Chapter Ten TRUE OR FALSE

Chapter Ten

TRUE OR FALSE

The Ninth Commandment

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor”—

Exodus 20:16.

 

Right Interpretation Is The Difference

Most people interpret this commandment as “You shall not tell lies.” However, this is not exactly what the commandment states.

When a person takes the witness stand in a court of law, they are asked to make an affirmation and declare under oath that they will tell the truth and nothing but the truth. The witness stand is for individuals who have witnessed an event, allowing them to testify to what they saw or heard. It is not the role of the witness to interpret what might have happened or what was meant by what was said. Unfortunately, this occurs all too often, and many witnesses provide interpretations of events rather than recounting what they actually saw or heard.

There is a saying that holds a lot of truth and is worth remembering. It goes like this::

“I know you think you heard what it is that I said, but I am not sure that you realize, what you thought you heard me say, is not exactly what I meant.”

This can also be applied to what has been seen:

“I know you think you saw exactly what happened, but I am not sure whether you realize, how you perceived what you thought you saw, is not exactly what took place.”

 

False Police Videos

All too often, we interpret events rather than provide an exact account of what was actually said or what actually happened. An example of this can be seen in videos posted on the internet, where police appear to be brutally victimizing innocent people. Because we see with our own eyes what happens in the video, when police seem to be abusing their powers, we are convinced that they are in the wrong. However, what we see in the video and whether the police are actually in the wrong may be two different matters. The reason for this is that the video might only be telling a small part of the story, omitting the preceding events that led up to the snapshot captured in the recording.

These videos can bear false witness against the police, when in fact, the police are often apprehending threatening and violent offenders who may be high on drugs or dangerously armed. These offenders often give every indication that the only way they will comply with police requests to calm down and behave civilly is if they are restrained by force. Sometimes the force may seem excessive; however, if the individuals are high on drugs, they are unlikely to comply with police requests. In such cases, the only way to prevent them from harming someone else is by using appropriate physical means. This may require the use of weapons (batons, sprays, gas, water hoses, stun guns, firearms), depending on the situation and the level of danger and imminent threat to other people’s property and lives at that time..

 

The Affair Next Door

To bear false witness against our neighbor means that we are making untrue claims about what our neighbor did or did not do. For instance, let’s say we saw a woman go into our neighbor’s house and come out one hour later. We could testify to this without bearing false witness. However, if our neighbor were a man and we claimed that he is having an affair with the woman we saw enter that house, unless we knew for sure that this were true, we would be guilty of bearing false witness. False testimony occurs when we go beyond stating what we actually saw and add something extra to the account—a case of Broken Telephone (i.e., Chinese Whispers).

Bearing false witness against our neighbor is a common problem. We can bear false witness even when expressing an opinion. What we say might be based on fact, but our interpretation of what the facts mean may not be correct, and the person hearing what we say might take the interpretation as the truth rather than merely an opinion. When this occurs, we have broken the commandment—it is so easy to do..

 

The True Witness

The concept of bearing witness is integral to understanding what life is about, especially when it comes to the written word of God that bears witness to God’s purpose for humankind.

What a false witness does is lay the groundwork upon which a lie can be declared to be true. There are numerous untrue statements within Christian circles that form the basis for interpreting the Bible and what it means. One of these is the belief that the Bible is the Living Word of God. This belief is based on a Scripture that says, “every Scripture is God-breathed,” which is often translated or interpreted as “every Scripture is God-breathed.”

However, Jesus Himself said that the Bible has no effectual power; it merely bears witness to Him. To quote Jesus: “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life” (John 5:39-40). The English Standard Version reads: “yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” The word “refuse” carries with it more than a sense of simply making a decision not to come to Jesus to receive eternal life. It connotes a determined resistance against any prompting to seek out the Lord, no matter how much kindness, generosity, and grace are poured upon a person to draw him or her to the Source of all goodness.

Tragically, too many people fall prey to the false belief that by reading the Bible, they have eternal life. Pride gets the better of them when they are pointed to the truth that knowledge alone is not what saves, but faith in Jesus Christ as one’s personal Savior. Faith is what saves us and enables us to possess our inheritance.

In addition to those who become filled with pride due to the lie that they believe they are saved by reading the Bible, many people mistakenly believe that the Bible is the Living Word of God rather than the written word of God because they unconsciously repeat an all-too-common error, as mentioned regarding the first commandment.[i] Without realizing it, people condition themselves to believe a lie. If we say the Bible is the Living Word of God, we inadvertently use autosuggestion to condition our subconscious to trust in the belief that our relationship is with the written word of God rather than with Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Living Word of God (1 John 1:1-2; John 1:1-4; Rev. 19:13; Heb. 4:12-13; Rev. 2:23; Rom. 8:27).

One day, I witnessed the baptism of two people. One was a nineteen-year-old girl who stood up and testified from her heart about how much Jesus Christ meant to her. She also shared her experience of being persecuted by Hindus and Buddhists because she told others about Jesus being her Lord and Savior.

