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This is the eleventh sermon in a series of messages on the Ten Commandments. This message discusses the Ninth Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness.
Written Excerpts:
Introduction:
Today we are going to be discussing the Ninth Commandment, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”
I don’t suppose that I have to convince you that we are living in a cultural environment that has deteriorated in many respects over the last several decades. This fact is demonstrated in many ways, but perhaps none so prevalent as the loss of trust and truthfulness between citizens and even family members. Lying and distortions of truth has become so commonplace that many people rarely take anyone’s word at face value anymore.
Bending the truth, stretching the truth, hedging the truth as well as outright lying have all reached epidemic proportions in our world and our society. God has a plan and design for each of us when it comes to the matter of honesty and integrity and it is summed up in the ninth commandment… DO NOT LIE.
IX. Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness
A. Negative Meaning: Do not give a false testimony against another person.
I want to briefly define a few of the words that are used here in this command.
“false” – [shéqer] a Hebrew word that means lie, falsehood or deception. It is derived from a word that means to deal falsely. It is used of words or activities which have no basis in fact or reality. In the ninth commandment it involves an accusation made against another citizen that is not based on fact. (Theological Wordbook of the OT by Harris, Archer, and Waltke)
When the TC are repeated in Deut. 5, a slightly different word is used. There, the word means vanity, worthlessness or emptiness. It designates anything unsubstantiated, unreal or worthless, either materially or morally. (HAW)
“witness” – [ed] a Hebrew noun meaning witness or testimony. It can refer to either a person who is giving testimony or to the actual written/oral testimony itself [which would be the equivalent of evidence]. (Complete Word Study Dict.)
The word derives from the Hebrew word meaning: return, repeat, or do again. A witness, therefore, is one who by reiteration, emphatically affirms his testimony. (HAW)
Based on these meanings, the command primarily and specifically condemns the giving of false, misleading and unsubstantiated testimony against another person in a court setting.
B. Positive Principle: Truth is sacred.
As we have been saying with all of the previous commandments, every command reveals to us a positive principle that is intended to be a guide for everyday life. The principle being taught by this command is that truth is something that is sacred.
C. Exposition: How does this commandment relate to life?
1. This commandment demonstrates the nature of God.
In the Scripture verses that were read earlier in the worship service, and in many other additional verses in the Bible, we get a clear understanding of God’s attitude toward lying and toward the truth.
When we speak of truth as it relates to God, it includes the concept of being authentically consistent with the rest of His own nature. In other words, God cannot act in any way that violates His perfect nature. It also implies that God is reliable, faithful, and dependable.
God commands truthfulness from us because we are expected to emulate Him in our own character and way of life. When we practice deceit, give false evidence or testimony, or just flippantly lie to one another, we are not acting like God is our Father. Instead, we are acting like we have a different father!
See 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.”
2. This commandment promotes the administration of justice in society.
This point basically re-emphasizes what I said a little earlier when I was giving the definitions of the Hebrew words that are used in the text.
It is true that people will lie in court for the purpose of trying to get themselves out of trouble. Others will lie for the purpose of trying to get someone else in trouble. In either case, lying distorts the administration of justice in society and culture.
The sin / crime of perjury is wrong because it distorts the cause of justice and promotes the practice of evil in the world. This goes completely contrary to the nature of God who is perfectly just in all His ways, and He desires the same quality of justice and virtue in society.
One writer has stated that “justice is truth in action.” (J. Joubert, quoted by Randal Denny)
In the OT, when someone purposely brought a false accusation against another person, then the punishment that would have been given to the accused person is placed upon the accuser instead.
Deut. 19:18-19 And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, 19then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you.
Proverbs 19:9 “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies shall perish.”
A proverb is basically an observation about everyday life. So, with that in mind, this passage is probably not specifically talking about the same punishment for perjury that the passage in Deuteronomy was advocating. The writer of Proverbs seems to be emphasizing the fact that society will not tolerate one who provides false testimony and in the end he will perish as a result of living his life by that pattern.
This illustrates the fact that God was very concerned about the accurate administration of justice in the civil matters of Jewish society. He literally refers to the distortion of justice as an evil that must be put away from among them.
I’m convinced that this commandment stresses more than just the character of God and the importance of justice in the world.
3. This commandment promotes honesty as a way of life.
The quality of honesty and integrity must be a vital part of our conduct and character. Without it, none of us can ever hope to develop meaningful relationships that are based on mutual trust and respect. While the literal interpretation of the commandment deals specifically with the matter of perjury in court, yet the general application of this command in everyday life is also included.
There are many, many texts throughout the Bible that condemn lying in all forms. Since I believe that the Ten Commandments provide the basis for all of the commands and principles found in the Bible, I conclude that the ninth commandment includes the matter of lying in daily conversation, because it is the only one out of the Ten that deals with the issue of truth.
Let’s look at a few other passages of Scripture as they apply to this issue.
Matthew 12:34b-37 declares, “…For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
I believe this passage of Scripture is relevant in two ways:
(1) A person that can’t stick with the truth and repeatedly resorts to lying is revealing what is in his heart, because that is what is coming out of his mouth. Just like the prophet says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked…” These people are not able to be honest even with themselves.
(2) Whatever does come out of the mouth will be the basis of judgment against the speaker, rather than judgment against the other person that is falsely accused.
Matthew 5:33-37 “Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: 35Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.”
James 5:12 “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.”
Neither of these texts speaks about lying. They are more directly speaking about people who swear by an oath in order to reinforce the veracity of their words. Both Jesus and James are insisting that everyone should always live and speak in such a manner that does not require the use of an oath in order to get others to believe what they say.
Related to these concepts is the well-know and oft-quoted passage we refer to as the Golden Rule:
Matthew 7:12 “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (NKJV)
Isn’t it amazing that people who lie and deceive others are usually very offended and angry when someone lies to them?
Jesus “hits the nail on the head” by saying this “rule” covers the whole purpose found in the Law and the Prophets. Don’t treat anyone else in a way that you would not want to be treated yourself. This includes being truthful and honest every day of our lives in our conversations and our conduct.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus
Conclusion:
As we bring this message to a close, I just want to urge all of us to examine our hearts and our lives to see how we measure up to this commandment. Are you truthful in all your conversation? Do you regularly excuse the use of a lie by calling it just a little fib or just a little white lie?
I have news dear friends, lies only come in one color, and I’m quite sure it isn’t white. If the devil is the father of lies, then I would guess the color is something dark, like evil.
There is so much more that can be said on this subject and certainly a lot of questions that are related to how we need to practice truthfulness in every facet of life. But the primary lesson I hope we all will take away from this message today is that God loves truth and hates a lie. Let’s all purpose to live in such a way that everyone around us knows our word can be trusted and they never have to wonder if we are telling the truth.
This is the kind of life that is pleasing to God.
Next sermon in this series is: For All Intents and Purposes (link available in blog archive on right)
Next sermon in this series is: For All Intents and Purposes (link available in blog archive on right)
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