This morning we’ve come to the ninth commandment which says, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”  Let’s say that together, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

There’s a story about a powerful senator who dies after a long illness.  When he arrives in heaven he’s met by Peter.

Peter says, “Welcome to heaven.  It seems there’s a problem.  We seldom get such a high official around here so we’re not sure what to do with you.  We’re going to have you spend one day in Hell and one day in Heaven.  Then you can choose where to spend eternity.”

So Peter escorts the senator to the elevator and he goes down - way down - down to Hell.  The doors open and the senator finds himself in the middle of a green golf course.  By the club house are all of his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.  Everyone is happy and in evening dress.  They greet him - reminisce about the good times they had.  They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar.

Satan is there.  He’s really a very friendly - life-of-the-party kind of guy - dancing - telling jokes.  They’re having such a good time that before the senator realizes it its time to go.  Everyone gives him a big hug and waves as the elevator doors close.

The elevator goes up - way up - to Heaven - where the senator spends time with contented people moving from cloud to cloud - playing harps and singing.  They have pretty good time.  After 24 hours Peter comes back and asks, “Now you need to choose.  Where will you spend eternity?”

The senator thinks for a moment.  “Well, I never would have believed it - I mean Heaven is great - but, I think I’d be better off in Hell.”

So Peter escorts him back to the elevator and down he goes.  The doors open.  The senator is in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage.  He sees all his friends in serious pain - dressed in rags - endlessly picking up the trash.  Satan comes over and grabs him by the neck.

The senator stammers, “I don’t understand.  Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course.  We ate lobster and caviar.  People were happy.  Now look at this place.  What happened?”

Satan looks at him, smiles and says, “Yesterday was our campaign promises.  Today is your after vote reality.”

In Hebrew, “to bear false witness” is a legal term.  It has to do with giving false testimony in a court of law - think Scott Peterson - O.J. Simpson.

Have you heard this? “Sticks and stones may break my bones.  But names can - what? - never hurt me.”  And yet, saying what is untrue about a person - their character - their reputation - giving false witness - can be terribly destructive.

False witness can be a false impression given.  Seeming to be in agreement with something by keeping silent.  Not wanting to stick our necks out and say something when we know what’s being said is wrong.   

False witness can be a suggestion.  We might say, “Did you know that Gertrude left her husband?”  And leave off the part about her visiting her sick sister.

Gossip is bearing false witness.  How many times have we heard - or said - “Just so you can pray about this, I thought you should know…”

Slander - is false witness - inventing and circulating a lie with malicious intentions. 

The ninth commandment was given as an expectation of the way God’s people were to treat God’s people.  Don’t lie about each other.  “Your neighbor” was the rest of the Hebrew nation.  Not the gentiles - not the pagans around them.

In the New Testament Jesus pushes the requirement of the ninth commandment - pushes the requirement outward. 

One day a scholar - who understood religious law well - this scholar asks Jesus what it takes to gain eternal life.  In the discussion about what it means to keep the law - the summary of the law is given - “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

The question is asked, “Who is my neighbor?”  Jesus pushes the limits with His answer.  Do you remember the answer?  The parable of the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10:25-37 - see also Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18)

Its not just our own people.  Its everyone - even the dreaded Samaritans. 

Jesus - at another time - said this, “You have heard that it was said - the religious tradition and laws that you’ve been taught is this - You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”  (Matthew 5:43,44)

That’s really expanding the neighborhood.

The emphasis of the ninth commandment is the sanctity of truth in all areas of life - in all our relationships.  Put positively, “You shall speak the truth in your dealings with others.”

Two thoughts of application - applying the ninth commandment to us today.

First thought:  We have an obligation to speak the truth.

Repeat that with me, “We have an obligation to speak the truth.”

We live in a society that rejects the idea of absolute truth.  In our schools - courts - politics - community - we’re told to be tolerant - inclusive - open to the experiences and beliefs of others.  “Truth is relative to how I experience life.”  “Gay is okay.”  “Marry whoever or whatever you want.”  “Never question the beliefs - or faith journey of someone else.”  “God is who I experience Him - or her - or it - to be.”

Have you heard these?

If there’s no absolute truth then lying and cheating and deception is an expectation.  Would you agree with this:  In our society bearing false witness is expected?  Do whatever it takes - say whatever you want - lie to get ahead.  As long as you don’t get caught it’s okay.  And, if you do get caught - lie.  Blame someone else.

Pilot asked, “What is truth?” (John 18:38)  Is there an absolute truth?

Jesus said there is.  In John 14:6 - do you remember what Jesus claimed?  Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.”

That’s an awesome claim!  Isn’t it?  Jesus doesn’t say, “I show the way.  I teach the truth.  I give life.”  Jesus isn’t just someone who has a piece of a truth - someone with greater insight or deeper spiritual perception - someone pointing the way to some god.

