Those Little White Lies

Those Little White Lies! RONALD PAYNE. Agape Publications and Ministries

None of us are impervious To fabricating lies. But should we do it with regularity and without Thought? Should we tell lies at all? The Bible says: “Be sure your sin will find you out.” This is especially true of lies. Let us be done with the fabrication of lies and together with Paul: “Press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phi 3:14 FORWARD This booklet is dedicated to the tongue, one of the smaller, but definitely not a lesser part of our body. How often do we find ourselves wishing we had taken the opportunity to make some remark, or comment to throw oil on troubled waters? How often have we found ourselves wishing we had simply kept quiet? As we shall see, two of the articles deal with the tongue which can be a curse or a blessing. Which of the two do you possess? The final article also deals with communication, and asks: “Does God speak to His people today?” James in his epistle in the Bible speaks eloquently about the tongue as follows: “If anyone can control his tongue, it proves that he has perfect control over himself in every other way. We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in his mouth. And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong. So also the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A great forest can be set on fire by one tiny spark. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness, and poisons every part of the body. And the tongue is set on fire by hell itself and can turn our whole lives into a blazing flame of destruction and disaster. Men have trained, or can train, every kind of animal or bird that lives and every kind of reptile and fish, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is always ready to pour out

its deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our heavenly Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against men who are made like God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Dear brothers, surely this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out first with fresh water and then with bitter water? Can you pick olives from a fig tree, or figs from a grape vine? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty pool.” James Chapter 3 verses 2 to 12 The Living Bible.

THOSE LITTLE WHITE LIES. These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness [that] speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16-18) It is important for Christians to be under no disillusion as to the things which God our Father HATES. Let's list them in the order given in Proverbs chapter 6:16-19. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

A Proud look. A Lying tongue. Hands which shed innocent blood A heart that creates wicked imaginations. People who are quick to get into mischief A False Witness that tells lies. People who sow discord amongst brethren.

How often do people encourage themselves to continue telling lies and untruths with the excuse that: "It's just a little white lie." From what is said in this sixth chapter of Proverbs we find that the above statement is unacceptable when we read that God hates a lying tongue. In fact He finds the telling of lies so despicable, that He mentions this sin twice. He even brings special attention to it by saying: "These six things doth God hate" and then to bring our attention to it He says: "Yea seven are an abomination and then He lists the telling of lies TWICE. Lies are basically told to protect yourself or someone else. Lies are used to distract the Recipient of the lie, from discovering the truth. Having committed this sin you have no right to look on yourself as having told a white lie. In God's eye you are a False Witness and a Liar, not to be trusted by your fellow men. The Bible says God not only HATES

lies, but it is also an ABOMINATION to Him. The dictionary defines “Abomination” as follows: Loathsome, a degrading habit, an object of disgust, revolting. Christians are aware of what God’s grace has accomplished for them in Jesus Christ and most assuredly, would not want to be found revolting in God’s sight. Yet, who is not guilty of this offence which God our Father finds so repugnant? Every one has told a lie, some more than others and perhaps even as Christians, we are still busy at it. Sometimes it is so easy to tell a lie, that we can do it without any effort or forethought on our part. Lies can escape from our lips before we realise it. Don’t forget the lies used to protect yourself. Lying is a sin, which is inclined to turn a person into a habitual "story teller," particularly when one wants to tell highly imaginative tales about anything, which will simply boost their ego. It becomes worse, when these imaginative tales are about someone who is disliked and whom others would like to see discredited. There are times when lies are sometimes told to "protect" someone else and the choice to tell the truth or lie is extremely difficult. But no matter how noble it is to protect someone else, it is still a sin, when lies are used to accomplish it. The important point to remember here, is that when this sort of lie is told, a number of issues begin to take place. People may think that they protect their friends, when they lie, but unfortunately they have: A. HURT GOD. B. HURT THEMSELVES. (They know that they are Liars and can no longer delegate the lie to the White Lies file) C. The friend they may have protected arrives at certain conclusions: i. "They protected me, I appreciate that." ii. "They lie to those whom they know; Can I ever trust them?" iii. "What lies have they told me since I've known them?" D. The person to whom they lied may also come to some conclusions: i. "Their facial expressions and faltering speech are suspicious." ii. "What they say does not add up." iii. "I have a feeling of mistrust." iv. "Did they not lie to me on a previous occasion?"

v. "Be careful; don't trust them too easily now or ever again." E. The forces of darkness come to conclusions of their own: i. "That was easy, they are old hands at lying." ii. "Let us arrange a similar incident and force them to lie again." iii. "Let's place mistrust in every one who is involved." iv. "After we have stirred the pot and brought it to the boil, we can bring the whole thing out into the open and create the following:" F. The Liar or liars are found out and terribly ashamed. ii. They are no longer trusted and will possibly lose their friends. iii. The one who was protected is in a similar predicament and has lost face with every one. iv. The Recipient of the lies, is extremely disappointed and no longer wishes to associate with those whom he once considered his friends. He may even come to hate them. Those who have been inclined to delegate lies to a file called "Little white lies" need to remember some important facts, all taken from this 16th chapter in the book of Proverbs, verses 16 to 18. God equates the telling of lies with that of MURDER. i.e. "Hands that shed innocent blood." He also equates liars with those who love to be exalted or set up in high places independent of who gets hurt. i.e. "A proud look" Liars are placed in the same category with those whose plans are wicked. Whose thoughts and purpose that devise wicked imaginations." Last but one, Liars and false witnesses are on the same level in God' eyes, as those who are quick to be associated with the creation of misery and evil.