The other candidate was a twenty-two-year-old male who read a statement about his beliefs from a prepared speech. He gave the impression that he did not really have a relationship with Jesus but was getting baptized because he believed what the Bible said about punishment for sin and that he had been doing things he believed he should not have done. Afterwards, I asked him what he thought about a few matters, and it became evident to me that he did not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I asked him what he thought about Jesus’ statement concerning those who were not willing to come to Him. He read verses thirty-nine and forty from the Gospel of John, chapter five, as mentioned above, as well as the following two verses aloud. Then he said to me, “Let us agree to disagree.”

This young man’s father was a deacon in that church. He had overheard our conversation and told me that he was proud of how his son defended the faith.[ii] However, in this case, the faith that his son was defending was contrary to Scripture. He was stating that a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is unnecessary for salvation and that merely reading the Scriptures alone is sufficient to possess eternal life. His father also believes the Bible is the living, pulsating Word of God and quoted from Hebrews 4:12 to prove his point. However, he ignores the following verse (4:13) that qualifies the living and active Word of God as a person to whom we are accountable, for He sees everything we do and think.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:12-13—now compare Revelation 2:23; 19:13; Rom 8:27; and note Matt. 11:27).

It is convenient to simply call the Bible “the word of God” rather than “the written word of God.” In fact, because we appreciate the value of the Bible, we may often refer to it affectionately as “the word” or “my word.” There is nothing wrong with this, provided it does not become a doctrine or a foundation upon which a certain translation (or any translation) of the Bible is declared to be THE LIVING WORD OF GOD.

Once we realize these things, it is easy to see how we can subconsciously become deceived over a small issue without knowing it.

Unfortunately, people claiming to be Christians can become very hostile when reminded that the Bible itself is the written word of God only, and not Jesus Christ Himself. Some adherents of the belief that the version of the Bible they read is the one that was written in English by the apostles (Peter, Paul, and John) are vehement towards Christians who do not subscribe to their view. As for whether these people actually believe the apostles Peter, Paul, and John used King James English, they seem to give this impression by insisting that the King James Version is the original and only true Bible—according to them, no other Bible bears witness to Jesus Christ (pity for those who cannot read English). Unfortunately, these individuals are more intent on defending their beliefs rather than walking in the light of life in Jesus Christ and being a living witness to the grace of God.

 Bibliolatry results from the Bible being called the word of God instead of the written word of God, as people are inclined to wrongly declare that the Bible itself is the Living Word of God. Bibliolatry (putting the Bible before God) is a sin committed by many Bible-believing Christians. In fact, I have even heard a person claim that the Bible is Jesus Christ. This is something Jesus Himself denies in the Gospel of John, as noted in the previously mentioned quotation concerning how the Scriptures cannot save of themselves but bear witness to our Lord Jesus Christ, who saves all who call on His name.

The idea that Jesus is the Bible could be based on a wrong interpretation of the following verse found in the book of Revelation: “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God” (Revelation 19:11-13).

The significance of Jesus being the Word of God goes further than this being His name. Jesus was the pre-existent Word of God made flesh, through whom everything that was created came into being. The first chapter of the Gospel of John is very clear about this. In fact, the Ten Commandments even came into being through the Living Word of God. There is definitely a major difference between the written word of God and the Living Word of God. Nevertheless, those who believe in the message of the written word of God shall be saved, provided they act in accordance with what is required, for the message itself is the Word of God (1 Peter 1:25).

The message of the written word is that God raises the dead, forgives those who forgive others, and shows mercy to those who show mercy. God will justify those who have a hatred of evil and have faith in His promise of salvation. God justifies those who look for something better than what this world can offer, just as Abraham looked for a city not made with hands, as stated in the book of Hebrews, chapter eleven.[iii]

It is evident that the Bible is not the Living Word of God itself, but it definitely bears witness to the One who is the Living Word of God. Because of this, those of us who are persecuted on account of the Bible or the word of God are given the promise of reigning with Jesus Christ. We are those who do not succumb to the ways of the world; instead, we resist the temptation to do evil and delight in doing what God requires. The book of Revelation states:

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with Him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4-6).

 

The Beatitudes

When Jesus gave His Sermon on the Mount, He declared what are now known as “The Beatitudes.” These are nine statements that provide conditions for being blessed. By being blessed, it is assumed that these conditions provide the basis for salvation—otherwise, there is no real blessing. Two of the Beatitudes refer to being persecuted: one on account of Jesus’ sake and the other on account of righteousness. The aforementioned text from the book of Revelation tells us that by being a witness to Jesus unto death, we will be saved, and by being a witness to the word of God, that is, for righteousness' sake, we will be saved. An example of this is John the Baptist, who was not only a witness to Jesus but also a witness for righteousness' sake. John was persecuted and then beheaded simply because of his witness. According to what we read in the Bible, John the Baptist has a crown of glory.

