04-20-08 #Disciple Bible Study titled: "Honesty"

[Disciple]

‘Honesty’

Proverbs 6:16

Proverbs 6:19

Isaiah 59:4

Are these Scriptures for today?

Jeremiah 9:5

Proverbs 12:22

Proverbs 13:5

One of the biggest problems people have is honesty. Now, very few of us think of ourselves as dishonest. Very few of us would consider ourselves "a liar," yet we all know that, at one time or another, we have lied. One of the problems we may have, regarding lying, is not having an honest enough heart to admit the truth.

We may tell a little "white lie," but refuse to admit it was a lie. For instance, you may give your word you will be at a certain place at a certain time, but something comes up, and you do not keep your word, yet refuse to admit it was a lie. Perhaps, you may jokingly say, "Oh, yes, I’ll be there at three o’clock," but you aren’t. It was a lie. Perhaps, we are not prepared to admit what a lie really is. A lie is an abominable thing that God hates. Let’s put it in perspective.

I. What Is A Lie?

To say something in the form of a promise or a commitment and then not keep your word (regardless of the reason) is to lie, and God hates it. Perhaps, you say you will go to a certain church on a certain day, yet you do not go.

This is a form of lying, and God hates it. If you say, "I’m going to the store at three p.m.," and you do not, it is a lie, and God hates it. If you say you will have a Bible study at four p.m. on Tuesday, but then you change your mind, you have lied, and God hates it.

If you tell a person anything that is part true and part dishonest, it is a lie, and God hates it. If you say, someone did this or that, and it is not true, then you have told a lie about that person, and God hates it. If you tell your neighbor you stopped by to get some sugar, when the real reason you stopped by was to see her baby, you have just lied, and God hates it.

If you say you will be at someone’s house at two p.m., but you have a flat tire, it is still a lie, and God hates it. What you should have said was, "Lord willing, I'll be there at 2 pm, or "I'll try to be there at 2 pm." As one might say, tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

II. Another Form of Lying

Another form of lying takes place among "professing Christians." You may say, "God told me to tell you this"; yet what you say contradicts the Bible.

God never told you to tell them that at all. It was your own emotions, prompted by Satan. You may say, "God told me to tell you to close your business, to go here or there, to divorce your wife, or to leave your husband. God told me to tell you not to go to a certain (born-again) church or Bible study." Lies, lies, and God hates it.

"God told me to tell you, they don’t know what they’re talking about." All are lies and forms of deceiving people, and God hates it all. Or, perhaps, you simply say, "You should not go to this Bible study, or to that church," or "You should not listen to that preacher." These also can be lies, as God may want them to go.


When you say things that contradict the Bible, they are lies, and God hates it. The world is so full of lying and dishonesty, it has become an accepted practice, yet God hates every bit of it. Perhaps, you are invited to go out witnessing, yet you refuse to go and lie about the reason. You may tell them you have an appointment or have to go to lunch, when, in fact, you do not have to go right now.

Do you lie, because you do not wish to reveal that the real reason you will not go is because you are afraid? Perhaps, someone has persecuted you, and you are a bit uptight that you could get kicked out of your apartment or fired from your job.

Your mom, dad, sisters, relatives, or friends may mock you. So instead of telling the truth, you lie to cover up your fear. Adam and Eve were afraid after sinning. They hid.

When it comes to witnessing, the Bible shows why you do not go, in the parable of the "unprofitable servant"-

Matthew 25:25

The servant that would not witness or serve Jesus, said, "I WAS AFRAID." This is further backed up in John 12:42

John 12:42

Which shows us people who did believe on Jesus, yet because they were afraid, they would not confess Him as their Savior. They were afraid they would be put out of the church. You may be afraid of being put out of your church or losing your friends, if you go overboard for Jesus.

You may be afraid you could lose your job or house, if you witness for Jesus. Be warned—if you are ashamed of Jesus, He will be ashamed of you (and you will go to the lake of fire)

Mark 8:38

To put things of the world before the work that Jesus has for you to do is a form of denying Him. Come out and be honest. Be willing to admit, "Yes, it is true, I am afraid." You are under commandment to obey what Jesus says to do and trust Him. If you get put out of your apartment, God can give you a better one.

If you lose your job, God can get you a better one. If you lose your friends because of the Gospel, then God wanted it that way, as you are not to keep company with unbelievers. You see, many will not witness, because they would not have compliments from people anymore. People would turn against them. They are afraid of losing their friends.

John 12:43

John 12:48

III. God Wants Us to be Children

Isaiah 63:8

Children that will not lie: Perhaps, the greatest lie is to believe the Bible is not the Word of God. The Bible is the perfect Word of God. To say, "I don’t believe I need to do what the Bible says," is lying to yourself. Thus, we are to obey.

Ephesians 2:8

Thus, we are to believe it. The Bible tells us that Jesus died for those who obey the Word.

Hebrews 5:9

There are many that willingly choose to follow their preacher, priest, or rabbi, whose teaching is not quite in line with the fundamentals of the Bible. By doing so, they are choosing falsehood over the truth of God's Word.

Proverbs 3:7

Yet some preachers and people make God’s Word null and void, by saying this does not mean exactly what it says. Some say that we are not to fear God, but only reverence Him. The Bible says fear (be afraid of) God. That is exactly what it means. Be careful you do not reject the love of the truth, so that God sends you a strong delusion that you should believe a lie.

2 Thessalonians 2:11

Romans 1:25

The answer is people. The answer is Satan moving in the minds of people that do not have a good and honest heart.

Hebrews 6:18

The Bible warns you

James 3:14

Submit yourselves to God, submit yourselves to the truth. Dwell in the truth, and love the truth. Love Jesus and His ways.