Lesson Eighteen

THE NINTH COMMANDMENT (1)

YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS

Burden to Impart:

Our God is true, and all of His words are true. His enemy, the Devil, is the "father of lies" (John 8:44). When we speak lies, especially against another person, we become one with the Devil. God hates lying lips (Prov. 12:22) and will judge all lies (Matt. 12:36) and all liars (Rev. 21:8, 27). By obeying our conscience we can be saved from lying and the Devil, and will thus be preserved to be truthful persons.

Memory Verse:

 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16).

Facts to Teach:

  1. The ninth commandment shows us that our God is the God of truth. Because He is true He requires that we, His people, also be true and truthful, honest and faithful, in our speech. To tell a lie about someone, or to bear "false testimony" against them violates God's basic law of loving our neighbor as our self (Luke 10:27).
  2. God is real; God is true (Rom. 3:4; 1 John 5:20). The Lord Jesus said, "I am the ...Truth..." (John 14:6). God's Word and the words of the Lord Jesus are all true words (John 17:17). In fact, one thing that God cannot do is lie (Heb. 6:18).
  3. In contrast, the Devil is called the "father of lies" (John 8:44). When he speaks, he speaks a lie. He cannot say the truth, for there is no truth in him at all. Whatever he says is in some way twisted, distorted, or exaggerated. Eventually, whatever comes from the Devil is not the truth. It is in some way untrue and is just a lie.
  4. Those who follow the Devil will be as he is and do as he does - they will become liars. How does the Lord feel about liars? "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord" (Prov. 12:22). God has prepared the lake of fire for the judgment of the Devil, the father of lies, and all liars who follow him (Rev. 2i:8, 27).
  5. Also, those who "love and practice lies" are shut out of the City of God, the New Jerusalem (Rev. 22:15) along with all of the other wicked and unfaithful persons. They have nothing to do with God's people. Those who practice lying eventually love lies and hate truth.
  6. God created us with a kind of built in "burglar alarm," our conscience. Whenever we are about to lie our conscience will forewarn us. Our conscience will bear witness with us if our words are true (Rom. 9:1). However, if our words are not true or sincere our conscience will protest against us and cause us to feel guilty. Even if others don't catch the lie, our conscience surely will. How precious is our conscience! We must treasure and listen to our conscience because God gave it to us to save us from following the Devil and becoming liars, like him. Our conscience preserves us to be truthful persons for the Lord.