 

False Apostles

By bearing witness to our neighbor, we are also bearing witness to God. In fact, when we bear false witness, we bear false witness against our Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the written word of God. A professing believer who bears false witness is numbered among the hypocrites and is anathema to God. Hypocrites are people who claim they belong to God but do not. These individuals distort the Scriptures and lead people away from Jesus Christ. The Scriptures bear witness to the fulfillment of God’s purpose in the Lord Jesus.

Groups like the Mormons point people away from Jesus Christ, even though they have included some word-for-word extracts from the King James Bible in the Book of Mormon. The Jehovah's Witnesses also lead people away from Jesus Christ by claiming that their New World Translation is the Living Word and can save people. The Jehovah's Witnesses produced their own version of the Bible and have inserted words into various texts to mislead people. They even changed a text to read that we can be saved “through the faith in connection with Jesus Christ” rather than “through faith in Jesus Christ.”[iv] There is a significant difference in meaning between the phrases “in connection with” and “through.” The first is like going to a party for Lucifer’s political campaign that is held in connection with a magician who cuts bodies in half and runs a funeral parlor. On the other hand, being saved through faith is more like entering a fortified tower that provides protection from the Devil, with stairs that lead to Heaven and life in Christ Jesus. Whether these false apostles like to admit it or not, they are bearing false witness against their neighbor, especially when they denounce true born-again believers as being of the Devil.[v]

 

The Seven Evils

This commandment covers quite a number of facets regarding bearing false witness. As is the case with all the Ten Commandments, the broader scheme of what is meant needs to be considered. In Proverbs chapter six, verses sixteen to nineteen, we learn that there are six things the Lord hates:

 

1) haughty eyes,

2) a lying tongue,

3) hands that shed innocent blood,

4) a heart that devises wicked plans,

5) feet that are swift in running to evil,

6) a false witness, and

(THE ABOMINATION TO GOD)

7) one who sows discord among brethren.

 

Of the six things the Lord hates, a false witness is obviously addressed by this commandment. The lying tongue is easy to identify with bearing false witness. Haughty eyes, shedding innocent blood, devising wicked plans, and running to do evil are not as easily recognizable and may unwittingly be excluded; whereas the abomination of sowing discord among people can be readily understood to incorporate bearing false witness. Each one, however, is covered by this commandment because bearing false witness is included in the actions.

 

Haughty Eyes

Haughty eyes belong to those who think they are superior to another person in some way. This might be because the person was born into a wealthier family or because they do not think he or she is as ignorant as the person being looked down upon. It is easy to think oneself superior to another for many reasons, such as when prestige and privilege are afforded to people because of their achievements, wealth, schooling, occupation, reputation, birthplace, residence, nationality, race, religion, association, membership, and the like. This is a false witness because no human being is any better than another; unless the person has power over death and happens to be immortal. This is not to say that people cannot be looked up to because of their integrity, achievements, and reputation; rather, it means that nobody can justify the right to look down on another person because everyone comes into this world naked and will take nothing out of it, except the record of how each one’s life has been lived. Therefore, it is a false witness against our neighbor to think that we are more worthy or morally superior to him or her next door, or to any other person.

 

Innocent Blood

Shedding innocent blood requires a false witness. This was especially evident at the death of Jesus Christ. The Jews bore false witness against Jesus and accused Him of violating the Law of God because He said He was the Son of God. The religious leaders wanted Him crucified. As always, when innocent blood is shed, there must be a false witness; otherwise, the blood of the innocent would not be shed. Especially in the case of a public execution, someone has to convince the authority with the sanctioned right to put another person to death on behalf of the state that the slaying is justified. When a person kills another, that person must believe that he or she is doing what is right and that the one being slain is guilty of a crime deserving of death. The death of the innocent can only occur when falsehood is being perpetrated in some form. Someone must bear false witness, irrespective of whether this originates from a misinterpretation of the facts or from someone seeking to kill another individual for personal reasons. Even in the case of Pilate claiming to wash his hands of innocent blood when handing Jesus over to the soldiers to do as the Jews requested, false witness was required to justify his political expediency in the eyes of others.

Wicked Plans

Devising wicked plans requires someone to create a scheme that will gain the consent of others. Hitler devised a plan whereby the extermination of Jews would be portrayed as beneficial for the German people. He concocted a political agenda and philosophy that appealed to the Germans of his day, enabling him to perpetrate his wicked plans. Stalin was another who did the same, as many despots and dictators throughout history have done to ensure they retain power over their jurisdictions. Devising wicked plans is not limited to figures like Hitler or Stalin, or others such as Muammar Gaddafi, Saddam Hussein, Pol Pot, and Idi Amin; it also includes leaders of democratic governments, corporate executives, and anyone in a position of power. Many accusations are dismissed as conspiracy theories without basis; however, Watergate implicated more than one person besides President Nixon. Moreover, there are numerous other wicked plans (e.g., 9/11, COVID-19) conceived in government circles and corporations designed to deceive the general public about the truth. To do this, they must bear false witness against someone at some point to cover their tracks, justify their actions, or explain their plans and interpretations of events. The assassination of President John F. Kennedy is a case in point; the CIA has admitted that there was a cover-up.[vi]

 

Twilight Society

Those who are part of the twilight society are constantly seeking to do evil. These individuals are always looking for ways to defraud others by pretending to do the public a favor or to be good citizens. Ultimately, we will find them associated with organized crime and so-called colorful figures. At the first opportunity to commit a perverse act or condone some evil action, they will do it—if money is to be made and the price is right.

