Courtney Gilmore Why Do We Lie?
Often we lie just to keep ourselves or someone else out of trouble. Sometimes we lie to make ourselves look better or to make the story a little more interesting or convincing. There are even times when we don’t know everything, but instead of admitting it, we just make something up.
Sometimes we tell lies about other people. Maybe we don’t like them and we want to hurt them. Or maybe we just want everyone to like us more or do what we want instead, so we make up lies about them.
Sometimes we tell what we think is a noble lie. We don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings or we are afraid the truth is too much for them to handle at the moment, so we tell them what they want to hear, even though it isn’t true. Or maybe we think it’s a necessary means to the right end, so we bend the truth a little.
Usually, we know the truth and we choose to lie instead. But sometimes, what we believe to be true, just isn’t. Maybe we’re merely unaware, uninformed, or uneducated or maybe we have simply believed someone else’s lie. But many times, we just want something to be true so badly that we twist it around in our own head until we believe it. This is our truth, but it may not be The Truth.
There is such a thing as absolute truth. Sometimes what we call the truth is really just an opinion, and in that case, it is subjective. But when it comes to facts, there are absolute truths and absolute lies.
Devote Yourself to the Truth
Because Jesus is the truth and Satan is the father of lies, as Christians, we must be devoted to the truth. Telling the truth will lead people to Jesus and telling lies will lead them astray. That means we we need to know the difference between opinion and fact, the subjective and the objective, and we also need to be able to discern the truth from a lie. Then, when we know the truth, we can’t lend ourselves to lies, no matter the circumstance or reason.
There are two ways that we can know the truth. One is from knowledge and the other is from discernment. Jesus is called the Truth and He is also called the Word. So, to know the truth, we must first read the Word of God, which is the Bible.
The entirety of Your Word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgements endures forever.
Psalm 119:160
The Bible tells us the absolute, everlasting truth of God. But sometimes we are confused about what God is saying to us through His Word, and that’s when we need the discernment that we find through His Spirit. In the Old Testament, God spoke the truth through leaders, prophets, and kings. Then when Jesus walked the earth, He taught the truth through His actions and words. But after He died, He sent His Spirit to guide us in the truth.
When He, the Spirit of Truth has come, He will guide you in all truth. He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak. The Spirit of Truth will tell you the things to come. He will glorify Me and take what is Mine and declare it to You.
John 16:13-14
Walk in Truth
So, to know the truth, read your Bible and pray. Then, have the courage to walk in truth.
Teach me Your way, O Lord and I will walk in Your Truth.
Psalm 86:11
When you’re tempted to cover your sin with a lie, cover it with His blood instead. Because Jesus died for your sins, when you apply His blood to your life, your sins are covered and forgiven. So, if you must cover them, do it God’s way instead of your own.
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
Psalm 32:1-2
Resist the urge to look better with lie and just be better and learn more. Then there will be no reason to lie. Think about other people and care about them enough not to lie about them. If you want to think about yourself, then think about how you would like to be treated and then do the same to them. Follow the golden rule.
Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
Luke 6:31
Lying Isn’t Compassionate
So, those lies are fairly apparent. We know it’s wrong to lie to keep ourselves out of trouble and to slander other people. But we also need to rid ourselves of the notion that lying can be compassionate. We can’t be afraid of what others may say about us, or even do to us, if we refuse to go along with the popular talking points and ways of interacting. If what others want to hear is not the truth, then it’s not what they need to hear.
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away form listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
2 Timothy 4:3-5
Some say that to love our neighbor is to affirm them. But love cannot affirm a lie. That will not lead them to the One who is truth and love, but instead, would be leading them astray. That cannot be kind or compassionate! Instead, we should speak the truth in love. Be understanding, gracious, and kind, but stand for the truth. Then you will be standing for Jesus. That’s what it looks like to truly love our neighbor.
We should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ.
Ephesians 4:14-15
This is an excerpt from Episode 110 “Truth and Justice” on Podcast and YouTube.
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