You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44
I’m pretty sure anyone who knows Jesus’ words can easily guess who He was addressing with these words. Surprise! The religious elite. The career spiritual leaders. The educated bunch. Those that think much more highly of themselves than they ought to. Those that deny their own consciences because of their own pride and arrogance. Those that purposely try to usurp the role of the Holy Spirit for the people. Those that say they “speak for God.” This unfortunately is still a very popular practice among so much of the religious elite.
Lying and deception are an interesting anomaly, because you first have to deceive yourself before deceiving others. In other words you have to convince yourself of a lie before lying to someone else. The God given conscience has to be seared and squashed over and over so that lying can become the ‘new’ program within you.
Why do we lie to ourselves? So that we can continue in the sin that we like. Yep. I said it. It is really that simple. We purposely push the Holy Spirit out of our minds and way. We purposely reject the little nagging of our God given conscience that is trying to warn us we are going into dangerous territory. It always begins with the littlest most innocent seeming lies. Lies we we think we say are for the ‘good’ of ourselves or others, because we don’t want to ‘hurt’ anyone. Currently our whole culture, media, news, and so much of our interactions with others are permeated with lies. Everywhere we turn the Truth is being subverted and seen as the ‘enemy’. In our religious settings we practice our ‘masks’ to show that we are ‘fine’ and good ‘Christians’ and are ‘sinless’, when we know in our core most of us are a mess. How many of us lie to those we love the most because we are fearful of how they will respond?
Instead of lying why not try to be truthful in everything. Pause before responding with the appropriately politically correct answer / response to the social nicety question and really examine where you are and how you should really respond. I suggest engaging with and listening to the Holy Spirit before opening your mouth and speaking. Jesus even identifies Himself as the Truth (John 14:6). Do you really want to be like Jesus? Then speak the truth and not lies. Or instead of lying don’t say anything at all. But if asked don’t hide the truth.
We have become WAY too comfortable with lying. This culture now sees someone who is speaking the Truth as dangerous and evil. So many governments kill people for revealing the truth of things. People are killed everyday for aligning themselves with the Truth and Jesus. Speaking the truth (not ‘your’ truth but THE truth) isn’t easy but it is right. How is trust built on lies?
Suggestion? Stop lying. Ask the Holy Spirit before opening your mouth when the situation calls for ‘wise words’. Be transparent. Be honest with yourself. Don’t wear masks.