Class 6 from this series was used in GCT Episode 329.
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Good morning, brothers and
sisters, as we come to our last
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Good morning, brothers and
sisters, as we come to our last
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day together and our final study
here on the book of Proverbs and
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unlocking it.
And we’ve titled this Love
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Truth, Proverbs in Practice.
I want to begin this morning by
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you doing a little bit of a
self-test.
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So here’s the self-test.
Just let’s spend a minute
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thinking about where we would
rank ourselves here, mark
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ourselves on this scale.
Am I a truthful person?
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1.
Not at all truthful. 10.
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I’m truthful all the time.
And 0.
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Too embarrassed to say.
Give you a minute to think about
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that.
Am I a truthful person?
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All right.
That’s probably enough time.
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I won’t ask for a show of hands.
I’m sure we’re all put 0.
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Too embarrassed to say because
we’re truthful people.
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But that’s just a quick little
anchor for us as we begin to
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look at the subject of truth in
the book of Proverbs.
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Proverbs in Practice.
So there’s our first anchor.
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Here’s our second one.
I just want to reflect for a
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minute on this slide here.
Our circles of identity.
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All right.
So our truthfulness, our
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untruthfulness is going to
revolve around who I think I am.
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My self-identity or the beliefs
I have about myself.
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They’re going to revolve around
who we want others to think we
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are.
Our status.
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What judgments they make about
us.
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What they might think about us.
And our identity is also going
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to focus or be revolving around
who we really are from God’s
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perspective.
So just reflect on that for a
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moment.
This is another just anchoring
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slide for us as we start looking
at this subject.
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Who do we think we are?
Who do others think we are?
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Who does God think we are?
And when we come to the subject
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of truth and lies and honesty
and dishonesty, it’s going to be
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a relationship concept.
It’s going to be about what we
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think about ourselves.
The lies we tell ourselves.
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It’s going to be the lies we
tell others around who we think
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they think we are.
And about the lies that we tell
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to our Heavenly Father in our
relationship with Him and with
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our Lord.
So just reflect on that for a
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moment.
Our circles of identity and our
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relationships between those
circles and within them and the
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subject of lies and truth.
Our August August August August
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August August August August the
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good and reject the evil is the
foundation of the book of
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proverbs we find that that
wisdom and understanding that
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came from god himself is
inherently truth proverbs
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chapter 8 verse 1 to 8 on screen
does not wisdom cry and
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understanding put forth her
voice here i will speak
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excellent things the opening of
my lips shall be right things my
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mouth will speak truth
wickedness is an abomination to
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my lips all the words of my
mouth are in righteousness
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there’s nothing froward or
perverse in them nothing froward
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and perverse in them so the
wisdom and understanding that
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we’ve been considering this week
is inherently truth nothing
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untruthful no frowardness no
perverseness they are words of
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truth now that idea pervades
through the book of proverbs
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that’s why we will find that the
characteristic that defines the
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evil man and the strange woman
from chapter 2 that we are to be
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delivered from through the book
through the knowledge
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understanding wisdom of the book
dishonesty lies frowardness are
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the inherent characteristics of
those two arch nemeses and god
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thinks it’s disgusting it’s the
term abomination in proverbs 11
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verse 20 says a froward heart is
an abomination disgusting to
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yahweh but such as are upright
in their ways are his delight so
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it provokes there’s a visceral
and emotional reaction from god
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dishonesty and untruth it’s an
abomination but he’s delighted
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by the opposite with the truth
of the upright proverbs chapter
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12 verse 22 lying lips are an
abomination disgusting to god
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but they that deal truly are his
delight proverbs 11 verse 1 a
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false balance is abomination to
yahweh but a just weight is his
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delight and finally proverbs
chapter 6 verse 16 to 17 where
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we see the seven attributes of
the evil man these six things
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does yahweh hate yea seven are
an abomination disgusting to him
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a proud look and a lying tongue
so deceit dishonesty lying in
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thought and tongue and action is
disgusting to god and the
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opposite truth in all of those
are his delight there’s a strong
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emotional reaction from god to
both of those and it’s a theme
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that runs through the book of
proverbs so we find that the
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theme of true and false witness
keeps repeating through these
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little snippets of proverbs
remember those little proverbs
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the little parallelism little
dualities the little small lego
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building blocks that god saying
see this is the very step when
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you put two things together and
