Eld Chew Chong Kiat

Introduction

Speaking the truth is not always convenient; sometimes the truth hurts or is not advantageous to the speaker or the recipient. To avoid that, some choose to change the truth to what the recipient would like to hear or to the advantage of the speaker. For many in the world, to tell or not to tell the truth is a paradox and not always a moral issue. They argue that if it is out of love and it benefits, it is okay to lie, and it is only wrong if the intention is to deceive and take advantage of the one being deceived. But what is God’s instruction to His people on this matter? Must we tell the truth always?

God is the God of Truth

“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent” (Nu 23:19a). God does not lie or utter something that He will regret. “Hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Nu 23:19b). He is not one who does not or cannot fulfil a reward or judgement that He pronounced. God speaks the truth out of His omnipotent justice and does not make threats to scare us into doing something. Do not confuse warnings with threats. If your doctor tells you that you have a terminal illness it is not a threat. When God says that if you die in your sin you will be cast into hell, it is not a threat. When He showed mercies to the Ninevites who were warned through the preaching of Jonah that He would destroy if they did not repent, He was true to His character and forgave those who repented. It is not that God could not punish them, but God delights more in showing mercies to magnify His own grace than to destroy, which also magnifies His righteousness, justice and power. 

Christians to Reflect the Image of God

As creatures of God made in His image, we are expected to reflect the glory of God in maintaining and promoting truth in our relationship with men. But we fall short of the glory of God and sin and provoke God to wrath, and except for His mercies and longsuffering we would have been consumed.

To those who have been forgiven of their sins, God spoke to Zechariah His will for them in Zechariah 8:16-17. We reflect the image of God when we love our neighbours by speaking the truth and not by taking advantage of them or doing evil to them through deceit or lies. A child of God must be truthful and be prepared to swear to his own hurt, and change not (Ps 15:4b), so that he will not bring shame to the name of God whom he bears.

What God Requires & Forbids Concerning the Truth

Notice how Zechariah 8:16-17 state the 9th commandment positively in its requirement: “Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates”, and negatively in what it forbids: “And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.”

It is imperative for Christians to be associated with what is true and not false. The motives to speak the truth are love for our neighbour and the fear that we will displease God in doing what He hates (c.f. Mt 12:36-37). We should not speak or even imagine that which is false or to make a false oath without the intention to keep it just as we do not want others to do that to us. And although the truth may hurt the recipient, it can do good like bitter medicine. While it is true that we may not always tell what is true because we might not have been presented the whole picture, it is not the same as lying or deceiving. When we realise our mistake, we should seek to correct the mistake as soon as possible.

Speaking the truth must always be done with discernment.  We are to be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. For example, if we are asked to give away the names of all the Christians when interrogated so that they can be arrested, we should not do so to save our lives or because we think to speak the truth is the right thing to do. We should withhold the truth from those who will misuse it or from those who do not need to know. We should never share indiscriminately that which will tarnish the good name of another in the name of truthfulness (e.g. Mt 1:19).

Charity covers a multitude of sins (1Pet 4:8b) and it is wrong to share and broadcast the faults and sins of others indiscriminately to those who need not know them, even if they are true. When church leaders warn the flock of false teachers and their wrong teachings or profligate lifestyle, it is because they need to know so that they will be able to avoid them (Rom 16:17). It is sin for a Christian to have loose lips and share about a brother’s sin with others who do not need to know.  That is not charity! We should share what we know to be true only to those who need to know. It is most important to know the fine line between gossip and telling the truth.

Rahab was confronted with a situation when she was asked about the Israelite spies whom she hid. She lied and they were saved. But she was not commended for her lying but for her faith in the God of Israel as the one true living God. What could she have done? To say that she was hiding the spies, which was the truth, would be foolish. She could have just said nothing and trust the God of Israel to protect her or changed the topic by speaking of something else. The reason is that the soldiers had no right to know the truth because they would abuse it. God could certainly deliver the spies if it was His will, without her lying.

This was what God taught Samuel to do in 1Samuel 16 “1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. 2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. 3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. 4 And Samuel did that which the LORD spake..." God did not tell Samuel to lie but to hold back the truth, knowing that Saul would kill Jesse’s household if he knew. So God created another reason for Samuel to go, which was the truth, and not a lie.

Conclusion

It is wrong to speak that which we know to be untrue. It is wrong to speak the truth to those who do not need to know or who will abuse it. It is our duty to bear true witness to those who should know it. When called upon to testify in court, we have the responsibility to tell the truth so that justice is served. As a child of God, we have the glorious responsibility to share the truth about the fall of man and the need to be saved from sin and the wonderful and good news that Jesus saves! This is the most glorious truth. Let us be zealous to bear this true testimony. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” (1Tim 1:15) It is sad that many are busy being tale bearers, gossipers and backbiters and not godly witnesses of the good news, to share the truth that everyone needs to know.