Truth And Lies*

The Nazis, Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels, are often quoted as having said that if you tell and repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it. They said that truth was the mortal enemy of a lie, so truth is therefore the mortal enemy of the state. This philosophy of governing worked successfully for them for a while until it didn't! There are still people today that believe a lie and deny that the holocaust ever happened, ignoring the proven facts of history. Our own history is filled with ommissions and lies about the land grab from Native Americans and their genocide, slavery, and the violent destruction recorded in history of several black towns and communities. Anti-Semitism, even among so-called Christian groups, is on the rise. Although we profess to be "one nation under God", it must be asked because of current conditions and past history, "What god are people under?!". Political "talking heads" on both sides lie for their own agendas. Scripture says that "all men are liars" (Ps. 116:11), so how can we tell who is telling the truth? The Apostle Paul wrote that the Jews have an advantage in every way because God committed to them His oracles, which is His Word, the Truth, even if some did not believe. The Word is still here, preserved because of them, and faith in God is still in effect. Paul wrote, "...yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." (Rom. 3:1-4). He also wrote that, contrary to those who had twisted his words, he has proved both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin: "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one; There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God...there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (v. 8-12). Mouths are full of poison, deceit, cursing, and bitterness, Paul continued: "Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes." (v. 13-18). We must acknowledge that these are the ways of men today also. Abortion and same-sex marriages are justified as righteousness, liberty and freedom in the eyes of men. However, the truth is this: If it is against the Word of God, it is a lie, no matter how many men say the lie, nor how often the lie might be repeated, as Goebbels encouraged governments to do. Proverbs says that there are six things which God hates, and seven are an abomination to Him: "...A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a 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." (Prov. 6:16-19). A form of lying occurs twice on the short list from Proverbs. All of these things are more prevalent than ever before, and God still calls His people, not the wicked of the world, to repentance: "If My people...". (2 Chron. 7:14). The prophet Malachi asked a question that mirrors a statement of Jesus (Lk. 21:36): "But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' sope:...and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness." (Mal. 3:2-3). In order for the purification and restoration to be fulfilled, the LORD said that He would come near to them in judgment: "...and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (v. 5-6). Among those that will be dealt with in the judgment of purification are false swearers, a type of liar. As the Lord establishes His reign on the earth, and dwells among His people, He promises that sorrow and death shall be ended, because "...the former things are passed away...Behold, I make all things new..." (Rev. 21:1-5). He also makes promises to the righteous in Him and the unrighteous who are without Him: "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death...And there shall in no wise enter into it (the holy city, new Jerusalem, which descends out of heaven) any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomintion, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." (v. 7-8, 27). These, including all liars, will not enter into the new Jerusalem, and will face instead the second death of eternal fiery judgment. However, Jesus said of those who believe in Him, and therefore having part in the first resurrection, "on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God, and shall reign with him a thousand years." (Rev. 20:6). The law of Moses carries the command of God regarding the reparations and restorations that a liar, who harmed others with his lie, must make to those he harmed, before he may bring the required trespass offering to the LORD. Only then, was the priest to make atonement for him to restore him (Lev. 6:1-5). Jesus spoke often of the importance of truth to life. He told those who listened to Him that they were of this world, and He was not of this world, but from above. If they did not believe that He was Who He said He was, they would die in their sins, because the One Who sent Him, and is always with Him, is true. You can either die for the lie, or you can live in the truth, because to those who believed in Him, Jesus said: "If ye continue in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Jn. 8:23-32). To make things clear to those who choose lies, Jesus identified the source of all liars, and lies: "Why do ye not understand my speech? even because you cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not." (v. 43-45). The devil has been lying to man since the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, when he asked the woman, and her husband with her, "Yea, hath God said...?", and then falsely assured them, "You shall not surely die." (see Gen. 3:1-6). And they believed the lie that makes dead. However, we don't have to believe the lie and die. Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death." (Jn. 8:51). Jesus told Pontius Pilate that He came to bear witness to the truth, and not a lie, and only those who are of the truth can hear His voice. Even Pilate, who questioned what the truth was, had to proclaim to the crowd that he found no fault in Jesus by which to condemn him. (Jn. 18:37-38). All around us we can see people who are choosing the lie. However, the Word of God guarantees us that if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful to forgive us. Eternal life is available to us who will seek His face and His forgiveness. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 8/14/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. 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