it infers wisdom that’s how
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understanding is created and so
he’s given us a pattern through
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the book he’s also done it
beautifully genius that every
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one of them is presented as a
time a choice and a consequence
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to the two branches of it so
he’s telling us that there are
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choices in life constantly all
the time and the wise develop
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the ability to recognize them
see the principle choose the
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good and not the evil and he
does it in these brilliant
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little couplets these
parallelisms that either compare
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and contrast or they extend to
create consequence and meaning
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the base building blocks of his
knowledge his understanding his
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thought and his wisdom and so
many of these little couplets
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revolve around the principle of
true and false witness or the
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true and false weights now why
because in the nation the two
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key interactions of people and
their social activities day by
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day where the principle of truth
was essential is where justice
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is to occur true and false
witness and where economic
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exchanges occurred every day
between people of the nation
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where there was to be a true
weight not a false one and god
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calls those in georon chapter 25
verse 15 to 16 you will have a
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perfect and just weight a
perfect and just measure shall
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they have for all that do such
things all that do unrighteously
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that is have an unjust one are
an abomination disgusting to god
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so when he looked at the nation
and they were exchanging
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economically all over the place
every day is one of the central
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aspects of social interaction
between human beings he said
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there needs to be truth in that
economic exchange and it’s not
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as disgusting to me and when he
saw conflict between human
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beings and the nation and they
came to the justice system that
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was established he said it must
be based on truth true witness
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not false witness and he uses
the same term disgusting
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abomination as a false witness
so god embedded in the society
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they had in these two dominating
interactions in conflict and
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economic exchange the principle
truth for us not of life now
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when we come all the way through
to the new testament we look at
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the conflicts between ecclesias
bringing in a false doctrine the
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emerging of the apostasy that
would grow out it’s all
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explained and talked about in
terms of deceit and lies here’s
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just a series of passages on
screen i’ll read them because
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the font’s small romans 16 17 i
beseech you brethren mark them
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which cause divisions and
offenses contrary to the
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doctrine you have learned and
avoid them they are those who
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serve not our lord jesus christ
but their own belly and by good
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words and fair speeches deceive
the heart of a proverbs term the
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simple second corinthians
chapter 4 verse 2 you have
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renounced the hidden things of
dishonesty not walking in
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craftiness not handling the word
of god deceitfully but by
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manifestation of the truth
commanding ourselves to every
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man’s conscience in the sight of
god ephesians chapter 4 verse 14
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that we henceforth be no more
children tossed to and fro
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carried about with every wind of
doctrine by the slight of men
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and cunning craftiness whereby
they lie in wait to deceive the
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characteristic of the evil man
from proverbs second peter
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chapter 2 verse 18 when they
speak great swelling words of
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emptiness they entrap through
the lusts of the flesh through
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much wantonness those who are
clean escape from them who live
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in error so you see the thinking
the framing of it was all about
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deceit and lies and dishonesty
which is disgusting abomination
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to god and it was at the heart
of these conflicts and the
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introduction of false doctrine
now when we come to the book of
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proverbs is a completely
different attitude and spirit
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when we come to the wise this is
what the wise think of truth
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it’s a summary of what they
think of truth in the book of
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proverbs they love truth this is
an emotional connection to truth
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goes far beyond an intellectual
construct to one that’s a
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relationship basis a love truth
they hate lies and deceit
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there’s an emotional aversion as
well as intellectual to lies and
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deceit their way of life is
truth for them truth is a way of
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life the way they think the way
they speak the way they act
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their subconscious habits are
all about truth and the truth of
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god appeals to them as something
beautiful something to be loved
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something to be aspired to and
they deal truthfully with god’s
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words they hearken to it they
hang on it they pursue it they
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seek it out they’re diligent
they’re passionate about it so
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this morning we want to examine
this spirit this quality of the
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wise and the opposite that
quality of the evil of the evil
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of the wicked of the evil man of
a strange woman their lies and
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their deceit we want to aspire
this morning to be truthful to
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love the truth of god so here’s
a few things about lying i went
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searching read a lot of
different things a few academic
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papers read a few books and
here’s some important facts if
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you like about lying so children
