For those of us who are not Bible scholars, the essence of the Ninth Commandment can be summarized in one statement, “Thou shalt not lie.” Each Christian should be a person of unquestionable integrity. For us, gray is never right; it must be either black or white.
Hope built on a lie is always the beginning of loss. Never attempt to build anything on a foundation of lies and half-truths. It will not stand.
It has been said that it should be easy to make an honest living because there is so little competition. Actually only a person with honesty and integrity can be accurately motivated or directed.
Lying will always distort God’s guidance in your life. It will cause you to take steps that are not right for you. It will produce greater loss than whatever savings you may gain by telling an untruth.
Lying becomes a very easy habit. The fact is that a person who allows himself to lie once will find it much easier to do so a second time. Lying is also a trap. O one has a good enough memory to be a successful liar. T. L. Osborn says, “Always tell the truth, and you never have to remember what you said.”
In Proverbs 12:22 we read, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight.” Proverbs 19:9 declares, “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.” In Colossians 3:9,19 the Apostle Paul admonishes us:
“Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.”
There are seven results of lying. If you lie:
- You will attract liars into your life. (Prov. 17:4.)
- You will have a lack of understanding. (Ps. 119:104.)
- You will never enjoy permanent results. (Prov. 12:19; 21:28.)
- You will end up in bondage. (Gal. 2:4.)
- You will be punished. (Prov. 19:5.)
- You will become a fool. (Prov. 10:18.)
- Your lies will come back upon you. (Ps. 7:14-16.)
Little white lies grow up to be big black lies. Decide and determine to be free from the bondage of breaking the Ninth Commandment.
Excerpt permission granted by Insight Publishing
John Mason is an international bestselling author, minister, publisher, executive author coach, and noted speaker. He’s the founder and president of Insight International and Insight Publishing Group. Both organizations are dedicated to helping people reach their dreams and fulfill their God-given destinies.
He has authored thirty-two books including An Enemy Called Average, You’re Born An Original—Don’t Die A Copy, Let Go of Whatever Makes You Stop, and Know Your Limits Then Ignore Them which have sold over 2 million copies and are translated into 40 different languages throughout the world. His books are widely regarded as a source of godly wisdom, scriptural motivation, and practical principles. His writings have been published twice in Reader’s Digest along with numerous other national and international publications. Seven of his books have reached number one on Amazon bestseller lists.
He’s been the president of two Christian publishing companies. He’s also a former Vice President and Publisher for Thomas Nelson Publishers (Harper Collins), the 6th largest book publisher in the world and largest Christian publisher.
He’s an internationally recognized executive author coach, helping numerous prominent authors with their books for more than thirty years. Politicians, NBA, NFL, PGA, MLB, an Olympic gold medalist and other professional athletes, billionaires, businesspeople, pastors, ministers, New York Times bestselling authors, a Fortune 500 CEO, Navy SEALs, Top Gun pilots, and a Texas governor have all benefitted from his knowledge.
Known for his quick wit, powerful thoughts, and insightful ideas, he is a popular speaker across the US and around the world.