In this lesson, we want to look at irreverence. We can define irreverence as a failure to show respect. It indicates a lack of love, awe and esteem for things which are sacred.
Reverence is showing respect and love for things which are sacred. The degree of reverence or irreverence one has will affect one’s entire outlook on life and even one’s destiny.
When we think of irreverence, one of the first things that comes to mind is using God’s name in vain or maybe failing to worship the Lord with the right spirit and attitude.
Some feel that a noisy audience just before worship is showing irreverence. Some would say talking, whispering, or writing notes during worship would be showing irreverence.
While some of these things might involve irreverence this is not what irrelevance is all about. Hopefully, in this study, we can get to the heart and meaning of irreverence.
In Exodus 3:1-6, we get a sense of what reverence is. Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, when he saw a burning bush, yet the bush was not consumed by the fire. Astonished, Moses stopped to observe this marvellous wonder. Suddenly, the angel of the Lord spoke from the burning bush.
Moses was standing in God’s presence. Moses was not standing before just any ordinary person, but in the very presence of God Almighty himself. God demanded his attention and respect. There is probably more than meets the eye in what Moses is required to do.
Putting off his sandals was probably symbolic of laying aside the pollution contracted by walking in the way of sin. The ground where he was standing was rendered holy by the very presence of God.
The taking off of his sandals would be an act of reverence. It also recognises that we are never on the same level with God but are subordinate to Him. You can only look up to God, never down. From this example and other places in the Bible, reverence and respect always seem to be associated with coming before the presence of the Almighty God.
There is also the idea of godly fear, awe, and amazement. We also associated the name of god with such words as respect, glory, honour, esteem, adoration, veneration, holiness, and reverence.
We live in a marvellous world. On every hand, we can see God’s majesty and glory. Many go through life seemingly giving very little thought to all the wonders of God, accepting them in a matter-of-fact way. God’s will is not to be ignored.
We are told that “The heavens declare the glory of God,” Psalm 19:1. The heavens are now revealing amazing new information. His glory and marvellous works do not deserve to be treated just as something that is commonplace.
The works of God are not ordinary; they are indeed mighty.
We live in a world that rarely stops to give any attention to God and all his wonders. This is a tragedy at least.
On the day of Pentecost, we have such a situation. Men from every nation under heaven gathered in startled amazement as they heard uneducated Galileans speaking the message of salvation in the different languages represented there on that day. We are told that they cried out the following.
All the technological advancements of our day have led us into a time of luxuries, comforts, and convenience. At the same time, it has led us to believe that man can do just about anything he wants to do. It becomes easy to discount the marvellous spiritual blessings we receive from God.
We have witnessed so many unbelievable things that it is now fashionable to be surprised at nothing. No doubt with some, there is an air of pride and arrogance, plus a spirit of independence that destroys their child-like spontaneity and wonder at God’s power and majesty.
Let us remember every day of our lives the existence and the excellence of the Almighty who was “In the beginning,” Genesis 1:1. You can think back as far as the human mind can fathom, and still you cannot fully comprehend eternity. God existed before our universe. He created it, He made you and me. There was never a beginning for God, for he has always existed.
Not only was the world brought into existence by the Word of God, and is kept in place by that Word, but it can also be destroyed by the same Word, according to Peter.
We live in a world that knows very little about the one true God. The result is that very few give reverence to their creator. What a tragedy that the creation does not even know its creator. Much of this is because of ignorance.
However, some of this is not because people do not know about God but because they do not care. They have never been taught to care or show reverence. Some simply have no concern for God, even though they may acknowledge His existence in some faint way.
Again, what a tragedy. Because of our love of the world and the things of the world, even we as Christians can lose our sense of awe and wonder. This is an even greater tragedy because we should know better.
The greatest wonder of all is the grace of God. That deity would condescend to come down to this world and take on human flesh and offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, it is so great it is beyond our comprehension. Paul reminds us of the following.
This wonder alone should cause us to seek to glorify and praise Him forever.
1. We have been using Song of Songs 2:15, “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom,” as the basis of a series of studies we have been looking at.
We need to rid ourselves of the so-called little sins that can destroy our prospects of fruit-bearing in the service of the Lord. We continue our study of the little foxes by looking at the little fox of Pride.
2. First of all, there is a natural, even a wholesome pride.
We take pride in the Lord and in His church. We take personal pride in ourselves, our accomplishments, our children, our work, etc. We have all seen people who had no pride whatsoever. This is wrong in itself.
