1. THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, or give him a bad name, but defend him, speak well of him, and take his words and actions in the kindest possible way.
Lesson 19

2. Aim: How does God want us to view the gift of a good name?

3. 1. Why is God’s gift of a good name so important?
Proverbs 22:1
A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
Proverbs 11:9
With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape.
Proverbs 16:28
A perverse person stirs up conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.
(A good name determines
respect and trust
for a person.)

4. 2. How does God want us to help others keep their good names?
1 Samuel 20:30-32
30 Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? 31 As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be estab-lished. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!” 32 “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” Jonathan asked his father.
defend others

5. 2. How does God want us to help others keep their good names?
1 Samuel 19:1–6
Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David 2 and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. … 4 Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. 5 He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?” 6 Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.”
speak well
of others

6. 2. How does God want us to help others keep their good names?
1 Corinthians 13:5–7
5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Proverbs 10:12
12 Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.
take the words
and actions of
others in the
kindest possible
way

7. 2. How does God want us to help others keep their good names?
Matthew 18:15
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.
lead them
to repentance

8. 2. How does God want us to help others keep their good names?
Key Point 2
God wants us to defend the good names of others and to do whatever we can to help them keep their good names if they do something wrong.

9. 3. How do we ruin the good names God has given to others?
Psalm 109:2
for people who are wicked and deceitful have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues.
Proverbs 11:13
A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
tell lies about another person
betray them and their secrets

10. 3. How do we ruin the good names God has given to others?
Proverbs 17:9
Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
1 Timothy 5:13
Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to.
say bad things about others

11. 3. How do we ruin the good names God has given to others?
Key Point 3
We ruin the good names God has given to others when we tell lies about them, betray their secrets, or gossip about them.