Question 1

Why do I lie?

Accepted Answer

Acts 20:30Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.We may lie to become popular. Lying presents a false image to others, an image we hope makes us more desirable. This false image, however, actually displays the undesirable qualities of dishonestly and deceit.2 Chronicles 18:5-15So the king of Israel summoned the prophets, 400 of them, and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold back?” They all replied, “Yes, go right ahead! God will give the king victory.” But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the Lord here? We should ask him the same question.” The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man who could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.” Jehoshaphat replied, “That’s not the way a king should talk! Let’s hear what he has to say.” So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Quick! Bring Micaiah son of Imlah.” King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahab’s prophets were prophesying there in front of them. One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, “This is what the Lord says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans to death!” All the other prophets agreed. “Yes,” they said, “go up to Ramoth-gilead and be victorious, for the Lord will give the king victory!” Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, “Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success.” But Micaiah replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what my God says.” When Micaiah arrived before the king, Ahab asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold back?” Micaiah replied sarcastically, “Yes, go up and be victorious, for you will have victory over them!” But the king replied sharply, “How many times must I demand that you speak only the truth to me when you speak for the Lord?”Acts 5:1-11There was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest. Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!” As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him. About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?” “Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.” And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.” Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.We may lie to make ourselves look good. In truth, people are most respected when they own up to their mistakes and hold their ground when others find their views unpopular. Lying always makes us look bad when the truth finally comes to light.Genesis 4:9The Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?” “I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”Exodus 32:21-24Finally, he [Moses] turned to Aaron and demanded, “What did these people do to you to make you bring such terrible sin upon them?” “Don’t get so upset, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know how evil these people are. They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.’ So I told them, ‘Whoever has gold jewelry, take it off.’ When they brought it to me, I simply threw it into the fire—and out came this calf!”We may lie to avoid trouble and punishment. Lying often tries to shift the blame, but this solution is only temporary and often brings greater punishment when the truth is discovered.Genesis 18:15Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.” But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.”We may lie to calm our fears. Lying sugar coats our fears, but when the truth is revealed, we are still left with the same old fears.Genesis 12:12-13“When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife. Let’s kill him; then we can have her!’ So please tell them you are my sister. Then they will spare my life and treat me well because of their interest in you.”Genesis 20:2Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by saying, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him at his palace.We may lie to try to protect ourselves. Such lies show a lack of trust in others, and worse, a lack of faith in God. Then when the truth is revealed, the protection our lies seemed to offer only leads to even more trouble (Exodus 20:3-18).Psalm 12:2Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts.We may lie selfishly to get what we want. Flattery is a form of lying. It only says “sweet stuff” to manipulate others.Exodus 20:16“You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.”Matthew 26:59-61Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find witnesses who would lie about Jesus, so they could put him to death. But even though they found many who agreed to give false witness, they could not use anyone’s testimony. Finally, two men came forward who declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”Acts 16:16-21One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl. She was a fortune-teller who earned a lot of money for her masters. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”We may lie to get even or to gain the upper hand in a legal argument. Just as a tiny drop of poison can kill someone, a little lie can destroy someone’s reputation.Proverbs 26:28A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin.We may lie as an expression of our hatred. Flattery is a lie, as it deceives others about who they really are and is a form of manipulation.Jeremiah 17:9“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”Mark 7:20-23Then he [Jesus] added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”John 8:44“You are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”We lie because we are sinners. Every person is born with a sinful nature, so we are prone to sin—including lying. Lies are poisoned arrows shot with poisoned motives.

Question 2

In what ways can actions be lies?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 10:18Hiding hatred makes you a liar; slandering others makes you a fool.1 John 1:10If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.1 John 2:21, 27So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. . . . But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.1 John 4:20If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?We lie when we try to deceive God, others, or even ourselves about our sin. Deception needs no words to do its job. Whenever we try to appear like someone we are not, we are lying.