3. The kind of pride we want to talk about is an attitude that causes us to have an opinion of self that is too high.
It is the attitude that causes us to be wrapped up in our imagined importance. It is an exaggerated self-esteem. It consists of such things as conceit, haughtiness, vainglory, being high-minded, and being puffed up.
4. It is all a matter of an inflated ego, turning inward and considering ourselves of great importance.
It is appearing before others in a superior light, making oneself out as far greater than one is.
Pride can be a trap that is difficult to escape from.
5. An even uglier side of pride is that it can cause us to have contempt for others, even slandering them at times.
Pride is gratified by such things as titles, offices, possessions, honours relationships with people of importance. It is the desire to gain attention, praise, or applause from others. It is enraged and distressed when people fail to notice what it does. Pride does not like to be slighted or ignored.
6. Augustine, the famous theologian and writer of the 5th century, considered pride to be at the root of all sin.
He concluded that all sin stems from man’s false pride. Pride then becomes more than just a little fox. It is not just a little sin but a sin that can destroy us.
I. Pride is the greatest enemy of repentance.
A. One reason pride is so dangerous is that it is the greatest obstacle to repentance.
One who is full of pride finds it very difficult to admit he or she is wrong, or is in need of being rescued from sin. Repentance is vital to the life of anyone. Not only to non-Christians but to the Christian also.
Many a Christian has fallen from Grace because they let their false beliefs interfere with their repentance, thus falling from grace, Galatians 5:4.
B. Go to a person who is living in sin and talk to him about changing his ways, and he will often resent you.
It is as if he is saying, “Who do you think you are, telling me how to live my life”? “I stand above Reproach.” “Don’t tell me, tell me how to live my life.” “I know what I am doing, and I am in control. I make my own decisions.”
This person’s pride blinds him to his sin. A good example of this is talking with an alcoholic. Most of the time, he will not even admit he is an alcoholic. Talk to a person about some “Little Fox of sin”, and he may even feel insulted that you dare to hint that he has sinned.
C. The Pharisees were a very proud religious sect.
They often confronted Jesus with an arrogance of such proportions that they were unable to receive his teachings.
D. On one occasion, Jesus went into the temple and found those who were selling animals and exchanging money.
He drove those people out and overturned their tables, Matthew 21:12-13 / Mark 11:15-17 / Luke 19:45–46 / John 2:14-16.
This enraged the scribes and chief priests, and they sought how they might kill him, Mark 11:18 / Luke 22:2. They were too proud to admit that they were wrong in using the temple in such a fashion. They would never admit sin had been committed, that the temple was being desecrated. Instead of feeling shame, they felt rage.
E. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,” Matthew 11:28.
Thousands have heard this invitation of the Lord. Some have heard it many times, but because of pride, they refuse to change. It’s hard for some to admit they are wrong.
Someone has said the three most difficult words in the English language are, “I have sinned.” Tragically, a prideful ego prevents us from admitting what we really are, sinners.
F. There are Christians who find themselves in a fault but will never repent of it.
Our inflated ego prevents any acknowledgement of sin in our lives.
Pride steps in the way of the “one another” part of this admonition. We have too much pride to admit to a brother that I have sinned.
II. Pride delights in boasting.
A. We see this in the Pharisee who stood at the temple and prayed.
He could see everything wrong with the tax collector but nothing wrong in himself.
B. Speaking of the Pharisees, Jesus said the following.
Pride destroys any semblance of humility.
C. A person who is filled with false pride not only thinks highly of himself but feels he must tell others of his achievements.
He or she wants to be noticed. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount said the following.
D. To be seen by men is the key phrase. Pride enjoys being in the spotlight.
III. Pride makes us indignant and arrogant.
A. Do you remember the story of Naaman the leper found in 2 Kings 5:1-14?
He was the commander of the Syrian army. He is described as a great and honourable man in the eyes of the king. There was one problem. He had leprosy. This would no doubt be fatal, as well as preventing him from doing his job as commander of the army.
B. He was informed by a young captive girl from Israel that there was a prophet in her land who could heal him.
He makes arrangements to go and arrives at the house of the prophet.
C. Just the disease itself must have hurt his pride.
It would take a lot away from his pride to have to go and seek out a Jew to cure him. Now, to go all the way to the prophet’s house and for him not to come out to see him was a great insult. He even describes what he thought the prophet should have done.
