(Audio/Video/Text)
Title: Put Off/Put On Part One: Lying
Intro:
As we enter the last section of Ephesians four, Paul closes this section of his teaching in an interesting way: He illustrates six ways we “put off” the old man and “put on” the new man in Christ.
We are going to spend a few weeks looking at this list, it’s implications, and how to practically apply these teachings to our walks today in 2021. Now, I’m not planning on spending one sermon on each of these instructions, but we are going to spend a full sermon on the first one, because….
He begins this list with a doozy: Lying.
We’re going to break this verse down and consider all the ways lying plagues us on a regular basis, and what to do about it. Let’s begin:
(read/pray)
Variant English Translations:
25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. (NKJV)
25 Therefore, ridding yourselves of falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are parts of one another. (NASB)
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. (NIV)
Any others of note?
What is the significance of the O.T. quotation from Paul?
These words are spoken through the prophet Zechariah after the Fall of Jerusalem to the Assyrians. In this prophecy, the Lord is explaining what is expectations are for Israel as he begins the process of restoring them.
Zechariah 8:14-17
For thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘Just as I determined to punish you
When your fathers provoked Me to wrath,’
Says the Lord of hosts,
‘And I would not relent,
So again in these days
I am determined to do good
To Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
Do not fear.
These are the things you shall do:
Speak each man the truth to his neighbor;
Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;
Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor;
And do not love a false oath.
For all these are things that I hate,’
Says the Lord.”
Notice that to “Speak truth to your neighbor” is the FIRST thing listed as “the things the Lord hates.” It also appears first in Paul’s list of six things that we are beginning study on today.
Can we glean anything from the original language?
“Lying”
Greek: Pseudos
Definition: a lie, conscious and intentional falsehood, in a broad sense, whatever is not what it seems to be, of perverse, impious, deceitful precepts
This word, Pseudos, explains a few things about the type of falsehood, or lie, that Paul is referencing:
- It is a conscious and intentional (what might an unconscious lie look like?)
- It includes telling half truths, or bent truths (examples of this?)
- It includes limited information given for the purposes of deception (LeBron James has never beaten me in basketball)
The Qualifier and Reason:
Has anyone noticed that Paul’s instructions are clear in this passage that we are NOT to lie to “our neighbor”?
What do you make of that? It is ok to lie to a non believer, but not a believer?
If we look at the rest of scripture (10 commandments) it is clear that lying is never acceptable, so it is clear that Paul is placing an emphasis on falsehoods to believers, and his reasoning is our final observation from this verse…
“We are Each Other”
For we are all members of one body.
We can draw some significance from this unique qualifier.
- If we lie to another believer, we are lying to ourselves. (Person who knows something is physically wrong with them, but keeps telling themselves, “It’s nothing” because they don’t want to face it…they are really hurting themselves.)
- The unity and Glory of God is corrupted, and The Church’s witness is ruined if we deceive fellow believers. (Think of damage it does to the world’s perception, esp. the media, when there is a lying scandal in the Church…Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swagert, R.C. Sproul Jr., The Catholic Church scandal)
- Others?
In Closing:
PB’s reasons not to lie:
OR
“What lying says about you”
- It demonstrates your lack of faith in God’s sovereignty while demonstrating your faith in your own ability to scheme and deceive.
- It compounds a bad situation, and, if you are really a believer, you won’t be able to let it go, and will have to repent of a double sin: the original sin, and the cover up to the sin.
- It wastes time.
- Others?