February 19, 2018 -- Proverbs 19:9 Emptying a lie of its power.
/A false witness shall not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies shall perish.
Proverbs 19:9 NKJV
What a clear call the LORD gives to speak the truth. The Mighty God Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them with the word of His mouth can with His word punish those who are liars.
False witnesses are those who speak contrary to the Bible.
False witnesses are those who honour science or philosophy, art or medicine, heroes or family above the Word of the LORD.
To tell a lie is to knowingly twist the truth.
To speak a lie includes withholding key facts.
To lie includes allowing slander to continue unchallenged when you know your words could exonerate someone, even if that person is your enemy.
The Proverbs are so practical. At the start of this chapter there is a call to walk in integrity. This means when we know we have lied or falsely handled the truth, we confess it to God and then to the person we have wronged.
All wrongdoing and all sin is first and foremost a violation of our commitment to walk with God and to honour Him with our whole heart, all our mind and with every gram of our strength. All the punishment our sins deserve have been poured out onto Jesus. At the cross all our wrongs and lies have been disarmed by Jesus, Who endured this punishment in our place. We are free because He was punished. Therefore, we are called to holiness.
Believers in Jesus Christ are not free from lies or falsehoods. Believers are the people who walk in their integrity for the honour of Jesus' Name and glory of God the Father. When a believer is confronted with his lie, he should confess it, and so God is praised as the Truth. When a believer realizes her falsehoods, she seeks to honour God by making it right. All of this is done in humility, under the protection of the Holy Spirit Who is the deposit guaranteeing our eternal inheritance. The Spirit works in us and in others so that hurts are healed and lies lose their power. We are human. We are sinners. We will fail. We will do so knowingly and many times without realizing our own sinfulness. We are wilfully blind to our own sins.
God of Truth and Knowledge thank You for the purity of Your Word. Thank You that everything You teach in the Bible is trustworthy and true. Thank You for the Spirit Who teaches us the deep truth of Scripture. Thank You for the work of Jesus, which has exposed the lies of the enemy and disarmed the power of falsehood. Help me to know You better. Help me to live as a truth-bearer and so confirm the glory of the accomplished work of Jesus Christ. Assist me and all those who follow Jesus Christ to be quick to acknowledge our lies and falsehoods, slow to find offense in others and gracious in offering and receiving the healing work of forgiveness that Jesus alone can supply. Amen.