The seduction of society by pornography and drugs is an evil encouraged by those who aim to profit financially from these activities. Many people in authority may not benefit directly from these activities, but they compromise their positions of trust and power by accepting bribes and turning a blind eye. It is impossible for this to occur without individuals bearing false witness somewhere along the line. Corruption cannot survive if we all shun evil and do what is right for the sake of our neighbors.

The twilight society of organized crime and criminal activity requires individuals to bear false witness against their neighbors to survive; often, the best way to deflect an investigation into one’s own activities is to cast aspersions on others. Many “Mr. Bigs” of this world have been exalted as outstanding citizens in local communities. They are seen as generous benefactors who fund community projects and other enterprises in the name of the public good—yet they have gained all their wealth from the proceeds of crime. More criminal activity is committed by repeat offenders than by first-time offenders, but when it comes to organized crime, there are some very cunning operators who delight in sponsoring evil and are never suspected or caught.

The Libyan leader, Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, denied sponsoring evil atrocities across the globe. At the time, terrorism was becoming so frequent that reports of it were occurring virtually every week. However, when President Ronald Reagan ordered strategic bombings of three sites in Tripoli, including Gaddafi’s own residence, the frequency of worldwide terrorism suddenly came to a halt.

 

The Largest Swindle

Bernie Madoff was able to pull off what has been described as the largest swindle in history for two decades. The FBI claimed the scheme duped people out of an estimated sixty-five billion dollars ($65,000,000,000)[vii] by using false trading dates to report profitable trades on the stock market. The scheme survived because people were willing to bear false witness.

A false witness can be anyone who claims to have seen something that did not happen or anyone who makes a false claim about anything at all.

 

Two Or More Witnesses

In the book of Deuteronomy, there is a caution issued about taking the testimony of one person as gospel, especially when it comes to laying a charge against another person.

“A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two or three witnesses shall a charge be established. If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days.  The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst” (Deuteronomy 19:15-19).

The message of the Bible is very much about doing unto others as we would have others do unto us. As far as God is concerned, this principle applies to bearing false witness against our neighbor, which is not conducive to loving our neighbor as ourselves. God’s law is just. There is no justice when people are let off the hook for putting others through agonizing situations and terror. This can happen when individuals are wrongfully accused of a crime and have to endure public hostility and ostracism because of someone’s false accusation. Because of this, God has decreed that a person who accuses another of an unlawful act needs to have corroborating evidence. The law recognizes this, and one person’s word alone against another is often insufficient to convict someone of a crime. In the event that someone is falsely accused of a crime they did not commit and is convicted because of false testimony, God says He will avenge the injustice; although this might be small comfort for the innocent person who has been sentenced to punish-ment. In the book of Isaiah, we learn that God cares and will not forget the sorrows of the innocent:

 

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

Because the Lord has anointed me

To preach good tidings to the poor;

He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,

And the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn (Isaiah 61:1-2 NKJV).

 

God’s Limit

Many like to say that the God of the Christians is different from the God of the Old Testament because He offers grace upon grace, forgiving the sinner as many times as he or she says, “I am sorry.” However, the book of Hebrews states that God has a limit to His grace: “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord (Hebrews 10:30).

Nobody gets away; God holds everyone accountable in the end. Throughout the book of Proverbs, the book of wisdom, this principle is very clear. People often call this karma, but it is merely a principle of God’s law: what we sow, we will reap. When a false witness accuses another of something, the very thing that person has accused the innocent of doing will, in all probability, come upon him or her; if not the exact thing, the conse-quences will be the same.

 

Hell Without Flames

An African pastor, who was dead for three days, came back to life after the undertaker had begun preparing him for burial (this is on video[viii]). What is particularly interesting about this incident is that the pastor was taken by angels to a place called Heaven and then to a place called Hades—that is, Hell. When in Hell, he saw people suffering, wailing, and gnashing their teeth, with some even eating their own flesh, which would grow back after each bite. Then a preacher approached him. This preacher was obviously experiencing a degree of torment as he repeatedly yelled, “…I stole money from the church. I want to repay!” The angels told the pastor that each person is reliving all the evil he or she did on Earth. The pastor wondered why the preacher was in Hell. He was then told that he would have been going to Hell as well because of his own false witness of preaching forgiveness but not practicing it; fortunately for him, he was going back to Earth because he was asking God to forgive him for not forgiving his wife when his car crashed.

 

What the pastor testified about the dead is not what people want to believe happens once a person dies. But evidently, what we sow on Earth, we will also reap in eternity.