Then to be told to go and dip seven times in the Jordan River was insult upon insult, 2 Kings 5:10. What an insult to such a person of high position, the Commander in Chief of the Syrian army. How could a man in such a high position be treated like this? It is quite evident that Naaman’s pride had been injured.
D. Only when he was willing to surrender his false pride was he made clean.
His servant gave him some good advice, and the commander surrendered his pride and went and dipped seven times in the Jordan, 2 Kings 5:14. The Lord cannot do much with us until we are willing to surrender our prideful ways.
IV. Pride can cause us to look down on others
A. The Old Testament story of Moses before Pharaoh, asking the great ruler of Egypt to release the children of Israel.
B. On his first appearance before Pharaoh, Moses told him the following.
Here we see what a heart filled with false pride will do. Pharaoh looked down on Moses and even the Lord himself. He gave no recognition to either. As if to say, “Who do you think you are coming before the Pharaoh of Egypt asking such things?
C. It seems that each time Moses appeared before him, there was nothing but contempt, insolence, and arrogance.
All the plagues that God brought on the Egyptians seemingly would not change Pharaoh. He was a proud man and preferred to suffer all of those plagues rather than to give up his pride and submit to the command of God.
1. Be careful of pride. It is a dangerous little fox. It can destroy us.
One reason why it is so dangerous is that most of the time, we never suspect we have it. It is always the other person, not me.
2. We all need to search our hearts carefully, that we are not carrying around this little fox that can rob us of heaven.
Remember that “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall,” Proverbs 16:18. It always precedes our falling away from God.
3. Questions we might ask ourselves.
Am I too proud to admit my faults, my sins? Am I too proud to go to a person and tell him I have sinned against him? Am I too proud to say “I’m sorry” when I am wrong? Am I too proud to speak to certain Christians?
Am I too proud to associate with certain Christians? Am I too proud to associate with people of other races? Am I too proud to associate with those I feel are below my social standing? Am I too proud to forgive those who sin against me?
Am I too proud to teach a person who is an alcoholic or a homosexual? Am so proud of my position in life that I would be ashamed to let others know I am a Christian.
In 2 Samuel 16, we have a very dramatic scene. David, the king, is fleeing from Jerusalem as a result of an uprising against him led by his own son Absalom. As David and his friends flee through the countryside, they pass by the walls of Bahurim when, suddenly, a relative of the king Saul, the former king of Israel, appears. His name is Shimei. It is said that he cursed as he came out to meet David and his officials. He began to cast stones. He said the following.
There were two false accusations in his cry of revenge. David had not shed the blood of Saul or those in his household. Second, Absalom had stolen the kingdom from David, not God. Abishai, David’s close bodyguard since the days when David had to flee from Saul in the desert region, responded by saying to David the following.
For every Shimei, there is always an Abishai ready to take sudden and bitter revenge. But David would not permit it.
We are told that David and his men continue along the road while Shimei walks along, throwing stones at David and kicking up the dust, 2 Samuel 16:13. What a disgusting scene.
Did any of the stones hit David? How could David endure the insults? How could he continue to ignore what Shimei was doing? How long could he take such verbal abuse?
We say what a forgiving man he was. His forgiveness seems to defy all normal feelings for taking revenge against Shimei. However, this is not the end of the story. Absalom’s army is defeated, and Absalom is slaughtered, 2 Samuel 18. David returns to occupy the throne.
Now, Shimei, the man who cursed David and threw all those stones. Falling down before the king, he begs for forgiveness. “I have sinned”, he says, 2 Samuel 19:20.
Abishai, David’s bodyguard, is still incensed and is still ready to kill Shemei. But again, David would not allow it. David said to Shimei, ‘You shall not die,’ and gave an oath that he would not kill him, 2 Samuel 19:23.
From every appearance, David is still a man of forgiveness. How magnificent, how noble this man David. Now comes the final scene in this story. King David lies on his deathbed. In these final hours, he calls his son to his bedside.
David kept his oath to Shimei, 2 Samuel 19:23. He would not kill him, but he would let someone else kill him. For three years after David’s death, Solomon did nothing. Then one day, he said to Shimei.
No doubt David tried to forgive Shimei, and it appears he did. But it is an obvious fact that David carried a grudge against this man with him to the grave. He simply could not forget all the evil Shimei had done to him. So his last words to his son Solomon were “kill him.” David got his revenge.