by about the age of two are
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accomplished lives so within 24
months of birth from knowing
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nothing understanding nothing
they’ve built this complex map
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of the world and they understand
that they know stuff that other
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people do not and they can use
that to their advantage to get
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things so they can manipulate
others by telling them certain
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things or withholding certain
things many studies you can
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imagine the academics go how
early does lying start certainly
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by age two maybe earlier they
lie generally to do two things
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to embellish all right so they
add stuff to the information new
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information that’s not true to
make it look bigger or brighter
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or to cause people to think
things or do things so there’s
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an adding to or they hide it
they conceal to avoid punishment
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to avoid consequence and so
they’re concealing something
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it’s interesting actually isn’t
it the lord’s warning at the end
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of revelation was do not add to
or take away and if you do all
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the curses of the book will be
added to you because it’s the
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base principle isn’t it really
where it all starts will we add
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to truth or we take away from
truth as the essence of a lie
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there are many academic studies
but many of them are
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self-reporting well how do you
observe if somebody’s actually
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lying in their head and as they
speak and but these all conclude
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and they’re self-reported so
they’ll play a whole lot of
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habitual line people aren’t even
aware of but about two to three
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times a day is on average what
they come up with the average
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person so it’s natural isn’t it
dishonesty lying to the flesh we
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learned it when we were two
years old now what is a lie well
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here’s the dictionary
definitions a lie is to make a
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00:14:19,796 –> 00:14:23,520
false statement with the
intention to deceive oxford
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00:14:23,520 –> 00:14:27,396
english dictionary or stanford
encyclopedia philosophy a lie is
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00:14:27,396 –> 00:14:31,140
a statement by one who does not
believe it with the intention
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00:14:31,140 –> 00:14:35,595
that someone else shall be led
to believe it and if you look at
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00:14:35,595 –> 00:14:38,845
all the academics and the
literature they’ve got as they
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00:14:38,845 –> 00:14:42,650
try and define it this is
generally where they come to
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00:14:42,650 –> 00:14:45,827
that they’ll have four
components there is a statement
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00:14:45,827 –> 00:14:50,648
that’s needed for there to be a
lie that statement is not true
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00:14:50,648 –> 00:14:53,738
demonstrably the statement is
made transferred to someone else
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00:14:53,738 –> 00:14:57,445
and there’s an intent to deceive
the person and to believe in the
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00:14:57,445 –> 00:15:00,036
statement to be true now there
are variations in this and
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00:15:00,036 –> 00:15:02,200
there’s lots of debate about
whether intent is or isn’t
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00:15:02,200 –> 00:15:04,924
needed and what level of intent
etc but let’s not worry about
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00:15:04,924 –> 00:15:07,532
that because in a moment we’re
going to get a biblical
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00:15:07,532 –> 00:15:10,436
definition of lying from the
word of god but that’s what
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00:15:10,436 –> 00:15:15,668
they’ve come up with as they try
to define what are lies but it
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00:15:15,668 –> 00:15:20,684
is about trying to manipulate
the views of someone else so
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00:15:20,684 –> 00:15:24,934
that they’re deceived into
believing something to be true
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00:15:24,934 –> 00:15:30,400
when it is not deceit’s similar
but here’s the definition so the
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00:15:30,400 –> 00:15:34,000
oxford english dictionary again
says that deceit is dishonest
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00:15:34,000 –> 00:15:38,070
behavior so it goes beyond now
just statement that is intended
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00:15:38,070 –> 00:15:41,860
so they still have an intent to
make someone believe something
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00:15:41,860 –> 00:15:47,192
that is not true or cambridge
dictionary it is an act of
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00:15:47,192 –> 00:15:51,154
keeping the truth hidden
especially to get advantage so
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00:15:51,154 –> 00:15:56,270
you can see they’re exploring
the ideas of hiding a truth and
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00:15:56,270 –> 00:16:00,130
behavior and intent and getting
advantage but it’s all hovering
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00:16:00,130 –> 00:16:03,580
around the same thing we’ve
created an impression a belief
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00:16:03,580 –> 00:16:07,760
in someone that is not true we
might do it by hiding
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00:16:07,760 –> 00:16:11,251
information we might be doing it
by inventing information that’s
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00:16:11,251 –> 00:16:16,715
not true we might outright say
something that is false we might
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00:16:16,715 –> 00:16:20,160
create impressions without quite
saying something that’s not true
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00:16:20,160 –> 00:16:23,520
but we know that the impression
we’re trying to create is not
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00:16:23,520 –> 00:16:27,264
true and we do so through
innuendo or misrepresentations
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00:16:27,264 –> 00:16:32,992
so we can quite clever about it
can’t we oh well that’s how
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00:16:32,992 –> 00:16:37,114
dictionaries and schools of
philosophy seek to define what
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00:16:37,114 –> 00:16:42,085
lying and deceit is and they
they’re all hovering around the
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00:16:42,085 –> 00:16:46,535
right essential ideas but how
does god understand lying and
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00:16:46,535 –> 00:16:52,013
deceit and we’re going to find
it’s much broader than just
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00:16:52,013 –> 00:16:57,634
telling a lie and it’s whenever
falsehood is presented as truth
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00:16:57,634 –> 00:17:04,743
and intent is certainly not
necessary for it to be a lie or
259
00:17:04,743 –> 00:17:09,934
deceit so it’s whenever falsity
is presented as truth as we go
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00:17:09,934 –> 00:17:13,443
through this passage you’ll
start to see that idea emerge so
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00:17:13,443 –> 00:17:17,411
there are a lot of passages in
the scripture about god about us