Jesus makes this absolute - dogmatic - exclusive statement about Himself that runs completely counter to our “inclusive” society of today.  Many people - even in the so-called church - stumble and struggle over these words.  But, these words of Jesus mean absolutely what it sounds like Jesus is claiming:

“There is no other way - no other truth - no other life.  When you come to me you are meeting God.  You have found the ultimate truth.  When you come to me you then and there possess life.”

As Christians - call us whatever you want - blind - easily led - a bunch of ignorant fruitcakes - we believe what Jesus said.  That God speaks truth.  He never lies. (Psalm 118:160)  That Jesus is God’s truth in the flesh.

We believe - because God’s word tells us - we believe that humankind is more that just a freak accident of some proteins and energy.    We believe that God values and cares for each one of us and that He will give to us - even today - life with Him.

We believe God’s word when God says that Jesus Christ is the means by which our sins are forgiven - that through faith in Jesus and His work for us on the cross - paying the penalty for our sins - that we can know God.  We believe in the truth of the resurrection of Jesus and that its possible to live in His triumph over death and to spend eternity with God.

We believe that God speaks to us the truth of how we’re to live before Him - what we need to know that makes sense out of life.  That in Him there’s healing for our lives and purpose for our future.

We believe that there is right and wrong.  That God demands that we live in obedience to Him - to do what is right - not because He’s some kind of cruel - maniacal God - but because He loves us and desires what is best for us.

We who know that there is absolute truth have an obligation - in the midst of a society that Satan has confused and deceived and lied to and is leading into destruction - leading our families and neighbors and anyone else he can get his claws on - leading them into destruction - we have an obligation to speak God’s truth to those around us - to challenge the lies of the society we live in.

People need to know Jesus who is the truth.

The Apostle Paul writing to the church in Ephesus - writing about what it means to be growing up - maturing as a Christian - writing about what it means to live as believers in Jesus Christ - Paul writes in Ephesians 4:15 - that we are to “speak the truth in love.”

I mention that because we all have experienced or seen the truth shared in arrogance and condemnation.  Those around us won’t listen to our truth - shared from our own pride and ego.  But we are under obligation to speak with the love of a fellow sinner to whom God is graciously revealing His truth. 

Second thought of application:  Truth comes from the heart.

Let's say that together, "Truth comes from the heat."

There’s a story of two brothers.  Both brothers lived wild - sinful - lives.  Yet, these two brothers attended the same church every Sunday.  They made large donations to various church ministries.  In a sense - using their attendance and donations to cover-up the dark side of their lives.

The church called a new pastor - a young man who preached the truth   Didn’t take long before this pastor - being a man of insight and integrity - it didn’t take long before the pastor had seen through the hypocritical lifestyles of the two brothers.

There came a time when attendance at services grew to the point that the church needed a larger worship center.  Also at that time one of the brothers died.  The pastor was asked to conduct his funeral.  The day before the funeral, the surviving brother pulled the pastor aside and handed him an envelope.

He said, “There’s a check in here that is large enough to pay the entire amount you need for the new sanctuary.  All I ask is one favor:  Tell the people at the funeral that my brother was a saint.”

The pastor gave his word.  He would do precisely what was asked.  That afternoon he deposited the check into the church account.

The next day - at the funeral - the young pastor said with firm conviction, “This man was an ungodly sinner, wicked to the core.  He was unfaithful to his wife, hot-tempered with his children, ruthless in his business, and a hypocrite at church...but compared to his brother, he was a saint.” (1)

Have you heard that?  I love that story.  Because it would be so tempting to do the opposite.  Just keep our mouths shut.

The Apostle John writes, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” (1 John 1:6)

Deceit - manipulation - silence in the face of falsehood is self-centered.  It shows that we’re trusting ourselves and not God.  Trying to save our own skin rather than trusting God to take care of us.  To the degree we have come to trust God with our lives we will be able to speak truth. 

James writes, “Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?  Can you pick olives from a fig tree or figs from a grapevine?  No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty pond.” (James 3:11,12 NLT)

One of the great tests of our maturity as Christians - a test of the spiritual condition of our heart - is whether our speech is honest and honorable - truthful.  Ultimately the ninth commandment is about our character - our heart - who we are in Jesus Christ.

John Stott writes this, “To walk in the truth is more than to give assent to it.  It means to apply it to one’s behavior.  He who “walks in the truth” is an integrated Christian in whom there is no dichotomy between profession and practice.  On the contrary, there is in him an exact correspondence between his creed and his conduct.” (2)

Something that has always amazed me.  I think because of how different this is from where we are today.  Years ago in Lebanon - when an Armenian Evangelical Christian was brought into a court of law and asked to give testimony - to bear witness - the court would never ask them to pledge to tell the truth.  The “I swear to tell the truth” part.  They were never asked to do that.  Because, as Evangelical Christians it was just known that they would tell the truth. 

Can people say that about us today?

One of the great joys of thanksgiving is hearing how God cares for His people.  As we share we’re reminded that we can trust God.  We don’t need to lie and deceive.  May we learn to be so sold out to God in our hearts - trusting Him - that we will have confidence to live and speak His truth.

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Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright© 1960,1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.  Used by permission.