I. David did not know Jesus nor anything about the cross, or else this story might have ended differently.
A. David’s final request reminds us how complicated the human heart is.
Few, if any of us, ever understand all that goes on inside our own hearts. Just about the time we think we have forgiven a person, he or she pops up in our lives and suddenly all the old painful feelings come back.
B. The old law forbade showing revenge.
David would have been familiar with the law, and perhaps this is why he did not personally kill Shemei. In Deuteronomy, there is another verse that David no doubt was familiar with.
C. We enjoy an enormous advantage over David.
While David knew the Old Testament, we have Jesus, who has taught us how to forgive.
D. Not only did Jesus teach us to pray and forgive, but more importantly, he showed us how on the cross.
How can we ever forget His words?
There were no dying grudges, no revenge as he hung on the cross. It is not easy, but it can be done. Jesus proved it in his death. Jesus has not asked us to do anything he himself was not willing to do.
E. Surely if Jesus could put away revenge and forgive so much to so many, I can forgive things that are not as great or as serious.
II. Why do we seek revenge?
A. When we are rejected, we seek revenge.
Rejection hits at the very heart. It attacks our ego. Rejection says, “I refuse to accept you. You are not good enough for me. I refuse to associate with you. You are below my level.” Rejection attacks our self-esteem.
We see evidence of this kind of revenge every day in the headlines of the newspapers when we read of some rejected lover, boyfriend, husband, or wife who has been rejected. The one rejected returns soon with a gun to kill the one who has rejected them.
Once, when Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Jerusalem, they passed through a Samaritan village. We are told by Luke that the people “did not welcome him,” Luke 9:53.
Knowing the great animosity that existed between the Jews and the Samaritans probably explains why Jesus was not accepted by them. James and John took offence at this rejection, which made them make a strange request of the Lord.
Sadly, we Christians are often guilty of vengeance. We do it in different ways toward one another. Our way of getting vengeance may be to talk about and against one another, our brethren whom they have been commanded to love.
Too many Christians believe that 1 Corinthians 13 means nothing when it comes to their relationships with other Christians. They have never been able to reach this level of conduct in their lives. What a tragedy.
Isn’t it wonderful that God does not retaliate against sinful men immediately when they sin, repaying evil for evil? When rejection takes place, pride always enters the picture.
Samson of the Old Testament was a very vain person. Because of his hatred of the Philistines and their rejection of him when he found his wife had been given to another man, Judges 14:20, he went out and caught three hundred foxes.
He tied their tails together and put a torch between each pair of tails. He then turned them loose in the grain fields of the Philistines and thus burned up their crops, which had not yet been harvested, Judges 15:4-5. Samson felt he had to get even. It seems that “get even” was the code Samson lived by.
B. When we are outraged over the evil of others, we want to take revenge.
Often, when righteous people see evil being committed by others, they want revenge to take place. It’s the “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” concept, Exodus 21:24 / Leviticus 24:20 / Deuteronomy 19:21. Some feel that it is their place to punish evil doers. They have done wrong, and they should not be allowed to get by without paying a penalty.
An extreme example of this is those who would shoot, bomb or harm in some way those who are associated with abortion clinics. We may and should oppose abortion, but it is not our right to take vengeance on them. We are again reminded of the words of the apostle Paul.
Let God do the avenging. In the meantime, pray for these people. Teach them the truth about the sacredness of life and that there is a better way to handle unwanted pregnancies.
While we would never do anything as evil and drastic as this, we may be guilty of seeking revenge in other ways by talking about someone, by spreading vicious gossip.
Do you ever delight when someone you dislike is harmed in some way? Do we delight to hear that something bad has happened to someone we do not like? Proverbs 24:17-18. Do we think, “He got exactly what was coming to him?”
C. Revenge takes over when we are biased against someone.
To practice favouritism is to pre-judge someone. We can be biased against such things as colour of skin (race), social and economic standing, a different culture, family reputation, personalities, or just plain “he or she is not one of us.”
Revenge in this situation is practised by ostracising, looking down on and making it plain that we do not accept this person. He or she is not welcome as far as we are concerned.
III. Grudges don’t go away easily.
Sometimes we carry them with us to the grave.
A. Like David, some carry grudges to their deathbed.
What a waste of time and energy that could be spent in a profitable way. What good can come from it? Instead of good, only harm and hurt can be the result.
B. “Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!” James 5:9.
We are not sure as to what these grudges were about that James speaks of. Whatever they were, they were not good for the church. James sternly warns them that they could be condemned. The same applies to us today.
