“To Tell the Truth” was a TV program in the 1950s that was hugely successful, lasting for 12 seasons and airing over a thousand episodes.  In 2016 it was revived with Anthony Anderson hosting the show.  The show itself entails a panel of judges who attempt to guess who among three contestants is being truthful about their real identity.  The show is built upon lying, though it really is not as bad as that sounds.  The contestants are just pretending, and everyone knows it.  They also know, including the two pretenders, that by the end of the show the truth will be told.

In real life, lying is not a game that should be played, though, sadly, it is just as popular of a practice in real life as it is on “To Tell the Truth.”  This world is filled with liars and God hates it.

Proverbs 6:16-17 (ESV)
¹⁶  There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: ¹⁷  haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood…

When the Bible says that God hates something, the wise man will do all within his power to avoid it.  Sadly, our society today is becoming more and more a community of liars.  The world today believes that lying is okay as long as the situation calls for it.  Businessmen lie and say, “it’s okay because it is just a part of the job.”  Lawyers lie and say, “I must do all that I can for my client.”  Politicians lie and say, “I need the votes so that I can do a good job for my constituency.”  Lying is an acceptable practice deemed, in many situations, to be a necessary part of life.

A survey was once taken by a news organization to determine the percentage of people who lied or were dishonest about things. Here are some of the questions asked on the survey:

Do you cheat on your Income Tax Return?  Do you compliment people when you really don’t mean it?  Do you tell “little white lies” if it will keep you out of trouble?  Do you tell creditors that “the check is in the mail” when you have not yet mailed it?  Do you exaggerate in repeating things you have heard?

The results of this survey determined that 90% of Americans are not truthful under certain circumstances.  Are we among that number as Christians?  Have we given in to the temptation to lie once in a while?  Let us remember, not only that God hates lies, but that lying is of the devil.

John 8:44 (ESV)
⁴⁴  You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

When we lie, we are imitating Satan.  This is no new problem.  The first century church was plagued by it as well (Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 3:9-10).

To tell the truth, lying will cause us to lose our souls (Revelation 21:8).  We should all hate what God hates and He hates a lying tongue.  Let’s do our best to always tell the truth.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.