 

Lying Lips

A lying tongue is so common that many people today are unable to tell the difference between when they are telling a lie and when they are telling the truth. A lie may be thought to be true (even declared a "true lie"), but it is definitely a falsehood and never the truth.

One man I knew would tell lies to boost his ego so often that he would convince himself he was telling the truth, and he would say, “May God strike me down dead right now if I am not telling the truth.” The longer he lived, the more convinced he became that his lies were true. However, the day he died, I was not in his presence to know whether he was requesting God to strike him down if he were telling a lie. One thing I do know, having attended the man’s funeral, is that the fact that he is now dead is no lie.

Television host David Letterman often exclaimed, “Honest to God!” just before telling something untrue as part of his joke routine. Somehow, this was supposed to make the attempted joke funny.

Politicians are renowned for telling lies. Probably the most famous lie told by a politician was when a President of the United States said, “Read my lips. I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”

On January 19, 2001, when leaving office, President Clinton stated, “I tried to walk a fine line between acting lawfully and testifying falsely, but I now recognize that I did not fully accomplish this goal and am certain my responses to questions about Ms. Lewinsky were false.”[ix]

If President Clinton is to be believed, it appears some people do not know when they are telling lies and when they are not.

 

True Lies

What some call true lies, others call twisting the truth; while the enlightened will see a proponent and perpetrator of true lies for what he or she is—a liar and a deceiver. Actually, Jesus said that those who lie only do what their father, the Devil, does.

 

White Lies

One of the difficulties that people face when trying not to lie occurs when they are asked to tell what are known as white lies. These are purportedly harmless lies told to avoid embarrassment, to evade speaking to someone, or to decline someone’s request. Often, employees are asked by their bosses to tell someone that they are not present. Then there is the time when a household member goes to answer a knock on the front door: voices of liars call out unashamedly, “If it’s for me, tell them I am not here.” The consequences can be embarrassing, even hurtful; but because such lies mostly appear to do no obvious harm, they are called white lies. Everybody is probably guilty of telling a white lie at some point.

 

Concealing The Truth

Concealing the truth can simply mean that we are not going to tell people the truth and say so; or we can tell people some of the truth and not all of it, allowing them to figure out the rest for themselves. God does not lie, but He conceals truth from us. Jesus intimated that His disciples should do the same when He told them “not to give dogs what is holy” nor “throw pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6). Jesus also stated that His disciples need to be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16). The difficulty with this statement is that the first serpent mentioned in the Bible was a deceiver and is also known as Satan, the Devil, who is a liar and the Father of Lies. However, concealing the truth and lying are two different things. For instance, if we are questioned by the police or government authorities about an alleged criminal offense, it might be wise not to be upfront about what we were doing; otherwise, we could find ourselves being misinterpreted, especially in cases of mistaken identity. A wise person begins asking questions rather than making statements until it is clear what the authorities are investigating.

 

Innocent As A Dove

Not long after becoming a Christian, I spent six hours under interrogation because of mistaken identity before being released without being charged. The reason I was intensely interrogated at the police station was that, when confronted by the police, I made statements about what I was doing the day before rather than asking questions first. I had been mistaken for someone else who happened to look like me, and I was falsely accused by the police of being a rapist who had committed a sexual assault on a young woman some weeks earlier in a park near where I lived. At the time, because of how the police officers confronted me, I thought they were talking about a misunderstanding that had occurred between another person and me twenty-four hours earlier regarding his new girlfriend, to whom I had been sharing the gospel. I immediately told them what happened the previous day. Because of my free disclosure about the misunderstanding, the police gave me the impression that they believed I was trying to cover up my real motives, claiming this was further evidence that I was the person they wanted. The police detectives also created false scenarios to bamboozle me and fit me up. After six hours, I was asked to stand behind a one-way window so I could be identified. Then I was released without being charged. I received no apology and did not hear about the matter again. However, some months later, a neighbor told me that a person fitting my description had been apprehended by the police for peeping through someone’s bedroom window in a nearby street.

After that occasion, needless to say, I wised up and took to heart the words of Jesus to be “wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove” (Matthew 10:16). In a number of later incidents, by heeding this Scripture, I avoided unnecessary grief, as it seemed to cure my foot-in-mouth disease.

On another occasion, when I was wrongfully accused of fraud and deception and taken into a police station for questioning, I was very wary of what I said. The police grew frustrated with the way the questioning was going, and it looked like I was in for a beating in the back room. Fortunately for me, when I was in the back room, I noticed that one of the officers, who had just rolled up his sleeve, suffered from psoriasis, and I mentioned it. This changed the tone of the two police officers’ demeanor, as they realized that I could identify a mark that would otherwise have been hidden. Consequently, I avoided a bruising from the two officers in blue uniforms. They released me very quickly after a couple of questions, as there were no grounds for the accusations against me to be held in custody.