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00:17:17,411 –> 00:17:20,728
about christ about truth we’re
just going to look up one
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00:17:20,728 –> 00:17:24,680
passage for each god is truth
come with me to james chapter 1
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00:17:24,680 –> 00:17:28,500
verse 17 18 because you learn
some important things about god
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00:17:28,500 –> 00:17:33,300
and his relationship to truth
james chapter 1 verse 17 to 18
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00:17:33,300 –> 00:17:38,388
and here the analogy of light
and dark is used to represent
267
00:17:38,388 –> 00:17:43,786
the ideas of truth and falsehood
james chapter 1 verse 17 every
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00:17:43,786 –> 00:17:51,538
good gift every perfect gift is
from above and comes down from
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00:17:51,538 –> 00:17:57,624
the father of lights with whom
is no variableness neither
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00:17:57,624 –> 00:18:03,156
shadow of turning now of course
it’s explaining an idea of a
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00:18:03,156 –> 00:18:07,328
physical light and if you turn
it it doesn’t create a shadow
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00:18:07,328 –> 00:18:10,820
that’s using it as a metaphor
and analogy that god is truth
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00:18:10,820 –> 00:18:16,661
there is no untruth in him verse
18 of his own will beget he us
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00:18:16,661 –> 00:18:22,395
with the word of truth so that
we could be a kind of first
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00:18:22,395 –> 00:18:28,700
fruits of his creation so god is
truth there’s no untruth in god
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00:18:28,700 –> 00:18:35,628
none said titus 1 verse 2 god
who cannot lie john chapter 1 he
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00:18:35,628 –> 00:18:44,253
is full of grace and truth as is
the son even in his name i am i
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00:18:44,253 –> 00:18:53,899
exist is the foundational idea
of its truth i am it’s a truth
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00:18:53,899 –> 00:18:59,076
statement all right let’s go to
john chapter 8 verse 32 we find
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00:18:59,076 –> 00:19:04,444
truth and the lord jesus christ
again in john 1 14 he is full of
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00:19:04,444 –> 00:19:08,747
grace and truth in john chapter
4 24 we worship god in spirit
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00:19:08,747 –> 00:19:13,442
and in truth and john chapter 8
verse 32 let’s turn that up we
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00:19:13,442 –> 00:19:16,814
come across those beautiful and
well-known statements but it it
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00:19:16,814 –> 00:19:20,516
makes this incredible point that
truth will set us free john
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00:19:20,516 –> 00:19:25,990
chapter 8 verse 32 and
commencing in verse 30 as he
286
00:19:25,990 –> 00:19:33,062
spake these words many believed
on him then said jesus to the
287
00:19:33,062 –> 00:19:38,122
jews who believed on him if you
continue in my word you are my
288
00:19:38,122 –> 00:19:42,210
disciples indeed and you shall
know the truth and the truth
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00:19:42,210 –> 00:19:47,793
shall make you free so the words
of jesus christ are truth they
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00:19:47,793 –> 00:19:52,959
are where we come to know and
that knowledge of that truth
291
00:19:52,959 –> 00:19:58,498
will make us free in the context
from death from sin and from
292
00:19:58,498 –> 00:20:02,488
everything associated with it
all right finally come to john
293
00:20:02,488 –> 00:20:06,968
chapter 3 verse 21 and we see
the relationship of us as
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00:20:06,968 –> 00:20:11,660
disciples to the truth to god
who is true to jesus christ who
295
00:20:11,660 –> 00:20:16,188
is true in whom there’s no
untruth there’s no variableness
296
00:20:16,188 –> 00:20:23,720
only truth john chapter 3 verse
21 and that’s a um misquote i
297
00:20:23,720 –> 00:20:31,659
should have the one that those
who love the truth who he does
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00:20:31,659 –> 00:20:35,724
truth comes to the light someone
out here where am i supposed to
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00:20:35,724 –> 00:20:45,766
be oh am i looking at the wrong
oh you’re right i’ve been
300
00:20:45,766 –> 00:20:52,060
putting off getting glasses for
so long all right let’s begin in
301
00:20:52,060 –> 00:20:56,960
verse 18 he that believeth on
christ is not condemned but he
302
00:20:56,960 –> 00:21:00,700
that believeth not is condemned
already because he hath not
303
00:21:00,700 –> 00:21:05,040
believed in the name of the only
begotten son of god and this is
304
00:21:05,040 –> 00:21:08,360
the condemnation that light has
come into the world and men love
305
00:21:08,360 –> 00:21:10,700
darkness rather than light
because their deeds were evil
306
00:21:10,700 –> 00:21:14,013
and everyone that does evil
hates the light neither comes to
307
00:21:14,013 –> 00:21:18,038
the light lest his deeds should
be revered reproved but he that
308
00:21:18,038 –> 00:21:22,634
doeth truth comes to the light
that his deeds may be made
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00:21:22,634 –> 00:21:26,930
manifest that they are wrought
in christ in god so there’s a
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00:21:26,930 –> 00:21:30,100
beautiful statement isn’t it
about our relationship to truth
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00:21:30,100 –> 00:21:36,568
as disciples we want to come to
the truth so our deeds are made
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00:21:36,568 –> 00:21:41,168
manifest but those who do evil
will not come to the light they
313
00:21:41,168 –> 00:21:44,300
will not come to the scriptures
they will not come to god
314
00:21:44,300 –> 00:21:48,080
because evil is in them and they
don’t want it made manifest so
315
00:21:48,080 –> 00:21:51,552
that’s the spirit of truth in
the light of a disciple they
316
00:21:51,552 –> 00:21:55,865
want to know we want to know
where the evil is in our life we
317
00:21:55,865 –> 00:22:00,369
want it to be revealed by our
judge jesus christ we want it to
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00:22:00,369 –> 00:22:05,140
be removed as the spirit of the
disciple all right so we can see
319
00:22:05,140 –> 00:22:08,630
from those passages that truth
is central to our relationship
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00:22:08,630 –> 00:22:13,035
with god our relationship with
christ i’m going to spend a few
321
00:22:13,035 –> 00:22:18,040
minutes now getting a bit deep
all right we could spend a lot
322
00:22:18,040 –> 00:22:24,820
of time on this but there’s a
lot of depth to this idea that
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00:22:24,820 –> 00:22:32,700
god is true just reflect on that
god is truth not only likes to
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00:22:32,700 –> 00:22:40,620
be sometimes is he is inherently
truth and that means that every
325
00:22:40,620 –> 00:22:47,436
single thing he says is true and
he can’t lie he cannot because
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00:22:47,436 –> 00:22:53,700
he is truth so truth is inherent
in everything he does ever now
327
00:22:53,700 –> 00:23:01,039
why is that important because if
you have no truth you only have
328
00:23:01,039 –> 00:23:06,164
chaos this is true in the
material created world god
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00:23:06,164 –> 00:23:11,730
created the world because he
spoke and it was done and it was
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00:23:11,730 –> 00:23:16,508
a manifestation of the truth of
god that’s why we can look
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00:23:16,508 –> 00:23:20,615
that’s why scientists can look
into a universe that’s full of
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00:23:20,615 –> 00:23:24,287
truth that’s why the scientific
method of principle is a
333
00:23:24,287 –> 00:23:27,536
falsifiable hypothesis at the
heart of the process because
334
00:23:27,536 –> 00:23:30,653
there’s a truth that you’re
looking for that’s why they can
335
00:23:30,653 –> 00:23:33,280
assume and look at everything
out and think they will find
336
00:23:33,280 –> 00:23:39,083
structure they will find order
they will find they will find
337
00:23:39,083 –> 00:23:46,352
truthfulness in it is it true is
it not true is it right or not
338
00:23:46,352 –> 00:23:51,132
