Proverbs 6:16–19 identifies seven things the Lord hates. Remarkably, two involve dishonesty: “a lying tongue” and “a false witness who speaks lies.” That repetition should get our attention. Lying may appear small to people, but God treats it as a serious matter.
Lying is more than speaking words we know are false. It includes deliberately creating a false impression through silence, gestures, exaggeration, or deception. The biblical idea carries the sense of breaking faith. Once trust is broken, it can be painfully difficult to rebuild. Dishonesty can also deceive the liar, making honest self-examination harder (James 1:22; 1 John 1:8).
People lie to avoid consequences, improve their reputation, spare someone’s feelings, appear polite, or cover an earlier lie. Peter denied knowing Jesus because he feared what might happen to him. Abraham also spoke deceptively out of fear (Genesis 12:13). Whatever the motive, one lie often demands another. Truth, however, needs no complicated defense or carefully maintained story.
Dishonesty damages relationships, weakens character, and can become habitual. James compares the tongue to a small fire capable of setting a great forest ablaze (James 3:5–6). Scripture repeatedly connects lies with destruction: false witnesses face judgment (Proverbs 19:5, 9), deceptive teachers bring ruin upon themselves (2 Peter 2:1), and Revelation 21:8 warns of lying’s eternal consequences. Society sometimes excuses dishonesty when circumstances seem difficult. Yet Scripture never praises lying. Rahab is commended for welcoming the spies and sending them away safely—not for her false statements (Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25). Jesus showed that silence can be wiser than answering a wrongful demand (Matthew 26:59–63). We are not required to reveal every fact to every questioner, but whatever we do say should be true.
God cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18), and His children are called to reflect His character. Jesus said, “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’” (Matthew 5:37). There is never a right time to do a wrong thing. Let us speak truth with others, with ourselves, and before God. A lying tongue is a serious matter to Him; therefore, it must be serious to us.
Dale J. Babinsky
