The Evil of Lying
Ephesians 4:25
Why putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.


Wherein lies the evil of lying? We observe —

1. That a lie is the nearest thing possible to suicide, being a denial of the personality which God has given us, and calculated to reduce the order of God's creation to confusion.

2. It is contrary to the nature and use of language, and the purpose of God Himself in giving us the organs of speech.

3. It makes men like devils, and destroys all confidence in human society. Two men give each other the lie, and you have a duel; one mob gives another the lie, and there is a riot; two nations give each other the lie, and you have war; our race gave God the lie in paradise, and we have the Fall — the heaven and the earth in conflict with each other. Such are the effects of a lie!

4. We add that the liar is shut out from the kingdom of heaven by the authority of God, being both by nature and practice unfitted for the heavenly home.

(W. Graham, D. D.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

WEB: Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor. For we are members of one another.




The Abjured and the Enjoined in Christian Life
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