The Cost of Deception: Why Truth Still Matters

Happy Sunday. I saw a news article the other day about a man who had been released from prison because he was proved innocent. False witnesses testified against him and their testimony was used to imprison him for over two decades. Words are powerful and false words, they're evil.

Watching the news can be confusing. As I was preparing this sermon, Anthony Fauci was being interrogated by Congress that his diary writings have been released and he seems to have lied about a lot of things. He's one of many politicals to play fast and loose with the truth on both sides of the aisle and in the middle of the aisle. Today, we'll look at two verses from Proverbs chapter 19.

They're close to identical. Proverbs 19:5 says, "A false witness will not go unpunished, nor will a liar escape." A false witness will not go unpunished, nor will a liar escape. Proverbs 19:9 says this, "A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed."

A false witness will not go unpunished, a liar will be destroyed. In Proverbs chapter 6, there's a list of seven things that God hates. In verse 17, it says, "God hates a lying tongue." In verse 19, it says that God hates a false witness who pours out lies.

The Bible has a lot to say about those who lie. Jesus in John 8 called Satan the father of lies. In Revelation chapter 21, we learned that all liars will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. I love this quote from long ago.

Mark Twain said, "The main difference between a cat and a lie is that a cat only has nine lives." I think he's right. A lie can live for a long, long time. Way out live a cat.

All my life, I've heard that Jay Edgar Hoover was a crossdresser. Television shows still talk about that. Jokes were made. Mr.

Hoover was the director of the FBI from 1935 to 1972. It seems certain that he never wore women's clothes. The lie was told by a woman named Susan Rosentiel. She said that she saw him at a hotel in 1958 dressed as a woman.

It is more than likely that she made the whole thing up to hurt his reputation. the FBI had impacted her family years before. So, she made up a lie. And this lie has been believed for almost 70 years.

Several years ago, we were told that butter was bad for you. Remember that? People switched to margarine just to be safe. Years later, we were told that butter is okay to eat.

I learned recently that it was the margarine lobby that said that butter was bad. There are so many lies out there. Another scripture that comes to mind is the ninth commandment. Exodus 20:16, You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

There's several examples in scripture. When Jesus was to be crucified, false witnesses played a big part in his death. Listen to the description from Mark chapter 14. They took Jesus to the high priest and all the chief priests, the elders, and the teachers of the law came together.

Peter followed him at a distance right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and he warmed himself at the fire. The chief priest and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so they could put him to death but they could not find any. No evidence.

So what happened? Mark says many testified falsely against him but their statements did not agree. And then some stood up and gave their false testimony against him. It was lies.

No wonder God hates false testimony. Let me go back to Proverbs 19, verses 5 and 9. A false witness will not go unpunished, nor will a liar escape. A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed.

If you're frustrated by lies that have been told. If you're disgruntled by politicians who lie at the drop of a hat. If your reputation has been harmed by a false witness, realize that these verses talk about a reckoning. A false witness will not go unpunished.

Nor will a liar escape. A liar will be destroyed. A false witness, a liar who hurts another is doing just the opposite of what God tells us to do. God commands us to love to be people of the truth.

1 Peter 4:8 says, "Above all, love each other deeply because lovers love covers over a multitude of sins." May your words always be true. God help us all. Pray with me.

Lord, help us to be known for the truth. We pray that a revival would sweep this land and people would speak the true words that should be spoken. Forgive us if we have harmed someone with rumors or gossip. And help us to be careful with our words.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen. God bless. Have a great week.