This exposition of Exodus 20:16 from Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, April 28, 2019.
Intro:
It cut me deep. I don’t know if it was the actual accusation or the fact that it came from my best friend. But it wounded me beyond words. In front of everyone he yelled, “You big fat fibber!” Me, a fibber?
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How could someone accuse me of such a terrible thing? My character called into question, my integrity challenged? Why in my entire 8 years of life I’d never been so insulted. Sure he was right but to state it so publicly. Lying is a given in life. No one has to be “taught” to lie we come by it honestly. It is part of our “fallenness.” It is one of those points where our depravity shows. It is interesting, on the one hand we all condemn lying, but on the other we all do it! In fact according to the book The Day America Told the Truth 91% of us life regularly. 1 in 5 can’t make it through a single day without lying. Only 31% of Americans believe that honesty is the best policy. We are a society of liars. Lying has become acceptable as a way of life. Some “social scientists” are now saying that lying is an indispensable, socially adaptive virtue. Lying a virtue? One social scientist went so far as to claim that, “Our proficiency at lying may be the best measure of our advancement.” In other words we can see how far we have advanced by how well we lie. He went on to say that we are “better at lying than the other primates.” We can feel good about ourselves because we lie better than monkeys do!
We demand that people be truthful with us. We expect folks to come clean, shoot straight but we don’t want to be told the truth all the time. “Honey, does this dress make me look fat?” “Did you pay money for that hair cut?” “Well, I think your lack of creativity and basic intelligence is going to leave you a penniless slob. Which means my tax dollars will have to support you and your family for the rest of your miserable life.” Brute honesty is not only brutal it is destructive. What about this issue of lying and truthfulness? Where do we draw the line? How are we to live? That is the thrust of the 9th commandment. Our text this morning is found in Exodus 20:16.
Text: Exodus 20:16
Moses and the people are gathered at the foot of the Mountain. God descends in smoke and fire and His voice thunders from the mountain – “I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt.” Here is the life that pleases me. Here is the life we are called to. This is what ought to mark those who belong to Me. The purpose was not to provide a “way of salvation.” Salvation does not come by the law. Rather the law is a mirror that reveals our sinfulness. It is a means of bringing us to the end of ourselves and causing us to flee to Christ. The law is our teacher/instructor bringing us to Christ.
Jesus summed up the law by saying it all comes down to this, love God and love others. Live out the truth of the faith in community. Our faith is not about abstract, detached truths but living truths, lived out in the muck and filth of everyday life. What you live is what you believe.
our text for this morning reads: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16)
Again not a lot of room for debate. The statement is simple, concise, and straightforward. This is a clarion call for honesty and truth telling. As the people of God we are called to a higher standard. It is not a matter of what others do, or what society deems acceptable. It is a matter of what God demands of us.
Thesis: The ninth commandment calls believers to a life of truth and honesty.
I want us to note a couple of things along the way.
- First, note we have a prohibition against lying.
- Next, let’s note the ways of lying or the fine art of lying.
Martin Luther, following the same line of reasoning as Augustine before him, laid out three categories of lying. They are the humorous lie; the helpful lie and the harmful lie. Now stay with me. Understand where we are going with this.
The humorous lie.
This is a joke. It is telling something as though it happened when everyone knows it never happened.
The helpful lie.
Luther put in this category the story of Rahab. It was not a lie designed for personal gain. While we may argue about whether such should be categorized as a lie or whether it remains sinful. It is clear the truth was not told.
The third category is what we typically think of when we think of lying.
The harmful lie.
Obviously perjury and out right lying fit in this category.
But there are more subtle forms.
Slander.
How about gossip?
Flattery.
Exaggeration.
True words.
Okay, lying is wrong. It’s sinful. What’s the big deal everyone does it? Yes, everyone does it. Do you remember Ananias and Sapphira? Their story is recorded in Acts 5.
Peter confronted Ananias - You’ve lied, this lie came from the heart, inspired by Satan, and you’ve not lied to men but to God. He dropped dead. Later, when his wife came in, the tragic story is repeated. Was that fair? Did God have the right to punish them so severely? Yes! The soul that sins will die. That may cause you to pause when filling out your next offering envelope!
If there is one thing God hates, it is the lie Christians tell to make themselves appear more righteous than they are. The truth is we are all unrighteous and incapable of being saved apart from the grace and mercy of God.
Conclusion:
So what’s the verdict? Are you guilty? Are you a big fat fibber? The truth is I’m a Pharisee at heart. I’m a lawbreaker who likes to follow other gods. I am guilty of profaning the name of God. I’m guilty of murderous intentions, lustful thoughts and covetous desires. I am fully deserving of God’s holy, just and eternal wrath. That’s who and what I am. It’s also true of you. I hope that you will come to acknowledge and confess the same because then and only then will you come to understand your need of a Savior. Because then and only then will you see the beauty and wonder of the Lord Jesus and His gracious work on your behalf. Only then will you flee to Christ and live. Oh sinner, come home!
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