October 26 – LD 43, Day 5: Many Lies
by Pastor Steven Key
Psalm 119: 118: “Thou
hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is
falsehood.”
The lie takes many
different forms. False doctrine is the expression of the lie. There is the lie
that the Bible has flaws, is not trustworthy in everything it says. That is the
very lie of Satan in the garden. There is the common denial of God’s absolute
sovereignty, His divine directing and governing of all things. There is the
denial of creation as set forth in the Book of Genesis, the work of God’s
hands. There is the teaching, contrary to the Bible, that God loves everybody
and wants everybody to be saved, if only they will accept Him. There are many
teachings which deny the application of God’s precepts to our lives today.
There are many teachings that defile holy marriage, that deny marriage as an
unbreakable bond between one man and one woman. The acceptability of divorce,
the permissibility of remarriage as the best thing for the happiness of the
divorced person, is common and widely accepted in our day, though contrary to
the Word of God. It is by the deceit of Satan that there is a muddying or a
watering down of biblical concepts. And the fruit is as the Spirit has spoken
expressly concerning these last days, that some “depart from the faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (I Tim 4:1).
Even as there is evidence of the wrath of God upon all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness and turn it into a
lie, we see God’s truth held fast. So we are told in Romans 1:18 and following.
The lie and the power of
the tongue under the embrace of Satan have terrible consequences also in our
relationships to others. To bear false witness can take the form of lying about
someone, or misrepresenting him or her. But it can also come to expression many
other ways. To leave out certain facts in order to leave an evil impression is
to follow the lie of Satan. To imply evil intentions on the part of someone, of
whom false motives and evil intentions were absent, is to abandon truth. God
knows how guilty we have made ourselves by these grievous sins which raise
suspicions and evil thoughts about fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. God
calls all to repentance.