right is at the heart of the
entire creation of the father so
339
00:23:51,132 –> 00:23:56,182
without god being true nothing
nothing can exist nothing think
340
00:23:56,182 –> 00:24:02,748
about this if there’s no truth
we cannot know anything because
341
00:24:02,748 –> 00:24:08,112
there’s no truth to know
knowledge is about something
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00:24:08,112 –> 00:24:15,264
that’s true if there’s no truth
we cannot believe in anything we
343
00:24:15,264 –> 00:24:20,665
cannot have the concept of faith
you know it’s fascinating that
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00:24:20,665 –> 00:24:24,315
all the philosophers going back
to the greeks and probably
345
00:24:24,315 –> 00:24:28,695
earlier one of their big
conundrums was a do i exist how
346
00:24:28,695 –> 00:24:34,485
do i know what’s true can i
believe in anything god is truth
347
00:24:34,485 –> 00:24:42,350
is the foundation of the created
universe as a manifestation of
348
00:24:42,350 –> 00:24:50,215
his order and without it there
is only chaos without god
349
00:24:50,215 –> 00:24:58,070
nothing can exist because he’s
true we cannot have faith we
350
00:24:58,070 –> 00:25:04,712
cannot believe unless he’s true
so god is true so god is true is
351
00:25:04,712 –> 00:25:08,804
the foundation of everything so
if god is true where did lying
352
00:25:08,804 –> 00:25:13,237
come from well we know don’t we
and put this on screen john
353
00:25:13,237 –> 00:25:18,604
chapter 8 44 this is where lies
entered the world this is where
354
00:25:18,604 –> 00:25:23,812
god said lies or untruth came
into the world john chapter 8
355
00:25:23,812 –> 00:25:27,730
verse 44 as christ is having an
exchange with those around him
356
00:25:27,730 –> 00:25:31,080
he’s saying whose father whose
descendant are you from and this
357
00:25:31,080 –> 00:25:35,640
is what he says to them he says
you are of the father of the
358
00:25:35,640 –> 00:25:39,580
diabolos and your will is to do
your father’s desires he was a
359
00:25:39,580 –> 00:25:42,880
murderer from the beginning and
does not stand in the truth
360
00:25:42,880 –> 00:25:47,072
because no truth is in him and
when he lies he speaks out of
361
00:25:47,072 –> 00:25:51,055
his own character for he’s a
liar and the father of lies and
362
00:25:51,055 –> 00:25:55,786
that’s from the esb because it
gives the sense of the character
363
00:25:55,786 –> 00:26:00,514
of the diabolos it’s untruthful
there’s no truth in him it’s the
364
00:26:00,514 –> 00:26:06,255
opposite of god in which there
is no lie no untruth there is no
365
00:26:06,255 –> 00:26:11,958
truth in the diabolos he is the
father of lies and the first
366
00:26:11,958 –> 00:26:17,652
liar so what is the first lie
well it’s beautiful isn’t it in
367
00:26:17,652 –> 00:26:22,890
a simplicity we all know this
let’s remind ourselves of it so
368
00:26:22,890 –> 00:26:27,230
precise and beautiful and
profound in its simplicity as is
369
00:26:27,230 –> 00:26:32,472
everything that god ever does
the serpent said to the woman
370
00:26:32,472 –> 00:26:39,116
you shall not surely die the
first lie the father of all lies
371
00:26:39,116 –> 00:26:45,269
if you think about because it
says that there is no
372
00:26:45,269 –> 00:26:51,930
consequence for sin and god is a
liar and it entered the world
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00:26:51,930 –> 00:26:56,649
brothers and sisters in the
beginning and it is not of god
374
00:26:56,649 –> 00:27:02,436
and there is no truth in it
there is a consequence for sin
375
00:27:02,436 –> 00:27:07,490
and that’s one of the
fundamental messages of the book
376
00:27:07,490 –> 00:27:12,908
of proverbs there is consequence
evil there is consequence good
377
00:27:12,908 –> 00:27:19,701
there are choices to make and
god is true he is no liar so
378
00:27:19,701 –> 00:27:24,636
that’s the origination of all
lying and deceit in the world
379
00:27:24,636 –> 00:27:29,800
around us today it began in the
beginning what we’re going to do
380
00:27:29,800 –> 00:27:33,908
now is we’re going to do a
biblical speed read of lying in
381
00:27:33,908 –> 00:27:37,701
the scripture and we’re going to
use the epistle of john so
382
00:27:37,701 –> 00:27:41,232
hopefully you will be all
familiar with every one of these
383
00:27:41,232 –> 00:27:45,151
lies and i did all this before
even knowing that the epistle of
384
00:27:45,151 –> 00:27:47,758
john was going to be a other
consideration this week all
385
00:27:47,758 –> 00:27:50,436
right so i’m going to race
through these very quickly but
386
00:27:50,436 –> 00:27:54,535
you’ll see john sets out i’m
sure as you know a series of
387
00:27:54,535 –> 00:27:58,630
lies but it gives us a lot of
insight into how god thinks
388
00:27:58,630 –> 00:28:03,450
about lying and what lying is it
goes far beyond the concept of a
389
00:28:03,450 –> 00:28:06,591
statement the statement’s not
true there’s an intention to
390
00:28:06,591 –> 00:28:10,713
deceive and the person receives
it it goes to a much higher
391
00:28:10,713 –> 00:28:15,428
level that god is true and in
him there’s no lie there is no
392
00:28:15,428 –> 00:28:19,220
darkness at all so let’s speed
read these first one john i’ll
393
00:28:19,220 –> 00:28:23,470
put them on screen first john 1
5 16 i’ve tried to highlight the
394
00:28:23,470 –> 00:28:27,136
actual lie in blue we lie when
we say we’re in fellowship with
395
00:28:27,136 –> 00:28:30,299
christ but our walk does not
match that statement this then
396
00:28:30,299 –> 00:28:33,800
is the message which we’ve heard
with him and declared to you
397
00:28:33,800 –> 00:28:37,989
that god is light and in him is
no darkness at all he’s true
398
00:28:37,989 –> 00:28:42,165
there’s no lie no untruth in him
and if we say we have fellowship
399
00:28:42,165 –> 00:28:46,016
with him i’m in fellowship but
we walk in darkness we lie and
400
00:28:46,016 –> 00:28:50,710
do not the truth so we lie when
we say we’re in fellowship with
401
00:28:50,710 –> 00:28:54,626
christ but our walk does not
match that statement first john
402
00:28:54,626 –> 00:28:59,984
chapter 1 verse 8 to 9 we lie
when we justify ourselves if we
403
00:28:59,984 –> 00:29:05,235
say we have no sin there’s our
lie the untrue statement i have
404
00:29:05,235 –> 00:29:10,930
no sin it’s a lie we deceive
ourselves and the truth is not
405
00:29:10,930 –> 00:29:15,271
in us but if we confess our sins
is faithful and just to forgive
406
00:29:15,271 –> 00:29:17,998
us our sins and to cleanse us
from all right unrighteousness
407
00:29:17,998 –> 00:29:21,976
so we lie when we justify
ourselves first john chapter 2
408
00:29:21,976 –> 00:29:28,440
verse 3 to 4 we lie when we say
i know christ but we don’t do
409
00:29:28,440 –> 00:29:33,480
what he asks us to hereby we
know that we know him if we keep
410
00:29:33,480 –> 00:29:37,185
his commandments he that says i
know him there’s the lie and
411
00:29:37,185 –> 00:29:42,180
keeps not his commandments is a
liar the truth is not in him
412
00:29:42,180 –> 00:29:49,369
first john chapter 2 verse 21 22
we lie when we deny doctrinal
413
00:29:49,369 –> 00:29:54,290
truth i have not written unto
you because you know not the
414
00:29:54,290 –> 00:29:57,440
truth but because you know it no
lie is of the truth who is a
415
00:29:57,440 –> 00:30:01,103
liar but he that denieth that
jesus is the christ he is the
416
00:30:01,103 –> 00:30:04,796
antichrist that denies the
father and the son so the untrue
417
00:30:04,796 –> 00:30:09,614
statement is that jesus is not
the christ that’s connected of
418
00:30:09,614 –> 00:30:13,395
course the second john chapter
one verse seven many deceivers
419
00:30:13,395 –> 00:30:16,902
are entered the world who are
confessed that jesus not that
420
00:30:16,902 –> 00:30:20,503
jesus christ has come in the
flesh this is a deceiver and an
421
00:30:20,503 –> 00:30:24,015
antichrist i’m sure as you know
what john is referring to was
422
00:30:24,015 –> 00:30:27,525
this evolving concept here that
jesus christ wasn’t really human
423
00:30:27,525 –> 00:30:31,317
he was only divine he just
looked like a human he was
424
00:30:31,317 –> 00:30:34,510
really spirit there was no
humanness to him he didn’t come
425
00:30:34,510 –> 00:30:39,036
in the flesh and of course that
lie destroys the atonement
426
00:30:39,036 –> 00:30:45,208
because if jesus christ does not
come in the flesh then he cannot
427
00:30:45,208 –> 00:30:53,369
die and declare that god is
right so that’s a lie and
428
00:30:53,369 –> 00:31:00,258
finally in first john chapter 4
verse 20 we lie when we say we
429
00:31:00,258 –> 00:31:06,016
love god but we behave badly
towards others if a man say i
430
00:31:06,016 –> 00:31:13,478
love god there’s the lie and
hates his brother he is a liar i
431
00:31:13,478 –> 00:31:20,555
said that was the last one but i
lied first john chapter 1 verse
432
00:31:20,555 –> 00:31:25,805
10 to 5 these are a little bit
more tricky but i think there’s
433
00:31:25,805 –> 00:31:29,600
some fantastic insight in this
if we don’t believe something
434
00:31:29,600 –> 00:31:34,056
that god says is true we’re
