“Tell the Truth”
[Ephesians 4:25]
March 31, 2019, Second Reformed Church
We continue to consider the Second Table of the Law – those commandments that refer to our love of neighbor – and we move to the ninth commandment this morning:
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16, ESV).
And, similarly, this morning’s text:
“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another” (Ephesians 4:25, ESV).
The context of the law as it is put in the Ten Commandments is specifically about testimony given in a dispute or in court. In Deuteronomy, we read, “On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness” (Deuteronomy 17:6, ESV). And in I Timothy, we read, “Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses” (I Timothy 5:19, ESV). The point being that we are not to take one person’s word without any other evidence to back it up, because people can be wrong, and they also lie. Otherwise, if I said, “Carol rode a horse to church this morning,” legally, we would be compelled to take my testimony seriously.
So, putting the command in the negative, we are not to bear false witness, we are not to lie – and we are especially not to lie to each other in the church – we are not to bear false witness against each other in the church.
Our Heidelberg Catechism explains this point:
“Q&A 112
“Q. What is the aim of the ninth commandment?
“A. That I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one's words, not gossip or slander, nor join in condemning anyone rashly or without a hearing.”
We are not to give false testimony.
If we are ever questioned by the authorities, and especially in court, about a person or an event, we are not to give false testimony – we are not to tell stories that did not happen or say things that were never said.
If you are in a friend’s car, and your friend is driving 70 miles an hour down Springfield Avenue and hits a light pole, and you are asked by the police or in court how fast your friend was driving – as much as you want to spare her punishment – it is a sin to say that she was going 35 miles an hour.
We bear false witness to get people out of trouble and we also bear false witness to get people into trouble. Remember what we read of one of the trials of Jesus:
“Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, ‘This man said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.”’ And the high priest stood up and said, ‘Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?’ But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, ‘I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ Then the high priest tore his robes and said, ‘He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?’ They answered, ‘He deserves death.’ Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, saying, ‘Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?’” (Matthew 26:59-68, ESV).
Notice, they went looking for people who would bear false witness. They wanted Jesus condemned and they planned to do so by securing false testimony – by finding people willing to tell lies about Jesus and what He said so He could be condemned in accordance with the Law.
We’re not to twist people’s words.
If someone testifies, “I have never beaten my wife,” we sin in responding, “Oh, so you have stopped beating your wife.” If someone says, “I have never heard him say that,” it is sinful to respond, “Oh, so you make it a practice of listening to what he says.” Or, at the library, “Here’s the book you wanted.” “So, the book is mine to keep.”
We’re not to gossip or slander.
“I saw Peter at the IHOP the other day. You know what is by the IHOP? The Bottoms Up Go-Go Bar – that’s where he was really going! I’m sure of it.”
“I saw Peter go into a liquor store the other day – he must have a problem.”
Do you get the idea?
We’re not to condemn anyone rashly or without a hearing. We see this on the news regularly – part of a story is presented – some assumptions are put forth – and we suddenly know the whole story and why someone should be condemned.
We may remember the 1996 Olympic bombing in Georgia. The call warning of the bombs was made by security guard, Richard Jewell, who quickly became the prime suspect of the investigation. He was tried and convicted in the press, though in 1997, additional bombings showed that the criminal was Eric Rudolph, and in 2005, Rudolph was sentence to life without the possibility of parole.
Solomon writes, “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers” (Proverbs 6:16-19, ESV).
Second, we are to tell the truth.
Our Heidelberg Catechism continues:
“Rather, in court and everywhere else, I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind; these are the very devices the devil uses, and they would call down on me God's intense wrath. I should love the truth, speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor's good name”
Why should we tell the truth?
One reason is that we are children of God by adoption, not children of the devil.
Jesus says of some of the Pharisees, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44, ESV).
And Paul writes, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:15, ESV).
Another reason is God’s Wrath, as Jesus says, “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8, ESV).
And a third reason is in telling the truth, we seek to love our neighbor as ourselves. In so doing, we “guard and advance our neighbor’s good name.”
“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold” (Proverbs 22:1, ESV).
Rather than give false testimony, rather than twist people’s words, rather than gossip and slander, rather than condemning someone rashly, when we tell the truth, we love our neighbor and build up their good name, which is the most valuable thing we have.
We ought to desire to build our neighbors up and tell the truth about them, especially when we are looking at matters of law and the court system.
However…
Third, there are times that we shouldn’t tell the truth.
Just as we came to understand that the commandment “not to kill” actually refers to first-degree murder, not all killing, this commandment refers primarily to the legal system – to being a witness in the courts. Now, it is also good and right to tell the truth outside of the courts and for the good of our neighbors. However, there are times when it is righteous not to tell the truth.
For example, during the Holocaust, if you had been a person who hid Jews in your home and the Nazis came to the door and asked if you were hiding Jews in your home, the morally right answer would be to lie and say, “No.” Since the Nazis are seeking to commit first-degree murder, they become undeserving of the truth. Hence, it is righteous to lie.
In the same way, it would have been right to lie about hiding a black man from a lynch mob.
Still, be very careful, it is normally the best and right thing to do to tell the truth.
Finally, Jesus is the faithful witness.
John opens the Apocalypse – the book of Revelation – with this greeting:
“John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
“Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
“’I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty’” (Revelation 1:4-8, ESV).
Why does John call Jesus “the faithful witness”?
Because Jesus will be the final witness of history – and He will witness truthfully to all that has been done and believed throughout all of time and space, and He will judge every man and woman and pass judgment on their eternity.
John writes:
“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15, ESV).
And Paul confirms that Jesus is He Who sits on the throne of judgment in his charge to Timothy:
“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:” (2 Timothy 4:1, ESV).
This is glorious news for we who believe, because Jesus is the True Witness. He will not bear false witness against anyone. He will not twist anyone’s words, or gossip, or slander, or condemn anyone rashly. No, He will sit on the throne, knowing everyone’s heart, and knowing all those He died to save. And He will bear witness – and that witness will be true – and all those who have believed in Him throughout time and space will be welcomed into His Kingdom forever.
Let us be like our Savior – the Witness Who grants us salvation even at the last judgment – let us tell the truth in all matters of dispute and court and law, and let us tell the truth in every way possible throughout our lives – for our good and the good of our neighbors.
Let us pray:
Almighty God, Your Son said He is the Truth, and we are Your adopted sons and daughters, and we want to speak the truth – the truth about Jesus and the truth about our neighbors. Help us to make the truth known, and may God the Holy Spirit give us wisdom. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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