C. Vengeance is a serious matter and needs to be put out of our lives.
Then and only then can we have peace of mind. Don’t let vengeance ruin your life. Peace of mind is worth whatever false pride we may have to give up.
D. Suppose you get your vengeance.
What good does it accomplish for you? It is a useless waste of time and energy. It can only cause heartache. What good would it do David, since David would be dead when he was slain?
1. Those who show a revengeful nature end up being the ones destroyed rather than those they take vengeance on.
2. The worst thing is that it can rob us of our eternal salvation.
We need to perform spiritual surgery as suggested by Jesus figuratively when he said, if you have an eye, hand or foot that offends then get rid of it so you can have eternal life.
Do you ever have trials? Sure you do. We all do. There are natural disasters that occur over which we have no control. Our world is filled with people with all kinds of characteristics, dispositions, and passions. People can cause us to have varied trials. Hardly a day passes without something occurring which tries our patience.
When trials do come, James admonishes Christians to “let perseverance finish its work.” This might be translated as follows: “Let the testing of your faith produce courageous endurance.” Endurance helps us to face all the hardships and trials that come into our lives.
Without perseverance, the Christian is inadequate and lacking in Christian character. As long as this inadequacy exists, we lack an essential ingredient to being successful in the Christian life.
Patience, then, is so important to us that even our salvation is connected to it. Why then is patience so dangerous to our spiritual welfare? Because it will be very difficult for a Christian to survive. Most people who gave up and quit the church were low on patience.
I am convinced that most Christians who give up and cease to be faithful to the Lord do so because their day-to-day struggles with family, friends, and the workplace seem so great that they cave in and give up.
They never try to work out their problems with patience and the Lord’s help. When one becomes a Christian, troubles and hardships do not disappear. Life is filled with hardships and problems. Many of these things are directly related to the Christian life.
In the parable of the sower, which is found in Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus speaks of different soils that the seed (the word of God) falls into. The stony ground that some Christians encounter is described by Jesus as being the temptations, tribulations, persecutions, and afflictions of everyday life.
They are unable to endure these things. They give up and thus do not survive, Matthew 13:5-6 / Matthew 13:20-21 / Mark 4:16-17 / Luke 8:13.
Notice three things about this verse.
1. We only suffer what is common to all men. It is not something new or greater than what has always been around.
2. It is not beyond our power to resist.
3. God will provide a way of escape and or help us through it.
We have Christian friends to rely upon. We have the Word of God to strengthen us. We can always resort to prayer. Probably the biggest thing is determination. Be determined that you will not give up, but you will persevere and overcome.
Often, people, even Christians, will do things that discourage us, even provoking us to anger. When this happens, it can cause us to be resentful of the treatment we are receiving. Resentment can turn to anger and anger into revenge. We must recognise that Christians are going to say and do things that wrong others.
For example, some Christians have trouble controlling their tongues. When their tongue gets out of control, how are we to react to this? When we are wronged, it will help if we realise that the problem is not with us, but with the one who provokes us. We can actually feel concern for such a person and try to help them.
Just think of all that Paul suffered at the hands of men and fellow Christians. He could have allowed it to embitter him. Instead, choose to suffer wrong and press on for the sake of the gospel and the church.
Patience is a noble and very necessary characteristic for every Christian.
Had it not been for patience, there is no way Paul could have made it through all these hardships. He goes ahead to say the following.
Paul could have been very resentful, but instead, he says he boasts in his infirmities. How could he do this? It was because of his patience. Satan wants us to give up and quit. He will do everything in his power to discourage us.
In Matthew 25:14-30, we have the parable of the talents. This is a familiar parable. A man has three servants. He is about to travel to another country, so he calls in all three of his servants and divides talents among them. One received five, the second received two, and the third received one, Matthew 25:14-15.
This diversity of gifts is significant. No two were alike. Each was uniquely different. This is true of every person born into this world. If everyone were exactly the same, there would be a vast neglect of important things. How would you like to live in a world where everyone is exactly the same? What a boring and dangerous world it would be.
Notice that each servant was given talents according to his ability, Matthew 25:15. To have made these men all equal recipients would have been a gross injustice.
Five talents would have been an intolerable burden to the man with one-talent ability. On the other hand, the five-talent man would not have been challenged by the one-talent man.
We should never discount the importance of the one-talent person. Jesus said that giving a cup of cold water would be rewarded. Each gesture of kindness is important to God.