One time, I was slandered before the magistrate on a trumped-up charge by a government agency of physically and psychologically abusing my children. The government representative laying the charges claimed to be a practicing Catholic. When in the court witness box, after swearing on the Bible, he stated, “This man is the worst kind of person because he not only believes in God but also believes the Bible is actually true.” The magistrate dismissed the charge on the basis that there was no evidence of physical or psychological abuse of my children, merely hearsay and misconceptions by false witnesses who may have had an axe to grind.

Jesus said:

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).

Once, when driving a taxi, two very tall male passengers in their mid-twenties got into my cab. One sat behind me and tried to strangle me with my seatbelt, while the other was punching me in the face. The taxi I was driving smashed into a street pole. Fortunately, I was able to free myself. The two males then chased me down the street. One of them had the misfortune, while trying to grab me, to fall headfirst into the gutter and knock himself unconscious. The other was seen kicking me in the face by the driver of a pizza delivery van. Later, at the police station, I was accused by the police officer interviewing me of having assaulted the two very tall males. Assisted by another officer, I underwent an interrogation of the third degree. Fortunately, when the pizza delivery driver arrived and testified to seeing me on the ground and being kicked in the face, I was released, and the offenders were charged.

On a few other occasions when police officers and even government authorities tried to frame me, by being wise as a serpent, I avoided harrowing experiences. Because of misinterpretations, misunderstandings, and public servants seeking to boost their career prospects and get another notch in their belt from easy targets, Jesus warned His disciples to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Dishonest people, unknowingly influenced by the Father of Lies, will resort to anything to discredit those who seek the truth and desire to do the will of God.

 

Speaking In Faith

One way we can conceal the truth without telling a lie is by speaking in faith about something that has not yet happened but that we believe will happen. The evidence is that God will honor those who are faithful in seeking Him by being obedient to His voice.

Paul Yonggi Cho is a Korean pastor who founded a congregation that has grown to over one million people. Back in the early 1960s, when the congregation was around forty thousand people, the church leaders purchased land and began building premises to accommodate the growing congregation. However, there came a time when they did not have sufficient money to meet a loan repayment for their mortgage, and the bank was going to foreclose. Cho managed to see the head manager of the bank, having told the bank officers that he was the king’s son (the King being the King of Kings, Lord Jesus Christ). Had the bank officers asked to speak to his father, circumstances would have become very interesting, as the Korean dynasty had already been deposed and dispossessed of its wealth. Cho told the bank manager that if he did not foreclose the loan, he would deliver to the bank some forty thousand new bank accounts. Cho said this by faith. Had he been asked to produce concrete evidence that he could deliver those bank accounts at the time, he would have been unable to do so. Cho was “believing” that God would help him influence the members of his congregation to change banks and open accounts at the bank that held the mortgage. Anyhow, the bank manager believed him and wrote out a check to cover the debt and prevent the foreclosure of the mortgage.

Some might think that Cho lied. However, Cho believes that had he told the bank manager (what some people would call) the absolute truth about his current circumstances, the bank manager would not have covered the payment, and the mortgage would have been foreclosed. The important thing here is that Cho did not lie; rather, he spoke the truth about what he believed he could do with God’s help. Cho was being “as wise as a serpent and as innocent as a dove.” There is a difference between concealing the truth by telling lies and concealing the truth while speaking in faith. Nevertheless, it is important to understand, when speaking in faith, we must ensure that we are faithful, because as it is written in the book of wisdom, God “overthrows the words of the faithless” (Proverbs 22:12 NKJV).

 

Sowing Seeds Of Discord

One thing that cannot be done in faith is sowing seeds of discord among brethren. Sowing seeds of discord occurs when a person casts aspersions on someone’s integrity, intentions, or rights in a relationship. This is the work of the Devil. When Eve was in the garden, the Devil used this method of deceit to cause her to doubt Adam’s integrity, and as a result, she did what God had said they were not to do. This is an abomination to God because this is how sin entered the world of men.

 

Whenever men and women come together to form a community, the one thing required for a peaceful existence is a harmonious relationship among everyone. This requires that each person be appreciated and respected for their contributions and receive appropriate recognition for the roles they fill within the community. However, when someone suggests that a certain person might not be doing their job correctly or finds fault with another person and expresses that to others, that person is sowing seeds of discord. The fault might be something minor, yet it is construed as a weakness in a leader or someone with responsibility. This alone is sufficient to create doubt about the person’s worthiness for what they are doing, and a seed of discord is sown.

Often, the seed of discord is fed to people in the form of gossip. Gossip originally referred to people talking about glad tidings and good things happening to each other within a community. Gossip still does, except when it becomes malicious. Unfortunately, people who are discontented with the way things are going or the way someone might act at a certain function will express their dissatisfaction and, in doing so, sow seeds of doubt. These seeds of doubt are often unintentionally sown, but when a person expresses dissatisfaction about what is happening, it is an expression of discord within the community. Further damage to the community can be avoided when the matter is addressed by speaking directly to the person or persons concerned. This way, an aspersion is not cast upon anyone’s intentions as being anything other than above board.

