Lying is something that almost everyone struggles with. It can be addicting. It can appear to be a pathway to freedom, when in reality it is just a path that leads to destruction. Lying is an abomination to God, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.”- Proverbs 12:22. We must be aware of the words that we speak, that we always tell the truth. Because in the end, the truth will come to light.

Jesus tells us that those who lie, are of the devil. John 8:44 says, “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 has nothing to do with 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.” When we lie, we are doing the will of the devil. His will is to deceive people and to try and draw people away from God (Revelation 12:9). We must understand that lying is not God’s will.

Paul gives some insight also on how lying can not only destroy others, but those who tell the lie as well. Ephesians 4:25 says, “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” SInce we are all members of one body (that body being Christ), if one lies to another member it could not only affect them but others as well. Paul also speaks of lying in his letter to the Colossians in Colossians 3:9-10. It reads, “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” When we are baptized, the old self has gone away. Lying is part of that “old-self”. It is part of the world and its deceitfulness. However baptism is that symbol of renewal, the symbol of putting off the old and putting on the new. The “new-self” does not lie, because it is now of God.

Even if we keep a lie hidden our whole life, it will be made known in the end. Jesus tells us this in Luke 8:17 when he says, “For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” When we are judged, we are judged on everything we did, whether or not someone knew the truth. God always knows what we do, because he sees all and knows all (Hebrews 4:13).      

Proverbs also gives insight into lying and how God views it. In Proverbs 6:16-19, Solomon describes seven things that is an abomination to him. One of them is one who has a lying tongue. Since Jesus is the truth (John 14:6), one who has a lying tongue cannot be of Christ because they do not tell the truth. Solomon also says that those who lie will perish. Proverbs 19:9 says, “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish” Those who lie will be punished in eternal fire.

So as you can see, lying is never good, in any situation. God looks down on it, and despises it. When we lie, we are following the father of lies, that is the devil (John 8:44).