Lies and the Bible

I am so grateful for the wisdom of God in His Word.  It exposes the incorrect and foolish views we have been convinced of.  God speaks the truth, though it may hurt.  Receiving God's truth and aligning our hearts with it is a key step in spiritual maturity.  If you are wondering what truths I possibly could be speaking of, here are three examples of lies we tell ourselves exposed by God's Word.

"When I sin, it is out of character."  I recently read a news article about a man who was caught after he installed cameras in public toilets.  He claimed he wasn't a bad man, but he just did a bad thing.  Quoting the man convicted in the article, "While he understood nothing would make up for what he did to up to 90 women and children recorded by his devices, he hoped it helped that he had never done anything similar and never would again. "It was out of character," he said. "I am a human and have made many mistakes."  The Bibles says no one is good before God.  Our character apart from God is completely sinful.  Psalm 14:2-3 says, "The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. ³ they have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, No, not one."  Man does not sin in a "moment of weakness."  The reality is, when we are at our worst we witness the real you and me bubbling to the surface.  That ugly monster is not an anomaly:  it is the wretch who hides within us only Jesus can redeem.

"Ah, it's just a little thing.  I can step it up when it counts most."  What people see as little things are as big things in God's estimation.  Man doesn't see a problem with "white lies" or occasionally arriving late to work without reporting it, but such deeds do not escape God's notice.  God reveals the way we handle the little things is the exact same way we handle big things.  Jesus said in Luke 16:10, "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much."  Notice the objective words Jesus chose to use.  The man who is dishonest over a dollar cannot be trusted with thousands.  Argue all you want, but God says it like it is.  If we lie to children over a trivial matters to save face, we will lie in court after placing our hand on the Bible to save our skin.

"I am strong, not weak."  Weakness is a characteristic present in all people.  Measuring ourselves against others we perceive as weaker gives us the illusion of strength.  But what strength can man claim which has not first been given Him by God?  All are born helpless babies, completely dependent upon others for survival.  Proverbs 24:10 says, "If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small."  We make the mistake of gauging our strength when we are at our best, not when we fail.  If a disobedient child or physical pain is enough to make us lose our temper, how strong are we really?  Being relatively strong in one area does not dispel the reality of our weakness in another.  Compared to the God who spoke the universe into existence, we are small and feeble indeed.  God is strong, and it only through Him man can discover true strength.

These are just a few of the countless truths held forth in scripture which correct man's faulty views.  Can you think of others?  What scriptures has God used to reveal lies you once believed?  The world believes and perpetuates all manner of lies, but the Bible is the source of all truth.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 reads, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."  And that, my friends, is the truth!