“…put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another.” Ephesians 4:24-25.

Again, a portion of verse 24 has been added to help keep in context.

But let us move on to the next passage.

“Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another.” Ephesians 4:25.

Speaking truth today is perhaps more important than it has ever been. Lying has become the language of the streets. In fact it has become the language of politics, and business, and most certainly the media, whether the movies or the news.

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8.

The meaning here is that all who have rejected Christ as their Savior and who practicing these things will spend eternity in the lake of fire. Christians often sin and do some of these things, but they do not practice them.

Let the Christian beware though, if they fall into one of these sins and begin to practice them without repenting and turning back to the Lord, they are likely to die before their time.

They will not lose their salvation, but they will lose out on an opportunity to serve God on this earth. The body of Christ cannot afford to lose any of its parts.

“If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.” 1 John 5:16-17.

God hates liars; it does so much damage to men’s interrelations, taking away peace, causing death, even the destruction of wars. It was even by the means of lies that Jewish leadership were able to have the Lord Jesus crucified.

“You [Jewish leaders] are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” John 8:44.

“Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, ‘This fellow said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.”’” Matthew 26:59-61.

The best lies have a fragment of the truth. What Jesus actually said to the Jews is quoted below.

“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ Then the Jews said, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.” John 2:19-22.

Jesus’ reference to Himself as a temple, and clarified as “the temple of His body” is not as obscure as you might think because Christians also are a temple.

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19.

Yet the whole world has embraced what is called Machiavellianism, which is based on the use of cunning and duplicity (lying) to gain advantage over others, even to gain power.

His methods are also used in business dealings and in manipulative leadership tactics; which are destructive to morale and productivity.

Niccolo Machiavelli, 1469 to 1527, is considered the father of modern political science. And while “the ends justify the means” was never uttered by him, it certainly describes his methods, and those used by modern politicians.

While the theocracy of Islam is based on another system altogether, it certainly employs the same sort of tactics; while other forms of government overtly use his means of cunning and duplicity.

Government models such as communism, socialism, liberalism aka progressivism, and political correctness (which stifles free speech and thought) are taking over through lies and deceit which destroy the liberties of the individual and transfers power to a few at an alarming rate.

“Also the schemes of the schemer are evil; he devises wicked plans to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks justice [what is right]. “ Isaiah 32:7.

“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.” Proverbs 12:22.

“A righteous man hates lying, but a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.” Proverbs 13:5.

God unequivocally hates lying, how can I put this to the Christian in no uncertain terms, the lake of fire will be filled with liars, why would you want to put yourself in the same camp with the devil’s children?

“These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies and one who sows discord among brethren.” Proverbs 6:16-19.

As a last thought, we all lie at times, especially when we are in trouble.

“Um, no I didn’t eat the last of the pie.”

“I have no idea how the fender got dented.”

“The dog ate my homework.”

Lying happens, but there is no such thing as a little white lie, so they are to be avoided, and confessed to God when we sin.

Ephesians 4:25 ends by telling us to speak truth to our neighbor, “…for we are members of one another” our neighbors are our fellow Christians and part of the body of Christ. Yet even this is not the entire story until we consider the Old Testament saints.

“They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented – of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” Hebrews 11:37-40.

We have no more business deceiving our brethren than we do deceiving our spouse or our children. Many of the cults say that it is okay to lie to outsiders; let us not be of the same mind in any respect.

“…so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” Romans 12:5.

Christ’s Body, Ephesians 4:25 taken from godisrevealed.com posted on 3-30-16, updated on 7-3-21.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission, all rights reserved.