“Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak
truth with his neighbor…..”
EPHESIANS 4:25
Paul begins by making it clear that if we are to dress the part according to what Jesus has already done for us, that we need to put off falsehood. The word “falsehood” comes from the Greek word from which we get our English prefix “pseudo” which we use to describe something that appears to be genuine, but is not. For instance when someone uses a pseudonym, it is a name that appears to be genuine, but is not. Most of us don’t have problems identifying outright lies. But most falsehood is much more subtle than that.
Unfortunately the church is not immune to this; are you a different person when you’re at church or you’re around other Christians than you are the rest of the week? Do you have one vocabulary that you use at church and another at work, another at home and another that you use when someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you treat your co-workers, neighbors, friends and family members differently than you treat people at church on Sunday morning?
Are the movies and TV shows you watch consistent with what you profess to believe? If you’re trying to live several different lives depending on your setting, then I would suggest that you are still clothed with falsehood. When we promise to pray for someone and we don’t or when we fail to keep our commitments, then we’re still clothed with falsehood.
If television commercials are telling the truth, glamorous movie stars and athletes use products that everyone ought to buy. But, as ‘Time’ magazine reports (and most viewers suspect), many celebrities don’t use the products they endorse. Autobiographies are not always written by the individuals whose names they bear but by writers who aren’t mentioned.
Jesus had strong words for those who stood in the way of the truth. He said they were children of their father the devil (John 8:44), and they were incapable of speaking the truth because they refused to hear it (vv.43-47). God’s Word urges us to tell the truth (Proverbs 12:17-22). Only as we obey Him can we hope to prevent our society from being consumed by suspicion and mistrust.
We are to be truth-tellers like Jesus, of whom Scripture says, “Nor was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). Let’s strive for that holy standard today. All the trouble in the world began with one lie.
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Garment of Praise
Monthly Insights for Spiritual Growth, Encouragement and Personal Victory.
Oluyemisi Onanuga
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible.
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