Think back, parents. Do you remember teaching your children to lie? Was there a course on lying in their school? No? Then, can we conclude that perhaps it is a natural thing? If it is natural, is it bad?
Our society scarcely flinches at the most outrageous lies. The majority of people polled in recent days believe that the President of the United States is lying about the Monica Lewinsky scandal but overwhelmingly approve his job as President. Little concern is voiced over the moral integrity of the most powerful leader of the free world. "It doesn't matter," society says.
But it matters to God. He requires truth from us all. He has declared, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor" (Exodus 20:16). To lie is to break one of the Ten Commandments. The Commandment against lying was given with the one that forbids murder. "Murder is terrible," society says. Why? It is no more strongly forbidden than lying. God hates both equally.
We have sought to show in recent articles that the Law of God is not a saving agent but a condemning agent. By the Law is the knowledge of sin. When God says, "Thou shalt not . . ." and we do, we are proven sinners and are become liable for God's judgment. Regardless of what we may think about the validity, fairness, or reasonableness of the law, we are accountable to God. The broken Law puts us under His condemnation.
However, there is some good news in all of this. "Christ died for our sins . . ." (I Corinthians 15:3). He died to pay the penalty for all of our lies and for all of our other sins. On the basis of His atoning death upon the cross of Calvary, God, Who demands the death penalty for sin, can forgive the sinner because His righteous demands have been met. So, dear reader, if you have lied, even once, you need a Savior. You need to receive Jesus Christ by faith so that God can forgive you. Receive Him today; you may die in your sins before tomorrow.