harshly to guard our mouths. “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we
shall receive a stricter judgment.” Why? “For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. … [T]he tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest
a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.” That’s your tongue he’s talking about! [N]o man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so." (my emphasis).
But if we are to gain control, we need to obey God in this way:
“Therefore, putting
away lying, Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.” (Eph. 4:25).
| PUT OFF | PUT ON |
| WHAT | accusation, suggestion, gossip, slander | build up, encourage, support |
| HOW | innuendo, voice-inflection, false sincerity | with sincerity, considering the other first |
| WHY | innuendo, voice-inflection, false sincerity | prayed over, considered, thought through |
| WHEN | for the worst damage, plotting | when it suits the other person |
| WHERE | in public, in private, “out of place” | in public, in private, when appropriate
|
We could close by saying that the best thing to think about before you speak is the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” “Say unto others as you would have them say unto you.” But the ultimate truth is this: if every sin is first and foremost against God then remember that every word you say is first and foremost to God. Remember: you speak to God and then to another
person. From Studies in the Book of Exodus, by The Rev. David G. Barker, October, 2000.
From Studies in the Book of Exodus, by The Rev. David G. Barker, October, 2000.