It is important to his church. It is not something to be considered lightly or of no importance. Many like to claim they are a one-talent person and then conclude they can’t do anything. This is just a cop out from getting involved in the vineyard of the Lord.
The nature of the church is expressed in a number of ways. It is called the Kingdom of God, the flock of God, the temple of God, the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, the family of God. All of these suggest some unique characteristic of the church that requires various talents.
In another parable, the church is presented as the Vineyard of God, Matthew 20:1-16. Men are called in at different times of the day to work, Matthew 20:1-6. Yet at the end of the day, all receive the same amount of pay, Matthew 20:9-12.
This parable sets forth both the idea of work and reward for our work. Those in the parable who came first to work in the vineyard complained about equal wages. People enter the Kingdom at different stages of their lives, yet all will gain heaven.
Good works are essential to please God.
We have been given a tremendous task. Today, the world’s population stands at about six billion people. The vast majority of these are lost and without hope. Unless they receive the gospel and obey it, they cannot be saved.
We find out why he said this because of what He said in the previous verse.
Often hear ask, “How is the church doing where you live? Often, the answer comes back, “Oh, we are holding our own.” What has really happened is that they have lost their focus.
Like those in Ephesus, they had forsaken their first love, Revelation 2:4-5. To the Philippians, Paul wrote, “what I desire is that more be credited to your account,” Philippians 4:17.
The apostle Paul has much to say about this in Corinthians. He begins by pointing out the nature of the body of Christ, which is the church.
Here he is comparing the body of Christ, the church, to a human body. The church is very much like a human body. He goes ahead to say the following.
The church is made up of many different parts, just like a human body. Paul next points out the importance of each member or part of the body.
These statements make it very clear that we cannot disassociate ourselves from functioning in some capacity in the body of Christ. Yet we often see this disassociation attitude manifested in the “they” expressions. “They are doing this or that.” We should be saying “We” are doing this or that.
Paul continues as he points out that the body cannot function without the cooperation of every member in the body. When there is envy, jealousy, pouting, and being hypocritical, it is impossible to have harmony and cooperation within the body.
This points out that God has made us all different and at the same time dependent on one another. It takes everyone using their unique and special abilities to make the body function properly.
The human body will fail or even die when the various parts refuse to work together. The same is true in the church. The church will fail and even die when the various members refuse to use their talents and work together. Notice further what Paul says.
The meaning is simple. In order for the church to function, it takes a wide variety of talents and abilities. God has made us so that each of us differs and has some unique talent he or she can contribute.
Whatever that talent is, we should use it. Some may have more than one talent. If so, then we need to use all of them, not just one of them. Paul sees this diversity as a blessing which contributes to the welfare of the entire body of Christ.
Just as it takes many body parts to make up the physical body, so it takes many members of different abilities and gifts to make up the spiritual body of Christ. Regardless of whether you consider yourself a one, two or five-talent person, use your abilities for the Lord. No talent is insignificant.
Lying, whether it’s white, black, or blue, is one of the most common sins of humanity; so much so that David said the following in one of his psalms.
The very first sin recorded in the Bible is that of lying. Satan comes to Adam and Eve after they were placed in the Garden of Eden and says, “You will not certainly die,” Genesis 3:4.
The first sin recorded in the church is lying. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit, whom we are told is God, Acts 5:1-11. The consequences were serious. They fell down dead, Acts 5:5 / Acts 5:10.
Still today, in many places, lying is a way of life with people. Jesus said concerning Satan, “for he is a liar and the father of lies,” John 8:44. A lie is the very opposite of truth. Satan is the originator of all falsehood. Unfortunately, he has led many to follow his example, leaving behind devastating effects.
It is any deception or misrepresentation on our part. We look with disdain upon the sin of fornication, drunkenness, robbery, and such like, but look lightly on the sin of lying. In many countries, lying is a way of life.
Rarely is it censured. It is often excused as just a “little white lie” or just a “fib.” Rarely will one say, “I have lied.” In fact, a person who tells a lie would, in most cases, be insulted if he were called a liar.
Will a person be lost because he does not always tell the truth? The answer to this question can be found in Revelation. John writes that in the end, some will be left out of heaven.
Lying is something that one puts away when he or she becomes a Christian.
It is obvious that lying was common in Greek society.
It is because of the tremendous damage it does. There can be fearful and destructive consequences of broken hearts, divided homes, and lost honour. All attest to just how destructive lying is. Think for just a moment what lying did to some of the people we read about in the Bible.
