Lying In Defense of Truth
Reprinted from The Carolina Messenger, January 2003
David R. Pharr

Hate is an intense and severe word.  People should use it with caution.  Yet it is used by the Lord to express his abhorrence of certain crimes of humanity.

Our attention is directed especially to item seven: “he that soweth discord among brethren.”  Division is sin and those who cause division are grievous sinners.  Unity is a divine priority and every legitimate means must be used to encourage it (Eph. 4:1-6).  If the divine prayer is that all be “one” (John 17:20f),  how hateful must be the sowing of discord among brethren!  Matthew Henry commented:

We are determined to resist error and to answer those who are enemies of the truth.  We have both the right and duty to reply to heresy, and the more public heresy is promoted, the more public should be the response.  We are apprehensive, however, about what may be less than holy zeal to attack, expose and malign as many as possible.

Items six and seven in the text are especially related.  Those who sow discord are likely to be those who speak lies.  The ninth commandment forbids bearing false witness and Proverbs 19:5 says that such will not be unpunished.  All liars have their place reserved in hell (Rev. 20:8).  Lies which destroy reputations are especially detestable.  Slanderous reports about preachers and congregations are sometimes circulated with the excuse of standing for the truth.  What are supposed to be gospel publications are sometimes used to spread rumor and half truths, which malign and libel good people.  It is wicked to “go up and down as a talebearer” whether by mouth, phone, email or publication (see Lev. 19:16).  Serious reflection is needed regarding the nature and consequences of lying.

A lie is a lie even when it is thought to be true.  Sincerity may mitigate the motive, but a false report from a sincere person can be even more damaging.

A lie is a lie even when it is half true.  A slander is no less slanderous just because it is garnished with a few correct facts.

A lie is a lie even when the facts are just being embellished.  Relatively insignificant information, especially when it is negative, is like grit in a shoe.  The more we walk with it, the bigger it gets.  Here is an illustration.  An elder said he saw no objection to bringing in a piano for a wedding.  By the time this was passed through no more than three people, the eldership was reported to be almost ready to accept instrumental music in worship.

A lie is a lie even when it was heard from a “reliable source.”  Rumors take on a life or their own, usually drifting farther from the facts each time they are repeated.  Even courts of the world know the unreliability of hearsay evidence.

A lie is a lie even when we read it in one of the papers.  Brotherhood publications are useful.  We depend upon them to keep us informed.  However, the dictionary definition of “yellow” journalism should remind us of the need for caution: “featuring sensational or scandalous items or ordinary news sensationally distorted.”

A lie is a lie even when it only denigrates those on the other side of issues.  It is as sinful to be careless with the reputation of false teachers as of beloved colleagues.  It may feel satisfying to tell some dirt on a liberal, or to exaggerate some flaw in a conservative, but what is not true is always false.  And a lie circulated in the supposed defense of the truth ought to seem especially odious.
 

Back to Articles Menu
Carolina Messenger
Spiritual Sword