The Ninth Commandment, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” (Ex. 20:16), is a prohibition against all forms of lying and evil speaking. Malicious intent to hurt, ruin, and destroy another is often propagated through lies, slanders, and false accusations. The scriptures contain several notable examples of false witnesses being the means of bringing unjust deaths upon righteous men. King Ahab coveted Naboth’s vineyard because it was near to his palace, but Naboth responded, “The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.” (I Kings 21:3). This answer caused Ahab to pout like a spoiled child until his wicked wife Jezebel devised a plan whereby she wrote letters to the elders of Naboth’s city in which she said, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. Then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.” (vs. 9,10). This being done, Ahab then seized the vineyard for his own. The first Christian martyr, Stephen, was so full of faith, power, and mighty works that the members of the Jewish synagogue who thought their religion threatened “stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:” (Acts 6:12,13). The resulting stoning of this godly servant and witness of the Lord Jesus Christ was in many respects similar to the death of his Master before him when “the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.” (Mt. 26:59-61). This wrong interpretation of Jesus’ words was enough to convict Him to die.
Such deliberate falsifying of truth to bring death to another probably poses no temptation to the reader, but many other forms of lying are employed by multitudes in our corrupt society today. Men and women lie to hide the guilt of their other violations of God’s law such as swearing, stealing, and adultery. Children grow up lying to parents, teachers, and peers as a means of escaping punishment and gaining acceptance. Many persons have fallen into such habitual patterns of lying that nothing they say or promise can be safely relied upon. Still others, out of fear of persecution or retaliation, lie by remaining silent and withholding truth which ought to be spoken for the benefit of others. The consciences of those who lie constantly may become benumbed and seared, nevertheless the Word of God sounds a clear warning to all unrepentant liars: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8).
True Christians are also capable of lying as the sad examples of Abraham, Isaac, David, and Peter all reveal (Gen. 12:10-13; 26:6-10; I Sam. 27; Mt. 26:69-75). More frequently than lying blatantly, Christians are guilty of insincerity, hypocrisy, gossip, and listening to slander with acceptance. All these are included under the Apostle Paul’s command, “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.” (Eph. 4:25). A Christian man’s word should should be as dependable as a written contract signed by him, because he is one who “walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.” (Psa. 15:2). Only the grace of Christ can cause the heart to love truth and the lips to speak it in love (Eph. 4:15). Look to Him through Whom alone comes forgiveness for lying and freedom from its enslavement.