Sincerity of Speech

Exodus 20:16; Proverbs 26:23-28; Matthew 26:69-75

GOLDEN TEXT: “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor.”—Ephesians 4:25

AGAIN we have a lesson from the Law of Moses, the Proverbs, and the New Testament. These emphasize the fact that truthfulness is one of the principles of God’s character, and that falsehood, misrepresentation is offensive to him and condemned. Fallen man has ever been quick to follow in the steps of the great deceiver, Satan, whose original lie brought about disobedience to his Creator’s instructions and the penalty of death.

Certainly there is no more prevalent evil in the world than misrepresentation, untruth, deception. Only with great carefulness can the Lord’s people keep free from the soiling of their garments, injuring’ their characters, through sharing passively, if not actively, in the untruths and half-truths such as those with which the social structure of the world is permeated.

So dull of hearing and unresponsive to this provision of God’s law in the Ninth Commandment were the people of Israel, that additional statutes had to be provided, such as that recorded in Deuteronomy 19:15-20 to the effect that an accusation must be supported by two or three witnesses, and thus proven in the presence of the accused. Salutary punishment was there provided for the one who had brought a false accusation; namely, that to him should be meted out the punishment he had sought to have inflicted upon his brother.

The second section of our Scripture lesson emphasizes this thought as a general principle or proverb. For those who love the truth so much that they willingly suffer for it—and such must be the disposition of every true Christian—how inspiring and encouraging are the assurances that all untruth and deception will shortly be revealed, for we are promised that “the waters shall overflow the hiding place.”—Isa. 28:17

The familiar adage, “Truth crushed to earth shall rise again,” represents the comforting assurance we entertain, that untruth shall ultimately be revealed and truth alone is substantial enough to persist and remain. Likewise, we are assured that falsehood cannot injure the real, eternal interests of one against, whom it is uttered. But what havoc it works in the happiness and ultimate welfare of one who makes use of untruth to avoid suffering himself, or to inflict it upon others! Sooner or later, the Wise Man’s counsel indicates, falsehood, misrepresentation, deception, come back in judgment upon the one who is guilty of them.—Prov. 26:23-28

Trifling with truth has a searing effect upon a Christian’s conscience. When recognized by others it hinders the effect of one’s profession and testimony, and must eventually bar one from membership in the church.

In our Golden Text, Paul intimates that some in the church at Ephesus had been far from respectable characters. But he is pointing out to them the possibility of being delivered from their old sins and evil practices. He urges them to “put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.” He assures them (and us) that this can be done; including “putting away lying”; and that they can be renewed in the spirit of their mind, and “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” And how interesting in connection with our study is Paul’s coupling with this “true holiness” the exhortation, “speak every man truth with his neighbor.”

For our final consideration we have the account of Peter’s denial of his Master in the palace of the high priest. The evening before in the upper room Peter had declared his undying devotion to Jesus, saying that though all others should, yet would not he deny the Lord even though he should die with him. (Mark 14:29-31) And now Peter had denied the Lord with an oath.

What an illustration we have here of the weakness and instability of even a noble and well-intentioned soul unless assisted and sustained by the power of God, the Holy Spirit! How glad we are for the finale of this incident Peter, repentant, ashamed, went out “and wept bitterly.” And the following history of Peter is a glorious illustration of the grace and power of God—as the Prophet Isaiah declares, God dwells in the “high and holy place,” but “with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”—Isa. 57:15

Peter’s subsequent course, after sharing in the begetting of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, demonstrates what this promise means. When Peter, humbled, contrite, repentant, still the same loyal, courageous disciple, not now relying on his own strength but upon the power of God; could, without shame or sense of hypocrisy reprove the people of Israel for their accusation and rejection of their Messiah, even using the same term: “Ye … denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.”—Acts 3:13,14

QUESTIONS:

What is the Ninth Commandment, and has it been generally observed?

What does the writer of Proverbs indicate as the effects of dishonesty upon the one who practices it?

What outstanding lessons come to us through the record of Peter’s denial of Jesus, his repentance and subsequent course?

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