Daily Challenges from God (1)
The Challenge to be Truthful
2002032
Subject: honesty; integrity; lying
Introduction:
A. New series on very practical subjects. Enjoy!
B. Honesty/integrity desperately needed in today’s society. Do the follow words go together?
1. “honest” politician?
2. “honest” lawyer?
3. What about honesty & marketing practices?
C. Seems society as a whole has lost it’s moral compass. For example…
1. deviancy is being redefined at every chance. Lying is just one example. “Misinformation.”
2. Lying considered “not that bad.”
a) OK to lie to conceal bad behavior.
b) Half truths/deceit almost considered the ‘norm.”
D. Truthfulness = expected behavior for the child of God!
1. Prov 12:22; Isa. 33:15-16
2. 2 Cor. 8:21; Heb. 13:18; 1 Peter 2:12
E. And yet, temptation to be dishonest is often overwhelming!
1. cut corners – to increase profits.
2. pressure to hurry up & get things done – when they are not.
3. take advantage of others – b/c if you don’t – they’ll take advantage of you first.
4. everyone else is doing it – why not?
5. Person/company has used & abused me. So I have the right to take from them.
F. Must practice honesty as Christians! One thing to talk about it. Must put it into practice!
1. It is not what we eat but what we digest that makes us strong; not what we gain but what we save that make us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; and not what we profess but what we practice that makes us Christians. (Author unknown)
G. So let’s discuss…the challenge to be truthful!
I. Dishonesty takes many forms.
A. Usually involves lying. Lying could be divided into one of three forms.
1. A little boy asked his mother, “Mommy, what is a lie?” His mother answered by saying, “Son, a lie is an abomination unto the Lord ... but a very present help in time of need!”
2. Here’s an example of consciously telling a falsehood.
a) Seen in Abraham – Gen. 12:12-13; 20:2-5; 11-12
b) No doubt he knew what he was doing!
c) We fall prey to this. Lie to parents; boss; employer; etc.
3. socially justified lies…
a) answer telephone for someone – not home…
b) a minister, tells of a time he went to counsel a family about their son’s drug use. The father was distraught as he described the impact of drugs upon his relationship with his son. He said, “The thing that bothers me most about his being into drugs is the fact that drugs have made him a liar.” Moments later the phone rang and his wife went to answer. She came back into the room with the message that the call was for the father. He told her, “Tell him I am not at home.” Munzing then commented that drugs had not made the boy a liar; the father had.
4. telling ½ truths or misrepresenting the truth.
a) Acts 5:1-4 – misrepresented the facts – costs them their lives.
b) Amounts to nothing more than deception/deceit – Rom. 1:28-32
B. Cheating.
1. 80% of college students admit to cheating at least once.
a) 90% of students believe that cheaters are either never caught or have never been appropriately disciplined.
b) 58.3 % of high school students let someone copy their work in 1969. 97.5% did in 1989.
2. Pressure to perform & achieve can be one of the main causes of this problem.
C. Fraud/theft
1. boils down to nothing more than covetousness.
2. Put this away – Col. 3:5; Eph. 5:3
D. Not working for employer as we should – Col. 3:22
II. Dishonesty will destroy us!
A. It always catches up to us!
1. Prov. 19:5, 9; 21:28 – how often the devil says – no one will ever know. It’s just a little thing! Really doesn’t matter!
2. then comes the nightmare of being trapped by our lies. Helpless feeling. Prov. 12:13. How many can identify w/this?
a) find oneself at the point where nothing does any good but to tell the truth.
b) Experience embarrassment; loss of reputation; honor; dignity.
3. Prov. 6:12-15 – causes us to be worthless – who wants to be associated w/a liar?
B. Eph. 4:22 – it corrupts us!
1. 4:25 – lay aside falsehood! Why?
2. 5:1-5 – we’re imitators of God!
C. Prov. 6:16-17 – lying/deceit = abomination to God!
1. Bible condemns all forms of dishonesty!
2. dishonest dealings make one a slave to sin again!
a) Rom. 6:16 – lies will enslave!
b) Jhn. 8:34
D. Deceit will prohibit one’s entering into heaven!
1. Rev. 21:8 – can it get more clear cut than this?
2. See also 21:27; 22:15
3. do we have a clear picture of just how God views this sin?
III. God demands His people be Truthful!
A. Rom. 12:17
1. our character must demonstrate personal integrity & honesty!
B. We’ve been set apart from the world!
1. Alexander Pope: An honest man is the noblest work of God.
2. Col. 3:3, 8-11 – lay aside the old self w/it’s evil practices!
3. We have been challenged to show the world that we’re different. That we stand out; above the fray of the world!
C. Our word must be our bond!
1. Promise to do something? Do it! Follow through!
a) when you say something…will it be regarded as truth?
b) Heb. 13:18 – this is one way we can do it!
c) Jesus: Mt. 5:33-37 – He calls for simple veracity; truth always!
2. George Washington: I hope I shall always possess firmness & virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man. (Moral Maxims)
D. This means we will have to practice & maintain the highest ethics!
1. Ethics are simple matters of right/wrong.
2. it’s only the practice of ethics that is difficult!
3. Questions:
a) do we do right when no one is looking?
b) Do we seek to do our best in everything?
c) Is our word our bond?
Conclusion:
A. Yes…it’s a challenge to remain truthful at all times.
1. lies can be told so quickly that we didn’t realize what we said until it’s too late.
2. building a reputation built on truth; honesty; and integrity CAN be done!
3. Phil. 4:13
B. Remember…dishonesty = abomination to God!
1. There are no good people who cannot pass the exam of honesty!
2. we would do well to work on our honesty w/others & ourselves & w/study & proclamation of the word of God.
3. Psa. 15:1-2
C. Encourage everyone to take honest evaluation w/self. Need improvement? Need to obey gospel?
D. I N V I T A T I O N