 

This seed of discord can occur between a husband and a wife. It can occur within families between brothers and sisters, or between a father and son, a mother and daughter, or any family members. The seed of discord is frequently sown in places of employment, local community groups, political organizations, and churches. Yet, when people dwell together in unity with the same heart and mind, it is then and there that God has decided to pronounce His blessing.

The blessing of God is particularly given where brothers and sisters come together to worship Him in spirit and truth. Tragically, many congregations are split because a seed of discord gets a foot in the door, and the work of the Devil is fostered once more. This happens because, rather than seeking the truth, a false witness is created among a congregation of believers through some comment. This comment is fostered by a malcontent with an unbelieving heart or by persons who harbor bitterness for some perceived wrong. This is why we need to be honest and open in our dealings with each other. Gossip then ceases to be an issue—in particular, malicious gossip.

History has shown that discord will arise over an interpretation of Scripture that cannot be proven at the present time. The issue might be a future event, how the Earth was created, notions about the Godhead, what mysteriously happens at baptism, teachings on dispensationalism, the correct model of church government, or some other biblical interpretation that cannot be definitively proven right or wrong. Sound exegesis is the basis of good hermeneutics, but when people start itching for shortcut revelations that cannot be supported by the progressive revelation of truth from Genesis to Revelation or practical application in everyday living, we can say this is not warranted. Anything that creates discord among brethren is an abomination to God.

Bearing false witness against one’s neighbor can be done intentionally or unintentionally. More often than not, false witness is done unintentionally; but for evil to exist in this world, people need to continue bearing false witness at some level. It might start with telling white lies, which may seem harmless. Once gossip starts because of those white lies, the seeds of discord are sown, and doubt about people’s integrity begins to creep into a community. Because it is not technically bearing false witness against one’s neighbor, lying itself might not be breaking this commandment; but it leads to the breaking of this commandment. Once people start telling lies, it is not hard to progress to bearing false witness about some action or event and then against their neighbor. Whenever the seed of discord starts to flower, the trick is to nip it in the bud and turn it into a dud—before it can bear fruit!

 

Darkened Light

President Clinton thought he could get away with giving false testimony and still be lawful by denying what he did with a White House intern. According to him, this was because he misguidedly reframed his understanding of what he called sexual relations. Fortunately for Clinton, he was not directly falsely accusing anyone in particular of having done anything wrong. Nevertheless, while Clinton was not directly accusing anyone of anything, he was indirectly casting aspersions on those who were making accusations against him—especially Monica Lewinsky. The line was blurred, and in the eyes of many, ex-President Clinton has no credibility. While some see him as telling “true lies” (twisting the truth) and admire him for the fact that he was not fully impeached like President Nixon (who had to leave office because the charges against him were upheld), this perspective is influenced by those who are governed by the ruler of this world, the Prince of Darkness. They do not live in the light but in the darkened light of twilight.

 

Deception Of Twilight

Twilight is what confuses many people. Twilight is that period when the sun has gone down, but we can see virtually as well as when the sun is up. Morally, we know what is right to do, and we can clearly make good decisions. However, when we know what is right to do and do not do it, our guilt remains. Jesus was very clear about this. Many people today have a good understanding of what is right and what is wrong, and they know they should not give false testimony, but they do. and they try to get away with it. In fact, quite a few are so adept at giving false testimony that they are able to get away with it for a long time. Jesus said of these people:

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:21-24 NKJV).

When speaking of mammon, we can include power and worldly prestige, as well as wealth, because those who treasure these things in their hearts do not treasure the truth or the inheritance that God has provided for those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

The sayings of Jesus often seem cryptic and difficult to grasp. Indeed, they are, unless we seek true counsel from the Holy Spirit. This Scripture, which speaks about the light in us being darkness, confuses many. Most of us know that light disperses darkness and that darkness does not exist where there is light. However, the truth is always there to be found if we genuinely want to know and understand it. In a way, this is similar to the riddle about what a person possesses that other people use more than they do, or what gets wetter the more you dry it.[x]

The light that is darkness is twilight, which can deceive people into thinking that they are actually walking in the light when, in fact, they are not. This is the deception that occurs from following the ways of the world and being heralded as knowledgeable, even being accredited with understanding, insight, and wisdom.

The irony is that God has chosen what is foolish in the world to confound those who think they are wise. God did this by sending Jesus to die on a cross so that the world could be saved. Every person has had his or her ticket to Heaven paid by Jesus and does not need to face eternal separation from God at death. However, God knows that only those who are honest enough to admit they live a futile life on Earth will accept the gift of eternal life in Christ, in the hope of something better than merely being born only to die.[xi]

We may not intentionally bear false witness against our neighbor, but unintentionally, if we exalt anyone above God, or put anyone or anything before Him, we are bearing false witness against our Heavenly Father by saying that He is not as worthy as whoever or whatever we put in His stead. Many people bear false witness by saying that there is no God. Therefore, it is worth noting what the psalmist says: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1; 53:1). It would be reasonable to conclude, then, that only fools knowingly bear false witness—for God knows all things, even the thoughts and intentions of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12). God is omniscient, indeed; whereas the Devil is not, even though he is the Father of Lies.