Question 3

Why is telling the truth so important?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 12:19, 22Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed. . . . The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.Romans 1:18God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.Telling the truth is important. It is a litmus test to reveal if we are modeling our lives after the God of truth. God demands that we tell the truth because it is the only way we can have healthy relationships characterized by love and trust.Luke 16:10“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.”“Harmless” lies show a casual disregard for truth. Telling the truth, even in the little things, builds a strength and confidence for speaking the truth in more difficult matters.John 14:6Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”Ephesians 4:25Stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.Telling the truth is important because God is truth. Lying stands in opposition to God.Psalm 14:1Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.”Proverbs 27:1Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.Luke 12:19-20“‘I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’”Romans 12:3Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.James 4:13-15Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”Telling the truth is important because lying is self-deception. Pride inspires us to lie to ourselves—the most dangerous kind of lie. Many lies spring from pride. We may grow overconfident and take foolish risks. We may look down on others. We may even downplay the severity of our sins and our need for God. The more we lie, the more we begin to believe our own lies and blind ourselves to important truths. In time, our lies may grow louder than God’s truth, leading us far from him.

Question 4

Is lying ever justified?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 25:21May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you.Psalm 101:7I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence.Psalm 119:163I hate and abhor all falsehood, but I love your instructions.Proverbs 12:17An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies.Proverbs 13:5The godly hate lies; the wicked cause shame and disgrace.Proverbs 20:10False weights and unequal measures—the Lord detests double standards of every kind.1 Peter 2:22He [Jesus] never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.While we all sometimes fail to tell the truth, God wants our hearts to always desire it. God hates it when we tell the truth only when it benefits us.Exodus 1:19-21“The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women,” the midwives replied. “They are more vigorous and have their babies so quickly that we cannot get there in time.” So God was good to the midwives, and the Israelites continued to multiply, growing more and more powerful. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.Joshua 2:4-5Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, “Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn’t know where they were from. They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don’t know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them.”Hebrews 11:31It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.God did not necessarily condone the lies of the midwives and Rahab. But God did reward them for unselfishly seeking to protect the innocent, despite their using lies to accomplish it. This is a reflection of God’s gracious character, not a defense of their lying. God could have rescued the Hebrew babies and the Israelite spies in other ways had he chosen to do so.Job 32:21-22“I won’t play favorites or try to flatter anyone. For if I tried flattery, my Creator would soon destroy me.”Proverbs 27:6Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.Proverbs 28:23In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery.Proverbs 29:5To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet.All white lies harm relationships. Flattery is a form of manipulation. It cares more about making others approve of us than in giving them genuine encouragement or insights about themselves. A friend who speaks honestly regarding difficult truths is a great gift.2 Samuel 12:1-9The Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.” David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.” Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.”Matthew 13:10-13, 16His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?” He [Jesus] replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. . . . But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.”Speaking indirectly is not always a form of lying or flattery. Nathan and Jesus both used parables to open their listeners’ hearts. We need to note that Nathan and Jesus were never trying to create lies through this approach. They were seeking to tell the truth in a way that would effectively communicate to their audience. Not everyone is receptive to difficult truths, so speaking truth often requires subtlety and tact. Through the careful words of Nathan and Jesus, both David and Jesus’ disciples learned to accept God’s truth in their situations.

Question 5

What does God think about lying?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 5:6You will destroy those who tell lies. The Lord detests murderers and deceivers.Psalm 119:163I hate and abhor all falsehood, but I love your instructions.Proverbs 6:16-19There are six things the Lord hates—no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.Proverbs 12:22The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.God is truth, so he is completely opposed to lying and lies.Numbers 23:19God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?Ezekiel 13:8“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because what you say is false and your visions are a lie, I will stand against you, says the Sovereign Lord.”Romans 1:18God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.God does not tolerate lying because it violates his character.Exodus 20:16“You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.”Leviticus 19:11“Do not steal. Do not deceive or cheat one another.”Proverbs 13:5The godly hate lies; the wicked cause shame and disgrace.Colossians 3:9Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.God commands us to be examples of his truthfulness. Truth lived out is even more convincing than truth spoken. Furthermore, we should hate lies because they are part of the old sinful nature to which we were slaves before we became Christians.