Malicious people, who as the Bible says have "feet which are swift in running to mischief. Finally, God hates Liars as much as those who continually cause strife and contention. i.e. "Soweth discord among brethren." As difficult as it may be at times let us remember LYING is a sin against God, Who HATES a Liar and a False witness. Let us therefore STOP and keep in mind the following: You have sinned against the Lord, beware for your sins will find you out (Numbers 32:23) But cowards who turn back from following me, and those who are unfaithful to me, and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those conversing with demons, and idol worshipers and all liars— their doom is in the Lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This is the Second Death. (Rev. 21:8) The Living Bible. Deliver me, O Lord, from liars. O lying tongue, what shall be your fate? You shall be pierced with sharp arrows and burned with glowing coals. (Psalm 120: 2-4) A false witness shall be punished, and a liar shall be caught. (Prov. 19:9) The Living Bible. Remember as born again Christians, we have been called out from the world. We have the Holy Spirit living in us. Are we to bring God to naught and thereby the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Saviour to shame? Those who are outside of Christ, are quick to point you out to others: "He calls himself a Christian, yet listen to him lie." Read Paul's letter to Timothy as he talks about the laws which related to the children of Israel and now in particular to sinners: Those laws are good when used as God intended. But they were not made for us, whom God has saved; they are for sinners who hate God, have rebellious hearts, curse and swear, attack their fathers and mothers, and murder. Yes, these laws

are made to identify as sinners all who are immoral and impure: homosexuals, kidnappers, LIARS, and all others who do things that contradict the glorious Good News of our blessed God, whose messenger I am. 1st Tim 1:8-11 The Living Bible The law as Paul said, was made for those who continue in sin. How are Christians able to overcome the tendency to sin? Is there in fact an answer to sin? Reading through James’ epistle, we will see that James is emphasising the human character. We read in his epistle of the many ways in which we fail to please God. Jealousy, selfishness, being quarrelsome, fighting, evil desires, all these are character traits which every one falls into from time to time. James has sufficient maturity not to deny this and so his plea is that we must look to God for assistance. So give yourselves humbly to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. And when you draw close to God, God will draw close to you. James Ch 4: 7-8 The Living Bible. James is asking us to yield to the authority of God and His control. Be willing to follow the still small voice of the Holy Spirit as He warns you to take control of the situation and to resist the devil and the temptation. Paul tells us:

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But remember this—the wrong desires that come into your life aren’t anything new and different. Many others have faced exactly the same problems before you. And no temptation is irresistible. You can trust God to keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it, for He has promised this and will do what he says. He will show you how to escape temptation’s power so that you can bear up patiently against it. 1 Cor Ch 10 v 13-The Living Bible.

God in His wisdom has provided a way of escape for us when we are tempted. As Christians we have living within us a dynamic force, namely the Holy Spirit. It is an energy which cannot be measured by any known instrument. Or what do you think the Scripture means when it says that the Holy Spirit, whom God has placed within us, watches over us with tender jealousy? James 4:5 The Living Bible, .

But then there is still more that God has provided. We must always remember that we also have another powerful force working for us. My little children, I am telling you this so that you will stay away from sin. But if you sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. His name is Jesus Christ, the one who is all that is good and who pleases God completely. He is the one who took God’s wrath against our sins upon himself and brought us into fellowship with God; and He is the forgiveness for our sins. 1 John Ch 2 v1-2 The Living Bible. The King James version translates this verse by calling Jesus “our Advocate before the Father” CONCLUSION. Our duty to God the Father and our position in Christ, is summarised as follows. We see that James is dealing with the sinful character of man and instructs us to flee from all sin. This can only be accomplished by listening to the Holy Spirit when we are tempted and then turning obediently to God asking for assistance to resist the devil. We know that God has told us that not a promise will pass over His lips that he will not keep. No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back one word of what I said. (Psalm 89:34) Finally if we should fall into sin, fail in our attempt to live a righteous life before God our Father, we know that we have an Advocate who stands before God and pleads our case on our behalf. We also have the assurance that God will forgive us, because Jesus has already paid the price for our sin, with His blood. What a joy to have as a Father such a gracious God! His promises are wealth beyond measure. God is more than willing to protect you when you endeavour to witness for the truth. He will meet your needs when you boldly tell the truth rather than a lie and the wonderful thing is that as you continue in truth, it becomes easier day by day. Furthermore you do not have to keep an inventory to help you remember, which lie fits which story. It is easier by far to keep to the simple truth in all matters, because when the truth is told, you are simply telling the truth as you know it, without any personal improvisation. God bless you richly in all things as you step out in faith by simply professing the truth at all times.

Below is a list of some of the uses the devil would devise for the tongue: Lying. Manipulation. Flattery. Boasting. Scandal. Deceit.

Degrading another. Cursing. Swearing. Backbiting Cajoling. Gossiping.

There are many other areas with which the tongue is used. One may be surprised to see how many times God speaks about the sin of telling lies in His Word. There is obviously a real need to control this organ as some have found out to their dismay. As an exercise, look up “Lies” in your concordance. Ron Payne