Command 9

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour” - Exodus 20:16.

What do the Scriptures tell us about Yahuah, His Word and truth? “Every word of Yahuah is pure…” Proverbs 30:5.

Daniel refers to Yahuah's Word as “the Scripture of Truth” - Daniel 10:21.

Yahusha (Jesus) said of Yahuah the Father, “Your word is truth”- John 17:17.

Our personal relationship with Yahuah through His Son Yahusha Messiah begins with our acceptance of and surrender to Yahuah's Word as truth. To be disciples of Messiah we must resolve to consistently speak the truth demonstrating the sincerity of our love for others. We must also accept and obey, as “the way of truth,” the 10 Words (Commandments) and teachings of Yahuah.

Psalms 119:30, I have chosen the way of truth; Your right-rulings I have held level.

Psalms 119:151, You are near, O Yahuah, and all Your commands are truth.

Psalms 119:160,  The sum of Your word is truth, and all Your righteous right-rulings are forever.

It is almost impossible nowadays to be certain who if anyone is telling the truth. Almost everyone tries to balance the risk of being caught against the perceived benefits of lying. Some businesses display amazing creativity in camouflaging deceit when they advertise their products. Almost everywhere we can spot individuals, businesses and other organizations involved in a sophisticated game of seeing how deceptive they can be without attracting lawsuits or alienating potential customers.

Lying is an accepted way of life.

Then as now, people routinely inject deceit into their relationships, personal, social, political, religious and economic. The dearth of honesty is so widely accepted that public censure no longer even discourages lying. That demand must come from within.

Are you truthful?

Now comes the important question to you personally: Do you lie? Maybe it would be kinder to word the question a little differently.

Just how important is being truthful to you?

Or reversing the coin.

Is lying unacceptable to you?

You need to ask and answer them truthfully to yourself. Temptations to lie never cease. They are always present. Lying is such a quick and effortless way to gain an advantage over others. It appears to offer easy and swift escape from embarrassment, fear and guilt. But the Bible says, “Lying lips are abomination to Yahuah: but they that deal truly are his delight” - Proverbs 12:22.

We face a fundamental choice. We follow Yahuah's example of truthfulness and honesty in our actions and communications or we follow the example of the originator of lying, Satan.

Learning to be firmly and consistently truthful requires self-discipline and courage and in our firmness and consistency we must rely on help from Yahuah.

 

Everything in the life of a believer is anchored to truth. Yahuah wants us as His children to commit ourselves to truth and reflect it in everything we do.

That is why Yahuah commands us: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”