Question 6

What should my attitude be regarding lying?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 30:8First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.We should live with a firm priority for truth in our daily choices.Psalm 43:1Declare me innocent, O God! Defend me against these ungodly people. Rescue me from these unjust liars.Psalm 120:2Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people.Matthew 10:16“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.”We can pray for God’s protection and deliverance from the effects of others’ deceit. Though we are not to be deceitful ourselves, we should be wise and discerning about others.Psalm 119:163I hate and abhor all falsehood, but I love your instructions.Proverbs 13:5The godly hate lies; the wicked cause shame and disgrace.Ephesians 4:25So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.Colossians 3:9Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.We should hate lies because they are part of the old sinful nature to which we were slaves before we were Christians.

Question 7

How can I know when someone is lying to me?

Accepted Answer

Romans 16:17-18Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.Galatians 1:6-7I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.2 Timothy 3:16All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.1 John 2:21, 27So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. . . . But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.We can know when someone is lying by testing what we hear using God’s word. Truth is always in harmony with God and his word.Proverbs 26:23-26Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot. People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you. They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils. While their hatred may be concealed by trickery, their wrongdoing will be exposed in public.Matthew 7:15-16, 20“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? . . . Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”Philippians 3:17-19Pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.Titus 1:15-16Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.Titus 2:1Promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching.We can know when people are lying by testing their words against details of how they are living. Are the speaker’s words and lifestyle choices in harmony?Genesis 3:6The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.When something seems too good to be true, we should test it because it is often deception.Psalm 1:1Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.Proverbs 14:7Stay away from fools, for you won’t find knowledge on their lips.We should avoid deceitful people to avoid being deceived. If we don’t want to be burned, why play with fire?

Question 8

What will happen to liars?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 12:19Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed.Liars will be exposed. Truth will ultimately prevail.Psalm 5:6You will destroy those who tell lies. The Lord detests murderers and deceivers.Proverbs 11:3Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.Psalm 55:23You, O God, will send the wicked down to the pit of destruction. Murderers and liars will die young, but I am trusting you to save me.Proverbs 19:5, 9A false witness will not go unpunished, nor will a liar escape. . . . A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed.Proverbs 22:12The Lord preserves those with knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the treacherous.Revelation 21:8, 27“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” . . . Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.Liars who do not repent and turn to God will receive both earthly consequences and eternal judgment.Psalm 31:18Silence their lying lips—those proud and arrogant lips that accuse the godly.Psalm 63:11The king will rejoice in God. All who swear to tell the truth will praise him, while liars will be silenced.When truth prevails, liars and their lies will be silenced.Psalm 24:3-5Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior.Psalm 101:7I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence.Isaiah 59:2-3It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore. Your hands are the hands of murderers, and your fingers are filthy with sin. Your lips are full of lies, and your mouth spews corruption.Unrepentant liars will be separated from a relationship with God. A holy God cannot live with people who want to live unholy lives.

Question 9

How does occasionally stretching the truth taint my character?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 14:1Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.”Proverbs 27:1Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.Luke 12:19-20“‘And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’”Romans 12:3Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.James 4:13-15Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”Stretching the truth about ourselves comes from pride, the most dangerous kind of lie. Many lies spring from pride. We may grow overconfident and take foolish risks. We may look down on others. We may even downplay the severity of our sin and our need for God. The more we lie, the more we begin to believe our own lies and blind ourselves to important truths. In time, our lies may grow louder than God’s truth, leading us far from him.Job 32:21-22“I won’t play favorites or try to flatter anyone. For if I tried flattery, my Creator would soon destroy me.”Proverbs 27:6Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.Proverbs 28:23In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery.Proverbs 29:5To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet.Seemingly small or “white lies” still harm our relationships. Flattery is a form of manipulation. It cares more about making others approve of us than giving them genuine encouragement or insight. A friend who speaks difficult truths is a great gift.