saying he’s a liar that’s
435
00:31:34,056 –> 00:31:38,735
because he said something and we
believe we’re saying it’s not
436
00:31:38,735 –> 00:31:42,556
true and so we’re saying he’s a
liar so first john chapter 1
437
00:31:42,556 –> 00:31:48,290
verse 10 if we say we have not
sinned we make him a liar why
438
00:31:48,290 –> 00:31:51,788
because god says we have sinned
so if we say we haven’t we’re
439
00:31:51,788 –> 00:31:55,947
saying that what he said is not
true so he must be a liar first
440
00:31:55,947 –> 00:32:02,152
john chapter 5 verse 10 he that
believes not god has made him a
441
00:32:02,152 –> 00:32:06,520
liar because he believeth not
the record that god gave of his
442
00:32:06,520 –> 00:32:13,142
son oh is that an expansion of
the concept he that believeth
443
00:32:13,142 –> 00:32:20,756
not god makes him a liar now
we’re being told that unbelief
444
00:32:20,756 –> 00:32:27,860
of a true statement or position
of god is making god a liar
445
00:32:27,860 –> 00:32:35,125
because god said it is true and
we don’t believe it so we must
446
00:32:35,125 –> 00:32:39,936
be saying that what he said is
untrue and we follow the next
447
00:32:39,936 –> 00:32:44,505
step of the logic but god is
true so if we say god is not
448
00:32:44,505 –> 00:32:48,835
true when he is who is the liar
that extends it very insistent
449
00:32:48,835 –> 00:32:55,200
to say that whenever we fail to
believe to have faith we are
450
00:32:55,200 –> 00:33:00,250
stating that god is a liar
that’s the implications of first
451
00:33:00,250 –> 00:33:05,221
john chapter 5 this concept
becomes much more pervasive
452
00:33:05,221 –> 00:33:10,650
doesn’t it now you know in 2nd
thessalonians chapter 2 verse 8
453
00:33:10,650 –> 00:33:14,559
to 12 beautifully built around
the terminology and the picture
454
00:33:14,559 –> 00:33:18,100
and the archetype of the evil
man of the book of proverbs this
455
00:33:18,100 –> 00:33:22,580
man of sin the wicked one the
evil one who would be revealed
456
00:33:22,580 –> 00:33:27,050
his inherent characteristic is
lying wonders deceivableness
457
00:33:27,050 –> 00:33:31,880
unrighteousness because they
receive not a love of the truth
458
00:33:31,880 –> 00:33:36,072
that they might be saved love of
what truth that they might be
459
00:33:36,072 –> 00:33:42,480
saved well a love of the truth
of the salvation in jesus christ
460
00:33:42,480 –> 00:33:46,035
what is that well it’s what we
call the atonement isn’t it and
461
00:33:46,035 –> 00:33:49,300
what’s the atonement well it’s
two halves it’s death and life
462
00:33:49,300 –> 00:33:56,036
and says acts in connection to
the other we are reconciled by
463
00:33:56,036 –> 00:34:00,410
death we are saved much more by
life so it’s a more powerful
464
00:34:00,410 –> 00:34:03,300
transcending principle but you
can’t have it without the death
465
00:34:03,300 –> 00:34:09,447
and in the death of christ we
declare what god is right he is
466
00:34:09,447 –> 00:34:17,889
true and they could not accept
that and so it’s the spirit of
467
00:34:17,889 –> 00:34:22,300
the wicked one in the book of
thessalonians and for this cause
468
00:34:22,300 –> 00:34:27,125
verse 11 god shall send them a
strong delusion and they will
469
00:34:27,125 –> 00:34:31,014
believe a lie what lie well the
lie of john that jesus christ
470
00:34:31,014 –> 00:34:35,547
did not come in the flesh he’s
divine only christ is god and
471
00:34:35,547 –> 00:34:39,985
they destroy the whole principle
of the atonement because now
472
00:34:39,985 –> 00:34:45,867
jesus christ cannot declare the
righteousness truth of god and
473
00:34:45,867 –> 00:34:50,487
so they would all be condemned
to believe not that truth but
474
00:34:50,487 –> 00:34:56,620
had pleasure in unrighteousness
so we’ve covered a lot so let’s
475
00:34:56,620 –> 00:35:00,989
just summarize what we’ve seen
is that god’s definition of
476
00:35:00,989 –> 00:35:06,576
lying and deceit is a much more
extensive one it’s based on the
477
00:35:06,576 –> 00:35:12,800
essential idea that god is true
and it’s absolute in every sense
478
00:35:12,800 –> 00:35:19,620
material moral everything he
says and does is truth and a lie
479
00:35:19,620 –> 00:35:24,116
is anything that is not true as
defined that way morally or
480
00:35:24,116 –> 00:35:30,216
materially by god it’s untruth
in all of its forms and it’s the
481
00:35:30,216 –> 00:35:33,780
defining characteristic of the
diabolos the serpent human
482
00:35:33,780 –> 00:35:39,940
nature and there’s no truth in
that nature it’s the defining
483
00:35:39,940 –> 00:35:43,368
characteristic of the evil man
and the strange woman in the
484
00:35:43,368 –> 00:35:48,720
book of proverbs and it’s the
father of all lies the statement
485
00:35:48,720 –> 00:35:53,840
thou shalt not die there is no
consequence for sin runs right
486
00:35:53,840 –> 00:35:57,644
through and if you stop and
think about it that all of those
487
00:35:57,644 –> 00:36:01,634
couplets are saying the
consequence of evil and that
488
00:36:01,634 –> 00:36:08,316
choice is death it’s a
restatement of the truth of
489
00:36:08,316 –> 00:36:12,660
genesis over and over and over
again through all the couplets
490
00:36:12,660 –> 00:36:17,250
and the proverbs there is a
consequence for sin thou shalt
491
00:36:17,250 –> 00:36:23,220
surely die is the essence of the
knowledge and understanding and
492
00:36:23,220 –> 00:36:27,120
wisdom to discern good and evil
that we’re presented with in the
493
00:36:27,120 –> 00:36:31,240
book of proverbs so it unlocks
the book of proverbs with it
494
00:36:31,240 –> 00:36:35,580
tells us that truth is at its
centre at the discernment of
495
00:36:35,580 –> 00:36:39,980
good and evil God is true it’s
at the centre of the principles
496
00:36:39,980 –> 00:36:45,680
of justice and righteousness God
is true it’s at the centre of
497
00:36:45,680 –> 00:36:50,860
judgement deceit and lying is
the core characteristic of sin
498
00:36:50,860 –> 00:36:53,880
from the beginning and that’s
why the book of proverbs so
499
00:36:53,880 –> 00:36:58,500
spends so much time there as the
father explains to the son and
500
00:36:58,500 –> 00:37:03,420
the lord Jesus Christ and to us
all the characteristics of the
501
00:37:03,420 –> 00:37:07,930
evil man and the strange woman
their deceit their lies and
502
00:37:07,930 –> 00:37:12,525
presents to us the way of good
the way of the path the tree of
503
00:37:12,525 –> 00:37:18,432
life the way of truth alright
well there’s our definition of
504
00:37:18,432 –> 00:37:21,560
the concept of truth I want to
spend a few moments now thinking
505
00:37:21,560 –> 00:37:26,820
about our underlying problem
with deceit and lying you know
506
00:37:26,820 –> 00:37:30,560
one of the impacts on me of this
study is to find out I’m much
507
00:37:30,560 –> 00:37:35,560
more deceitful and much more of
a liar than I ever believed so I
508
00:37:35,560 –> 00:37:39,990
want to spend a few minutes you
know the drill now we’re going
509
00:37:39,990 –> 00:37:44,720
to seek a bit of wise counsel so
what we’re going to break into
510
00:37:44,720 –> 00:37:47,580
is groups of two or three and
see if we can keep two or three
511
00:37:47,580 –> 00:37:51,080
so the dynamics work well and
we’re going to ask these
512
00:37:51,080 –> 00:37:57,880
questions what do we lie about
who do we lie to why do we lie
513
00:37:57,880 –> 00:38:01,260
so I’ll give you about seven
minutes to think through those
514
00:38:01,260 –> 00:38:05,240
and to share insights and
collective wisdom wise counsel
515
00:38:05,240 –> 00:38:09,476
about our problem collectively
with truth and honesty what do
516
00:38:09,476 –> 00:38:12,928
we lie about who do we lie to
why do we lie I’ll give you
517
00:38:12,928 –> 00:38:29,310
seven minutes all right sorry to
interrupt I have to confess a
518
00:38:29,310 –> 00:38:35,195
lie I said I’d give you seven
minutes and it’s now nine I
519
00:38:35,195 –> 00:38:39,780
should have said I’ll give you
approximately seven I will try
520
00:38:39,780 –> 00:38:43,630
to give you seven but I said I
will give you seven and I have
521
00:38:43,630 –> 00:38:49,944
not see how easy it is to lie
all right now I’d love to be
522
00:38:49,944 –> 00:38:53,187
able to spend 20 minutes of the
whiteboard and get all of that
523
00:38:53,187 –> 00:38:56,214
up but we don’t have any time so
I’m going to share with you
524
00:38:56,214 –> 00:38:58,920
again some of the collective
wisdom of other brethren sisters
525
00:38:58,920 –> 00:39:01,754
who’ve done that for the
exercise this is some of the
526
00:39:01,754 –> 00:39:07,660
reasons why we lie or deceive to
gain approval and acceptance of
527
00:39:07,660 –> 00:39:11,240
others so once again if you have
some that aren’t here and
528
00:39:11,240 –> 00:39:13,496
they’re really important come
and give them to me later I’d
529
00:39:13,496 –> 00:39:17,372
love to have them we lie and
deceive to gain some personal
530
00:39:17,372 –> 00:39:24,300
benefit of some form some sort
we can lie to avoid a
531
00:39:24,300 –> 00:39:29,660
consequence to avoid shame or
embarrassment we can lie to hurt
532
00:39:29,660 –> 00:39:34,470
someone we may lie to try and
