Deceiving Others

Deceiving Others

Deceiving others – is it okay? What if it is to your advantage? Is it then okay? Or, what about deceiving because you don’t want your friend to get hurt? We easily justify ourselves in deceiving others. Most people deceive to cover themselves and to gain advantage.

People deceive agencies in order to get more money from the government. Many deceive by not charging or paying HST. Others deceive by giving another mailing address to an auto insurance company in order to have cheaper insurance for their car. Cheating is not only a form of stealing but also deceiving another. We live in a society of deceivers. A married man has an affair with another woman, keeping it a secret. Deception is a way of life for many. One lie soon has to be covered with another lie and another. Soon we are living so many lies that life becomes one big lie.

But your friend says, “Everyone does it. As long as no one knows, it’s okay.” that begs the question, “Does that make deceiving right?” When you deceive you are hiding behind a mask. You hide the truth from others, from your wife or your children, but there is One who always sees. He knows me because He made me. God always sees me and knows me. God uses some very strong words in the Bible, “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.” What God says matters more!

We need another covering. I am not suggesting we cover our lies with more lies. Justifying ourselves or making excuses won’t cover either. The covering we need, God provides in Christ. God justifies us through faith in Christ, forgiving our bad record and changing our heart by His Holy Spirit. Then we begin to understand God’s will in His commandment not to bear false witness against our neighbor. His will is that “I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one’s words, not gossip or slander . .. I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind . . . I should love the truth, speak it candidly, openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor’s good name.” [from an instruction guide called the Heidelberg Catechism].

This way of life is so freeing! We have nothing to hide and those “who deal truthfully are His delight!”