There is a tragic truth found in a story told about a politician who died and, when confronted by an angel, thought he had arrived in Heaven. The politician thought he was saved, but the angel informed him that he had a decision to make first: whether he wanted to go to Heaven or Hell. The politician naturally said that he wanted to go to Heaven. However, the angel said that it would only be right that he got to make a decision once having had the opportunity to compare a day in each place. The politician liked the idea of having options available to him, and then getting to have the final say—so he agreed.

The politician was taken down to Hell first. Together the two of them descended down the stairs. At the bottom, the politician was surprised to see a lush golf course and his friends at the clubhouse. There they joked about their craftiness and the schemes they had engineered. Together they partied and had a riotous time. Time went quickly. Just before he was about to leave, the Devil appeared and put his arm over the politician's shoulder, saying that it was a pleasure to have him join them all. Naturally, he looked forward to seeing him again.

Although the politician was reluctant to leave, the angel took him up the stairs to where they had first met, then up a second flight of stairs to Heaven. The politician was shown a mansion that had been reserved for him and he was given a cloud shaped like his favorite golf cart to travel around Heaven. The politician was engulfed by Heavenly bliss. Riding around Heaven on the cloud was indescribably more blissful than a bubble bath and a relaxing massage, or anything that he had known on Earth.

When the politician’s second day was up, the angel came and took him down the stairs to the end of the corridor where they first met; at the stairs intersecting the way between Heaven and Hell. The politician was asked where he wanted to go for eternity. The politician thought deeply about his two options. He finally decided on Hell. He had enjoyed the party with his friends, and while Heaven was blissful, and felt like the place to be, he just did not know anybody there.

He was escorted to the entrance of Hell. The Devil was there to meet him. He stepped through what appeared to be a curtain covering the entrance. Instead of the lush golf course, the politician was confronted with a barren, parched wilderness, simmering with heat. In the dark distance, he saw shadows of people thrashing about. He could hear the sound of teeth being gnashed and people wailing, interspersed with spine-chilling screams. Terrified, the politician screamed at the Devil, “The golf course! The country club! My friends! Where are they? What have you done?”

The Father of Lies, looking absolutely delighted with himself, flicked his forked tongue from one side of his mouth to the other, smiled, as only the evil ones know how, and replied, “Oh, that.… You know how it goes…. just part of my campaign to get your vote.”

After death comes judgment; for we effectively make our decisions here on Earth that determine our eternal destiny. When we hear the voice of GOD, let us not harden our hearts, nor let ourselves be deceived by lies; instead, let us seek out the truth. Lord Jesus Christ is the Way to the Truth and, indeed, the true Life, which is eternal. Do not be deceived. Do not hesitate to do what you need to do now. For today is the day of salvation (Heb.3:12-4:11; Matt. 11:28-30).

 

 

***

---

    

      [i] This is a form of autosuggestion that occurs where we inadvertently convince ourselves subconsciously that we are god by repeating the mantra, “You shall have no other gods before me” or subliminally thinking the Bible is God, by repeatedly calling it the WORD OF GOD, Who is God Himself. We do not realize we are doing this. Some people are more prone to subliminal autosuggestion than others, and regardless of this, the Devil is always working overtime to ensure we will be enslaved by whatever lie he can assist in deceiving us with.

      [ii] People who feel they have to defend their faith obviously do not know the Living God and cannot have a relationship with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, because if they did, they would realize God is more than capable of defending Himself and is mightier than us. In fact, we need God to defend us.

      [iii] It is also worth noting that by faith Abraham also partook in the bread and the wine (Genesis 14:18-19), which was instituted as a rite at the last supper (Mark 14:22-25; 1 Corinthians 11:23-25).

      [iv] New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA All Rights Reserved 1984

      [v] It is noted that the 2013 revision has taken out the words “in connection with” to read “through faith in Christ Jesus” as it should read. Nevertheless, we see how deceptive were the original writers of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

      [vi] Quote: The DCI was complicit in keeping incendiary and diversionary Issues off the commission's agenda and focusing it on what the Agency believed at the. time was the "best truth" Death Of A President:  DCI John McCone and the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  Document approved for release to public on 29^th Sept, 2014. http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB493/docs/intell_ebb_026.PDF

[vii] This sum is believed to include the fabricated interest owing clients, whereas the amount invested by clients that was lost is believed to be around $18 billion.

[viii] The Lazarus Phenomenon

[ix] Washington Post “in a Deal, Clinton Avoids Indictment” Jan. 19, 2001.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2001/01/20/in-a-deal-clinton-avoids-indictment/bb80cc4c-e72c-40c1-bb72-55b2b81c3065/  —retrieved 22^nd May, 2025

[x] Other people will use your name more often than you do. A towel gets wetter the more it dries a person.

[xi] God subjected the creation to futility in the hope it would be delivered into the glorious liberty of the children of God,...however nobody hopes for what is seen (Romans 8:20-24)