1. Do Not Lie
Colossians 3:9

2. Questions Answered in This Lesson
Why is lying common?
What does the Bible say about it?
How are lies committed?
What are the consequences of lying?
What should be our attitude toward it?

3. Lying Is a Common Problem
It is easy to do
It is habit forming
It gets one out of a bind quickly
It is easily justified, excused, or minimized
It is committed by “good” people

4. Lying is a Common Problem
Satan: to overturn God’s word (Gen. 3:5; Jn. 8:44)
Cain: to cover-up sin (Gen. 4:9)
Abraham and Isaac: fear (Gen. 12:12; 20:11; 26:7)

5. Lying is a Common Problem
Rahab: to hide something or someone (Josh. 2:4-5)
Samson: sport (Judg. 16:10, 13)
Gehazi: greed (2 Kings 5:22-25)

6. Lying is a Common Problem
Ananias & Sapphira: to promote themselves (Acts 5:3)

7. The Bible and Lying
Lying is condemned in the OT (Ex. 20:16; Lev. 19:11)
God hates liars (Prov. 6:17,19; 12:22; 19:5,9)
The first recorded sin in the NT church was lying (Ac. 5:3)

8. The Bible and Lying
Lying is condemned in the NT (Eph. 4:25; Col. 3:9; 1 Tim. 1:10)

9. The Bible and Lying
Is it sometimes right to lie? What about Rahab the harlot?
She was a harlot and a liar (Joshua 2:1-7)
She is commended for her faith in God, not her prostitution or lying (Heb. 11:31; James 2:25)

10. The Bible and Lying Lying is always wrong!
No such things as “little white lies”
No “situation” that justifies lying

11. How Lies Are Committed
Speaking that which is not true (Prov. 12:19; Eph. 4:25; 1 Tim. 2:7)
This can be done in religion (1 K. 13:11ff; Jer. 14:14; 23:32; Ezek. 13:6-19)

12. How Lies Are Committed
Speaking that which is not true (Prov. 12:19; Eph. 4:25; 1 Tim. 2:7)
This can be done through gossip, blasphemy, malice, slander, backbiting, boasting, half-truths, lying to self, carelessness, etc.

13. How Lies Are Committed
Taking a true statement out of context (Mk. 14:57-58; compare with Jn. 2:22)
Acting out of duplicity (Mt. 26:48-49)
Acting hypocritically – “living a lie” (1 Jn. 1:6,8,; 2:4; 4:20; Jer. 7:4-11)

14. Consequences of Lying Hurt self (Rom. 1:25-26)
Hurt others (Gen. 12:17-18; 20:9; 26:10; Prov. 12:17-22; 14:25; 25:18; 26:28; Isa. 32:7; Jer. 9:3-5)

15. Consequences of Lying Lie to God (Hos. 7:13; Acts 5:4)
Tracks cannot be covered forever (Gen. 26:8; Prov. 19:5,9)
Benefits are momentary (Prov. 21:6)

16. Consequences of Lying Creates delusions (Jer. 23:32)
Becomes habitual and hardened (1 Tim. 4:1-2)
Destroys our influence now, and our soul later

17. Lying Would Be Nice If…
We could get away with it, but we can’t (Num. 32:23)
It would change the truth, but it won’t (Rom. 1:24-25)
It would do any good, but it won’t (Rom. 3:8)

18. Lying Would Be Nice If…
It would keep us from Hell, but it won’t (Rev. 21:8)

19. Our Attitude Toward Lying
Hate it (Psa. 31:6; 40:4; 119:28- 29,163; Prov. 13:5; 30:8)
Rebuke it (Tit. 1:12-13; Rev. 2:2)
Put it away (Eph. 4:25; Col. 3:9)
Love truth (2 Thess. 2:9-12)

20. Our Attitude Toward Lying
Guard your heart (Mt. 15:19-20)
Speak truth no matter the cost (Eph. 4:25)

21. Do Not Lie
We serve a God who cannot and will not lie (Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6:18)
As such, God will not accept liars into heaven (Rev. 14:15; 21:27; 22:15)

22. Do Not Lie
Where will you spend eternity? In Heaven as a truth-teller, or in Hell as a liar (Rev. 21:8)?