1. Adam and Eve lost their place in the Garden of Eden, Genesis 3:24.
Satan denied the consequences of disobedience, Genesis 3:1-4. He promised knowledge equal to God’s by partaking of the forbidden fruit, Genesis 3:5.
2. Joseph was thrown into prison because of the lie of Potiphar’s wife, Genesis 39:19-20.
3. Isaac was lied to, and the result was a lifelong rupture between the two brothers, Genesis 27.
4. Because of the lies told by false witnesses, Naboth was put to death, and Ahab gained control over his vineyard, 1 Kings 21.
5. Witnesses lied, and Christ was convicted of crimes he never committed, Matthew 26:59-61 / Mark 14:55-56.
6. Paul was hounded throughout his life by evil accusations from religious bigots, Acts 21:28 / Acts 24:5 / 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 / 2 Corinthians 12:16-17.
Sometimes you can lie without speaking a false word. Look what the brothers of Joseph did to their father when they showed him Jacob’s coat, which had been dipped in blood, Genesis 37:31-33. Have always wondered what transpired when Jacob discovered Joseph was well and alive in Egypt, Genesis 46:29.
You can lie by cheating on a test without saying anything. Lies strike at the very foundation and fibre of an individual’s character. A man’s honour and integrity are among the most precious possessions he has. To lie about a person is to attack his moral integrity.
One of the worst insults a person can receive is to be called “a liar.” The Jews used another word when they put Jesus on trial. They said he blasphemed, Mark 2:5-7 / Matthew 26:63-65 / John 10:33.
It destroys trust, which is one of the foundation stones of society. Trust is what our entire society is built upon. Falsehood would destroy our society. Suppose no one could be trusted in any of their relationships to their home, business, society, government, or church.
It would mean that homes would disintegrate, and business partnerships would be dissolved. Businesses would fail. Our whole industrial structure would collapse. Anarchy would supplant government. The church would be left in shambles.
Probably the worst form of lying is malicious lying. This is telling a lie for the express purpose of injuring another’s reputation, even causing unjust punishment to be inflicted. The motive of malice is behind this kind of lying. It was these kinds of lies that were told against Jesus by the false witnesses.
Jewish leaders know this law well, yet they ignored it. There are lies that we might style as selfish lies, lies told for the benefit of the one who tells them. This is the kind of lie Ananias and Sapphira told. They wanted to keep part of the money and, at the same time, receive credit for giving all of it, Acts 5:1-11.
The ear, as well as the tongue, can be involved in lying. When you receive or accept an unconfirmed report, you may be receiving a lie. It is your privilege and may become your duty to investigate. If you do not investigate, then you should refuse to receive the report. The word of God provides a passage that serves as a safeguard in this situation.
Notice that it is a witness, not a talebearer. Witnesses, not gossipers. To speak half-truths is lying.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote in his poem “The Grandmother the following.
“For the lie which is half-truth is ever the greatest of lies.”
Many people only give half-truths. Instead of telling the full truth about something, they tell only enough truth to get themselves out of trouble. A big black lie cannot be whittled down to a little white lie. This is a half-truth to cover up the full truth.
Cultivate a passion for the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Truth is linked to freedom.
When you love the truth, you become identified with Christ, who is the Jesus that said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” John 14:6. Love is the greatest deterrent to lying. Just a few verses from Corinthians would eliminate all lying.
Finally, be afraid to lie.
To be self-righteous is to think of oneself as being more righteous or moral than others. No group of people in Jesus’ time exemplified self-righteousness as much as did the Pharisees. They were in constant conflict with Jesus.
There are so many instances of Jesus being confronted by the Pharisees that would seem to indicate the Lord wants us to learn some important lessons about the Pharisees. It has always been with us unto this day.
Jesus gives us a parable of two men who were both sinners. However, one does not seem to know it. The contrast between the two is very interesting. This parable is found in Luke 18:9-14. One man is a Pharisee, and the other is a publican, Luke 18:10. The Pharisees were the predominant religious sect of Jesus day.
The publicans were, for the most part, tax collectors who hired themselves out to the Romans to collect taxes or else performed some civil service work. They were notorious for cheating people.
They were despised by their fellow Jews because they took the Jews’ money and turned it over to the Romans (Gentiles), who practised idolatry. They were under Roman authority, occupied and controlled by Roman soldiers, which was even worse.
Notice the reading of this parable.