protect someone we may lie to
533
00:39:34,470 –> 00:39:39,460
avoid facing reality we might
lie to avoid a conflict we might
534
00:39:39,460 –> 00:39:43,987
just lie out of habit we might
lie to gain control of someone
535
00:39:43,987 –> 00:39:46,850
else and there’ll be other
reasons many others but these
536
00:39:46,850 –> 00:39:51,214
are some of the top ones and if
we put that into our context of
537
00:39:51,214 –> 00:39:57,160
our identities we lie to
ourselves we create a vision and
538
00:39:57,160 –> 00:40:02,090
a picture of ourselves out of
pride and we imagine we’re
539
00:40:02,090 –> 00:40:07,272
something we are not but we also
lie to ourselves we can lie to
540
00:40:07,272 –> 00:40:10,727
ourselves and tell us that we’re
hopeless of no value nobody
541
00:40:10,727 –> 00:40:17,660
likes us we’re stupid I have an
example of that I thought I was
542
00:40:17,660 –> 00:40:20,507
terrible at mathematics as a
child because I never learnt my
543
00:40:20,507 –> 00:40:23,927
time stables and I still don’t
know them but I’ve learnt to add
544
00:40:23,927 –> 00:40:27,775
up really fast in my head I
worked out later it’s because I
545
00:40:27,775 –> 00:40:30,140
learned by having structured
information if you just make me
546
00:40:30,140 –> 00:40:33,300
wrote learn I cannot remember
stuff but if there’s a context
547
00:40:33,300 –> 00:40:38,240
and a framework concept I can
get it and it wasn’t it wasn’t
548
00:40:38,240 –> 00:40:42,607
until well into around about
fifth form so 15 I genuinely
549
00:40:42,607 –> 00:40:46,600
thought I was quite stupid at
mathematics because everybody
550
00:40:46,600 –> 00:40:50,507
around me told me at primary
school nobody wanted me in their
551
00:40:50,507 –> 00:40:54,180
group because you remember those
it all line up and the first
552
00:40:54,180 –> 00:40:58,456
four there’d be four times seven
I don’t know and whoever called
553
00:40:58,456 –> 00:41:01,017
it out first got a point for
their team and you went to the
554
00:41:01,017 –> 00:41:05,288
back and nobody wanted me in
their team I was stupid and I
555
00:41:05,288 –> 00:41:09,200
was told that so I came to have
a self belief that I was useless
556
00:41:09,200 –> 00:41:12,570
at it cut a long story short it
was somewhere around the fifth
557
00:41:12,570 –> 00:41:16,060
form and all the pennies dropped
I got into things and my marks
558
00:41:16,060 –> 00:41:21,090
went from about 30% to about 90%
and I went I actually are good
559
00:41:21,090 –> 00:41:25,110
at this but for almost all my
life to that point I laboured
560
00:41:25,110 –> 00:41:27,820
the impression because other
people had told me I was stupid
561
00:41:27,820 –> 00:41:32,110
it was a lie so we can lie to
ourselves about who we are in a
562
00:41:32,110 –> 00:41:34,994
negative way we can lie to
ourselves about who we are in
563
00:41:34,994 –> 00:41:38,880
regards to we’re much greater
than we actually are we can lie
564
00:41:38,880 –> 00:41:42,507
to others because we want them
to believe something about us we
565
00:41:42,507 –> 00:41:45,500
create impressions because we
want them to think something
566
00:41:45,500 –> 00:41:49,380
about us but the question we’ve
got to ask from this is who are
567
00:41:49,380 –> 00:41:54,080
we really from God’s perspective
and I’ve concluded I don’t know
568
00:41:54,080 –> 00:42:00,610
I can’t even evaluate myself so
we’ve got to come before the
569
00:42:00,610 –> 00:42:03,500
righteous judge before the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
570
00:42:03,500 –> 00:42:09,320
and say chasten me correct me
show me whether there’s any
571
00:42:09,320 –> 00:42:12,880
unclean or evil thing in me
cleanse me of it is the spirit
572
00:42:12,880 –> 00:42:16,720
we need we need to focus on
God’s perspective the only one
573
00:42:16,720 –> 00:42:21,970
that matters so how do we
overcome excuse me overcome
574
00:42:21,970 –> 00:42:32,400
lying and deceit well the
scriptures tell us put it off
575
00:42:32,400 –> 00:42:37,615
Colossians chapter 3 verse 9 and
10 lying has to do with the old
576
00:42:37,615 –> 00:42:40,685
man that we put off when we
became baptized into Jesus
577
00:42:40,685 –> 00:42:44,720
Christ when we put on the new
man lie not to one another he
578
00:42:44,720 –> 00:42:48,008
says in Colossians 3 verse 9
seeing that you’ve put off the
579
00:42:48,008 –> 00:42:52,880
old man with his deeds lying was
a characteristic of the old evil
580
00:42:52,880 –> 00:42:57,000
man and we put it off at our
baptism and we put on the new
581
00:42:57,000 –> 00:43:01,240
man Christ and are renewed in
that knowledge after the image
582
00:43:01,240 –> 00:43:06,300
of the one who created him who
is true we need to put it off
583
00:43:06,300 –> 00:43:08,580
bring the sisters that’s what we
said we’d do at our baptism
584
00:43:08,580 –> 00:43:12,740
we’ve got to stop pretending you
know the Lord said this
585
00:43:12,740 –> 00:43:16,255
incredible thing in Matthew
chapter 5 verse 33 to 37 in
586
00:43:16,255 –> 00:43:20,615
regards to the practice of
swearing an oath now swearing an
587
00:43:20,615 –> 00:43:23,332
oath of chaos is an inherent
thing about truthfulness are you
588
00:43:23,332 –> 00:43:25,705
telling the truth or not telling
the truth can I believe you or
589
00:43:25,705 –> 00:43:28,765
not believe you and of course
the bigger oath and the greater
590
00:43:28,765 –> 00:43:32,140
being or entity or thing and the
gold in the temple would that
591
00:43:32,140 –> 00:43:36,180
the temple itself might be the
biggest thing I’ll swear on that
592
00:43:36,180 –> 00:43:38,940
so you know I’m telling the
truth and Christ says stop it
593
00:43:38,940 –> 00:43:43,400
stop all that pretense he says
let your communications be yes
594
00:43:43,400 –> 00:43:50,320
yes and no no because whatever
is more of these comes of evil
595
00:43:50,320 –> 00:43:57,000
see the echo of Proverbs keep it
simple and the Lord in brilliant
596
00:43:57,000 –> 00:44:02,060
precisis says think about
honesty in terms of the very
597
00:44:02,060 –> 00:44:07,967
first statement of truth and
error yes it is true no it is
598
00:44:07,967 –> 00:44:14,280
false let your communication be
simple and clear yes and no
599
00:44:14,280 –> 00:44:20,120
because when you complicate it
beyond that then evil comes this
600
00:44:20,120 –> 00:44:24,620
one makes me squirm so I’m going
to share it with you and I’ve
601
00:44:24,620 –> 00:44:28,300
framed it in terms of myself
what about good intentions so
602
00:44:28,300 –> 00:44:31,180
imagine this scenario you’re
there you come to me and you say
603
00:44:31,180 –> 00:44:35,320
Simon I want you to do something
in two weeks time and I say yeah
604
00:44:35,320 –> 00:44:39,020
I’ll do that and you go away
thinking great Simon’s going to
605
00:44:39,020 –> 00:44:41,580
do it he’s going to do it on
time it’s going to be good
606
00:44:41,580 –> 00:44:44,674
quality it’s going to meet the
expectations that we agreed and
607
00:44:44,674 –> 00:44:48,520
two weeks later you come to me
and say have you done that thing
608
00:44:48,520 –> 00:44:52,010
and I go oh I’m busy look I’ll
get on to it I’ll be there give
609
00:44:52,010 –> 00:44:55,080
me a week and I say you go yeah
okay Simon I’ll give you a week
610
00:44:55,080 –> 00:44:57,680
but only a week and you come
back in a week’s time and you
611
00:44:57,680 –> 00:45:00,740
say is it done I’m so really
busy I will have it done in a
612
00:45:00,740 –> 00:45:04,480
week’s time and I finally
deliver it to you not what we
613
00:45:04,480 –> 00:45:10,115
agreed over time poor quality
and I say here it is I want to
614
00:45:10,115 –> 00:45:16,720
ask the question what are you
thinking about Simon now can I
615
00:45:16,720 –> 00:45:21,980
trust Simon but you know you’re
all nice people so you’re
616
00:45:21,980 –> 00:45:24,630
probably thinking look I don’t
know what’s going on Simon’s
617
00:45:24,630 –> 00:45:27,620
life I’ll give him the benefit
of the doubt maybe maybe there
618
00:45:27,620 –> 00:45:32,730
was just some urgency things and
that’s okay and so you do it a
619
00:45:32,730 –> 00:45:34,760
second time you come to Simon
you ask him to do something you
620
00:45:34,760 –> 00:45:40,700
have the same experience what
are you thinking now can’t trust
621
00:45:40,700 –> 00:45:47,000
him he’s not true so you see
this gets pretty close to the
622
00:45:47,000 –> 00:45:51,020
bone doesn’t it about the truth
of God this is why Christ says
623
00:45:51,020 –> 00:45:54,100
and you can see the principle of
integrity and diligence through
624
00:45:54,100 –> 00:45:59,514
the book of Proverbs we say it
we mean it and we do it now of
625
00:45:59,514 –> 00:46:02,700
course what if something did
happen in my life and it all
626
00:46:02,700 –> 00:46:05,127
fell apart and I couldn’t
deliver it and I came back to
627
00:46:05,127 –> 00:46:09,700
you and I said I can’t do it
what would you say you’re nice
628
00:46:09,700 –> 00:46:13,134
you go it’s okay I understand
get someone else to do it but
629
00:46:13,134 –> 00:46:17,820
you’d still trust me wouldn’t
you so see how important it is
630
00:46:17,820 –> 00:46:22,120
