FALSEHOOD And TRUTHFULNESS
By Bro. Paulson Joshua, Kochi
False reports and lies are affecting many people today; some even become sick mentally as well as physically. Fabricated stories about a good person, will affect his normal life. He or she will lose interest in proper food, and sleep and it will in turn affect their career.
Among God’s people also we see a similar scenario. Let us consider four things in this regard.
1) Remember, the foundation of Christian life is what God did for us.
a. Jesus Christ is Truth. “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” (John 14:6). Notice His prayer for us, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17).
b. Bible, the word of God is Truth. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15).
c. The Holy Spirit is truth. (1 John 5:6) Jesus Christ talks about the Holy Spirit, “when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13).
We must understand that those who have received Jesus Christ have received the truth. They are born of the Spirit, and the Holy Spirit dwells in their heart to guide them into all the truth. Our soul gets purified by obeying the truth. “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.” (1 Peter 1:22).
So those who are members of the church, the body of Christ, and their life should witness the Truth, Jesus Christ. They should not tell lies and are not to believe false reports.
2) Warnings to those who speak lies and spread false information.
If anyone speaks lies and propagates false reports, they are not member of the church. They are the children of Satan! Jesus Christ says, “You are of your father the devil, who 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.” (John 8:44). Ananias and Saphira both died on the spot in the church when they were telling lies (Acts 5).
3) Reasons why those who are in fellowship, become liars.
a. They do not practice the truth. (1 John 1:6)
b. They do not keep His commandments. (1 John 2:4)
c. They accuse their brethren. (Revelation 12:10)
4) Throughout history, we see that falsehood hurt the saints.
a. Job experienced this in his life from the brethren. “How then can you comfort me with empty words, since falsehood remains in your answers?” (Job 21:34).
b. David prayed to God. “Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouth speaks lying words, and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.” (Psalms 144:11). David says, “false witnesses have risen against me.” (Psalms 27:12).
c. Naboth the poor man was killed by creating the false witnesses of Ahab's wife Jezebel (1 Kings 21:13).
d. The chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death (Matthew 26:59).
e. The first martyr Stephen was killed by false witnesses (Acts 6:13).
Very sad, today many of the believers who have a good position in this world and in the church as elders or evangelists, tell lies and believe in false reports to hurt the brethren and even send them out from the church.
Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbour,” for we are members of one another (Ephesians 4:25). May Lord help us to realize our position and to admit our faults.
