Ephesians 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
This passage of scripture teaches us of the necessity to cooperate with God in the work of renewing our minds, by avoiding corrupt forms of communication, including the sin of lying. The utterance of falsehoods has now become deeply rooted in our culture and its practice and effects are to be observed over a wide swath of our everyday experiences which we consider to be normal. Politicians are now expected to lie in order to win votes, and so this sin is used to pander to the respective bases of each political party. Elected leaders who are vying for higher offices are virtually required by their supporters, not to speak the truth, but rather to say what is politically correct, and in harmony with what voters would like to hear.
The sin of lying is also rampant in the area of sales and services, where products are often misrepresented to the consumer, with negative side effects being studiously hidden from view, while the otherwise good virtues are brought prominently to the forefront of our minds. Hence the reason why many drugs that have been lauded as life-savers have now been proven to produce a host of negative side effects which then result in diseases and ailments that were never expected, nor revealed to the unwary.
And on a personal level the same sin runs rampant, where persons lie in order to get a job, or deliberately withhold information that may put them at a disadvantage for qualifying for a loan or other subsidy. And the problem does not stop here, for when tax season comes around, there are aunts and uncles, in-laws and outlaws who appear out of thin air, so that a hefty tax refund can be submitted, then as fast as they arrived, they disappear again without a trace into the proverbial "Never land".
But God has not commanded nor taught us to operate by such principles, neither are we to adopt them solely because it is socially acceptable to do so, because it is a fact that what is often justifiable in the eyes of the masses, is considered anathema by the Bible, and The Lord strictly forbids us to lower the standards of righteousness, for any political, personal, or pecuniary gain. Hence the reason why our passage for to day cautions us to put off the "Old man" with the former lusts and conversations, that we may walk in newness of life, in harmony with the character of the God whom we serve.
When we are tempted to utter any kind of falsehood, personal benefit, popularity, or the loss thereof should never be allowed to figure into the equation, but instead our motto in such circumstances should always be "The truth, the truth only, and nothing but the entire truth". Anything short of this will be the equivalent of short-changing the gospel for our own benefit, and when this is done on a continual basis, the habit of telling lies becomes deeply ingrained in our consciousness, to the point where it becomes second nature, and we do not even have to think about it before it is committed.
This is the reason why David asks a rhetorical question about those who will finally be saved in God's kingdom, and the resounding answer is given so that we may not be deceived as to who will comprise the the body of saints, who will be saved when Christ returns. Let's read:
Psalms 15:1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. "He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not". 5 "He that doeth these things shall never be moved".
In our own lives, it is very important that we be trust-worthy, and practice speaking the unadulterated truth out of a clear conscience, and as we look to God for strength to develop in this and other areas, we are assured that He will grant us the necessary grace and strength to help in times of need. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reveals to us what is God's view on the matter, and it is His will that the necessary reforms and changes that are urgently needed, will take place without delay. Let's read:
Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight.
May the Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!