this is truth in interactions
with each other Ecclesiastes
631
00:46:22,120 –> 00:46:26,300
chapter 5 verse 4 says when you
vow vow to God defer not to pay
632
00:46:26,300 –> 00:46:30,520
it he has no pleasure in fools
pay that which thou hast vowed
633
00:46:30,520 –> 00:46:35,330
see this is truth and practice
in our life we need to stop
634
00:46:35,330 –> 00:46:39,060
looking for status we all know
the Ananias and Sapphira story
635
00:46:39,060 –> 00:46:42,420
we’ve taught it to Sunday school
kids it’s a brilliant story
636
00:46:42,420 –> 00:46:48,000
because we can say to them
you’re not lying to men you’re
637
00:46:48,000 –> 00:46:54,180
lying to God but of course the
whole lie of Ananias and
638
00:46:54,180 –> 00:46:58,460
Sapphira was a status one
Barnabas just gave a whole lot
639
00:46:58,460 –> 00:47:02,180
of money other brethren and
sisters are doing this oh I want
640
00:47:02,180 –> 00:47:05,280
to be like that I sold a
possession get back part of the
641
00:47:05,280 –> 00:47:09,690
price put it there and project a
lie an impression an image that
642
00:47:09,690 –> 00:47:15,990
this is true and immediately in
Acts chapter 5 verse 4 Peter
643
00:47:15,990 –> 00:47:20,840
says why have you conceived this
thing in your heart you’ve not
644
00:47:20,840 –> 00:47:25,200
lied to men but unto God and of
course later on when Sapphira
645
00:47:25,200 –> 00:47:29,020
turns up he asks the question
verse 9 how was it that you’ve
646
00:47:29,020 –> 00:47:32,530
agreed or he says did you spend
or did you sell the land for so
647
00:47:32,530 –> 00:47:36,040
much in verse 8 and she says yes
for so much so she lies and
648
00:47:36,040 –> 00:47:39,010
Peter said to her how is it
you’ve agreed together to but
649
00:47:39,010 –> 00:47:44,180
listen to this test the spirit
of God the spirit of the Lord
650
00:47:44,180 –> 00:47:49,310
because God’s true and it’s an
abomination to him it’s
651
00:47:49,310 –> 00:47:53,940
disgusting when he sees a lie
because what were they really
652
00:47:53,940 –> 00:48:01,600
saying God cannot see I can lie
to my brethren and sisters and
653
00:48:01,600 –> 00:48:05,160
create an impression God cannot
see we need to stop looking for
654
00:48:05,160 –> 00:48:09,960
status as one of the drivers of
our lives or the lauderdale
655
00:48:09,960 –> 00:48:12,680
problem have you seen that
there’s a lie at the centre of
656
00:48:12,680 –> 00:48:17,510
it which is why the Lord says in
Revelation 3 verse 14 to 17 he
657
00:48:17,510 –> 00:48:23,600
uses the title the amen the true
the faithful the true witness I
658
00:48:23,600 –> 00:48:29,060
know your works you’re neither
cold nor hot you’re not yes or
659
00:48:29,060 –> 00:48:33,610
no you’re not yea or nay so then
because they are lukewarm and
660
00:48:33,610 –> 00:48:36,220
neither cold nor hot I’ll spew
you out of my mouth I’ll find
661
00:48:36,220 –> 00:48:40,840
you an abomination disgusting
because you say I am rich and
662
00:48:40,840 –> 00:48:43,400
increased with goods and have
need of nothing and you have a
663
00:48:43,400 –> 00:48:48,550
self perception of yourself but
really this is how God sees you
664
00:48:48,550 –> 00:48:52,900
you’re wretched and miserable
and poor and blind and naked and
665
00:48:52,900 –> 00:48:55,360
of course that’s the problem of
materialism isn’t it brethren
666
00:48:55,360 –> 00:48:58,880
sisters it creates a false
impression that God’s blessed us
667
00:48:58,880 –> 00:49:02,960
and we are all of these things
and we’re blinded to the truth
668
00:49:02,960 –> 00:49:09,380
do you know confession is
inherently a truth concept it’s
669
00:49:09,380 –> 00:49:14,240
a truth saying first on chapter
1 verse 8 if we say we have no
670
00:49:14,240 –> 00:49:18,447
sin we deceive ourselves and the
truth is not in us but if we
671
00:49:18,447 –> 00:49:24,700
confess now what is confession
it’s a statement about the truth
672
00:49:24,700 –> 00:49:31,407
of our position before God and I
love this title this phrase if
673
00:49:31,407 –> 00:49:37,080
we confess our sins if we state
the truth about our sins he is
674
00:49:37,080 –> 00:49:47,420
faithful and just to forgive us
see our Lord Jesus Christ is our
675
00:49:47,420 –> 00:49:54,470
judge he’s faithful he’s just he
perceives good and evil he’s
676
00:49:54,470 –> 00:50:00,570
perfect and he is our judge and
we come to him to confess our
677
00:50:00,570 –> 00:50:05,280
sins and he’s faithful and just
to forgive us and cleanse us
678
00:50:05,280 –> 00:50:11,100
from all unrighteousness so
living the truth brothers and
679
00:50:11,100 –> 00:50:14,710
sisters means we need to come to
the light the word of God his
680
00:50:14,710 –> 00:50:17,240
knowledge is wisdom and
understanding is the sermon of
681
00:50:17,240 –> 00:50:23,760
good and evil to see with our
deeds our truth we need to
682
00:50:23,760 –> 00:50:30,240
confess and admit that God is
true and we are sinners we need
683
00:50:30,240 –> 00:50:33,040
to create a habit of
truthfulness in our life and
684
00:50:33,040 –> 00:50:35,730
break all the habits of deceit
that we’ve learnt from two years
685
00:50:35,730 –> 00:50:39,960
old we need to practice truth as
a way of life we need to model
686
00:50:39,960 –> 00:50:44,980
it to our children and train our
children to be true and not lie
687
00:50:44,980 –> 00:50:49,400
we’ve got to be tellers of truth
we’ve got to think in truth and
688
00:50:49,400 –> 00:50:53,980
we’ve got to understand the
immense power not of two but of
689
00:50:53,980 –> 00:50:58,690
the words that we speak I don’t
know why it says two there the
690
00:50:58,690 –> 00:51:05,590
immense power of the words that
we speak the influence and
691
00:51:05,590 –> 00:51:10,280
impact they have on others so
that our communication is true
692
00:51:10,280 –> 00:51:16,480
we need to in Ephesians 4 24 to
25 and I’ve got this from the
693
00:51:16,480 –> 00:51:19,980
new King James put us a little
bit of clarity to it we need to
694
00:51:19,980 –> 00:51:24,220
put on the new man we put off
the old man with the lying
695
00:51:24,220 –> 00:51:29,160
deceit the new man created
according to God and true
696
00:51:29,160 –> 00:51:37,100
righteousness and holiness and
put away lying and speak one of
697
00:51:37,100 –> 00:51:42,280
us and each one of us speak
truth to our neighbor because we
698
00:51:42,280 –> 00:51:47,760
are members of one another
truthfulness honesty and a
699
00:51:47,760 –> 00:51:51,780
culture of truth and honesty at
the heart of an ecclesia is
700
00:51:51,780 –> 00:51:57,380
essential to its functioning
Ephesians chapter 4 verse 15 we
701
00:51:57,380 –> 00:52:03,320
must speak the truth in love
that we may all grow up in all
702
00:52:03,320 –> 00:52:08,410
things which is the head even
Christ speaking the truth to
703
00:52:08,410 –> 00:52:13,740
each other in love so it’s a
high calling isn’t it when we
704
00:52:13,740 –> 00:52:18,920
begin to glimpse the enormity of
the principle that God is true
705
00:52:18,920 –> 00:52:23,920
in him there’s no variableness
or shadow of turning there is no
706
00:52:23,920 –> 00:52:29,990
untruth and so the book of
Proverbs presents to us that
707
00:52:29,990 –> 00:52:33,867
overarching principle and
characteristic of the wise that
708
00:52:33,867 –> 00:52:41,890
they are true they eschew the
evil of untruth of lies and
709
00:52:41,890 –> 00:52:47,580
deceit they love the truth so
I’m going to finish with just
710
00:52:47,580 –> 00:52:52,120
two passages one’s taken from
the epistle of John because all
711
00:52:52,120 –> 00:52:55,800
the conclusions of the book of
Proverbs end up dovetailing with
712
00:52:55,800 –> 00:53:00,940
those of John and I’ll put these
on the screen this really is the
713
00:53:00,940 –> 00:53:05,340
lesson of the book of Proverbs
for us in the words of John all
714
00:53:05,340 –> 00:53:11,540
unrighteousness is sin there is
a sin not unto death but we know
715
00:53:11,540 –> 00:53:18,360
that whoever is the son of God
born of God sinneth not but he
716
00:53:18,360 –> 00:53:23,460
that is begotten of God keepeth
himself and that wicked one the
717
00:53:23,460 –> 00:53:26,780
evil one the wicked one of the
book of Proverbs touches him not
718
00:53:26,780 –> 00:53:32,020
and we know we have the
knowledge that we are of God and
719
00:53:32,020 –> 00:53:37,380
the whole world lies wickedness
we know we have the knowledge
720
00:53:37,380 –> 00:53:42,580
that the son of God has come and
has given us an understanding
721
00:53:42,580 –> 00:53:50,080
that we may know him that is
true and we are in him that is
722
00:53:50,080 –> 00:53:57,250
true even in his son Jesus
Christ this is the true God and
723
00:53:57,250 –> 00:54:04,400
eternal life for without faith
without a belief in the truth of
724
00:54:04,400 –> 00:54:09,380
God it is impossible to please
him for he that comes to God
725
00:54:09,380 –> 00:54:17,740
must believe in the truth that
he is and that he is a rewarder
726
00:54:17,740 –> 00:54:23,930
beyond our wildest imaginations
far beyond what we deserve to
727
00:54:23,930 –> 00:54:43,600
those who diligently see him
because
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