First, there was the feeling of superiority. Jesus begins the parable by saying that it is about people who trust in themselves that they are righteous, Luke 18:9. The Pharisee obviously had many good points. Obviously, he was not an immoral man. He was not an adulterer, an extortioner, nor unjust. He avoided many of the outward sins.
He even went beyond what God required. The law required fasting once each year at the time of the Day of Atonement, Leviticus 16:29-31 / Leviticus 23:27-32. Thus, he fasted a hundred times more than what God required, Luke 18:12. Thus, his tithing exceeded what was required of God, Luke 18:12.
God had commanded tithing only on what they gained from their fields and cattle, Deuteronomy 14:22-29 / Leviticus 27:30-32. Pharisees even tithed what they bought. It is as if they had in their view that they had improved on God’s law.
He sounds as if he had placed God in debt, that God owed him salvation on the basis of the good deeds that he did and his outward observance of the commandments of the law. There was a certain arrogance about him that he could feel no sympathy toward others. He despised the tax collector, Luke 18:11.
He acknowledged he had no need, sought no blessing, confessed no sin, and sought no mercy. His prayer was as cold and formal as an icicle. If we look closely, we may see ourselves in this Pharisee.
I am convinced that many in the church today are very much like the Pharisees. It is not uncommon to hear brethren brag about how sound they are, or how sound the church is where they are members.
Then they look upon others as unsound because they do not do things exactly the way they think they should be. Like the Pharisee, we can go beyond what God has commanded by setting up additional laws, rules, and regulations which God has not commanded, 1 Corinthians 4:6.
A few years ago, I visited a church building that had a sign over the door leading into the auditorium. It read, “Only the KJV or ASV may be read in this building.” I do not doubt the sincerity of these brethren. However, they would look down on anyone who dares to read from another translation.
Just one example of imposing a law that God has never imposed. Without realising it, they are adding to God’s word. Binding laws that God has not bound is wrong. Without realising it, some churches actually write creeds. To the Jews, there were two sources of authority in religious matters.
First, there were the written scriptures written down by Moses. Second, there was supposedly an oral law that God gave to Moses on Sinai and was passed down from generation to generation, called the Mishnah; both were considered to be equal. The oral law was actually an interpretation of an excess of six hundred laws.
We tend to do the same thing. There are the written laws of the New Testament. But often we go beyond what is written and create certain oral laws which become just as authoritative as the written law. Examples of oral laws today.
Must have an opening and closing prayer. Fixed the order of worship. Use only the KJV or American Standard. There is no perfect translation. A child should be twelve years old before baptism. Must get this from Jesus, going up to the temple at age twelve
Men who serve at the table must wear a coat and tie and no hair that reaches down to the shoulders. A woman cannot teach a young boy who has been baptised.
Baptism does not make a man out of a child. Cannot have a kitchen in the church building. An interesting conversation Jesus had with the Pharisees is found in Mark 7:5-13.
Understand that Christians often have such deep feelings about certain things that it would violate their conscience to do them. We should all respect a person who has deep conscientious feelings. But at the same time, they should not try to bind their feelings to others.
This is where we so often get into trouble. A person who is very dogmatic can cause a divisive spirit within a congregation. Paul brings this up in Romans 14:1-6. A wonderful motto came out of the Restoration in matters of faith, unity, in matters of opinion, liberty, and in all things love.
A second characteristic was his boasting spirit.
Can be very proud of himself, talking openly about how sound, how strong, how faithful he is. Talk about how they handled themselves when confronted with some false teaching or even some broken tradition which they hold as sacred. Once painted for a man who had somewhat of a record in attendance, but would not pay me.
A third characteristic was his condemning spirit. It is so easy for good moral people to get into the condemning business. We take upon ourselves prerogatives that belong only to God.
Some Christians look with contempt on sinners. This Pharisee did not really go to pray to God. He really prayed to himself. He went to the temple to tell God how good he was.
But the question is not, “Am I as good as or better than my fellow man?” The question is, “Am I Christ-like?” He had a big eye on himself, a bad eye on the publican, and no eye on God. The Pharisee received nothing since he asked for nothing. The bottom line of his parable is found in the closing words.
This was the difference between the two men. One considered himself above the publican sinner, and the publican admits his sinfulness by openly confessing it, Luke 18:13.
The church is not a club of proud, superior, perfect people. It is a hospital for sin-sick sinners like me. Christians are not perfect; they are just people who have been forgiven, although they do not deserve it.