The Little Lie
John D. Telgren


Truth comes from God. Just the opposite comes from Satan. Jesus said that Satan "does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44)."

However, if we speak truth, we are speaking from God's nature. This is why we are told, " Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices (Col 3:9)."

Christians understand this. So I guess the question is whether we as Christians are going to do anything about it. Lying can be so easy to do. You may fool others. You may even fool yourself. It may seem like the thing to do. However, it is a self-defeating dead end. Lying goes against a natural inclination, making it unatural. If you do it once, it is a little easier to do it again. If you do it again, then it is a little easier the next time, especially when you get away with it. Eventually, you build up calluses on your heart, and no longer feel the burning pain of guilt. Once the scar tissue builds up on your heart because you ignore the burning pain of guilt, the scab makes it numb. Lying then becomes a way of life. What was unatural becomes natural. Maybe this is why Paul mentions lying with a seared conscience:

"by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron (1 Tim 4:2)."

Once the conscience is seared, you start down the slippery slope. You are no longer able to make good decisions and your life will be a wreck. You will not be able to have meaningful relationships with other people unless you fool them with your lies. Eventually, they will see through your lies. Lying is a dead end, as John describes in Revelation.

"But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Rev. 21:8)."

If you have started down that slippery slope, now is the time to be honest with yourself. Don't close your heart to the truth. God can remove any scar tissue from your heart. Admit the problem, pray about it, share it with your brethren, and make a pact to live according to the God of truth rather than the father of lies.