REALLIFE STUDY GROUP
"The
Truth About Lying!"
ICEBREAKER:
Name one way you can tell when somebody is lying.
INTRODUCTION:
It's interesting to note that we all hate liars or when people lie to us but we
ironically all have lied or not been totally honest at some point in our lives.
God is the Spirit of Truth and is actually very serious about how He feels
about liars and lying. This lesson explains the dangers of lying. (1) Lying
often destroys the reputation of good innocent people. (2) It is almost impossible
to tell one lie without being in a position to have to tell another lie. (3)
Liars often get so caught up in their own lies they lose the ability to be
intellectually honest. In other words, they actually begin to believe their own
lies. (4) God requires a strict penalty for liars who do not repent and accept
the shed blood of Jesus. (5) Lying often is the beginning of the end of great
relationship.
(6) Lying is the product of many other
sins as an attempt to cover up wrongdoing.
CONFESSION:
I choose to buy the truth and sell it
not!
I choose to be a vessel of honor
filled only with the truth
I choose to never lie for personal
gain
I choose to never lie to manipulate
others
I choose to walk away from
conversations that are filled with falsehood
I choose to never lie to hurt others
or damage their reputation
DEFINITION: Lying: Sheqer
(Hebrew)
1.
lie, deception, disappointment,
falsehood
a.
deception (what deceives or
disappoints or betrays one)
b. deceit,
fraud, wrong
i. fraudulently,
wrongfully (as adverb)
c.
falsehood (injurious in
testimony)
i. testify
falsehood, false oath, swear falsely
d. falsity
(of false or self-deceived prophets)
e.
lie, falsehood (in general)
i. false
tongue
f.
in vain
STATISTICS: Lying seems to be a way of life for many
people. We lie at the drop of a hat. The book “The Day America Told the Truth”
says that 91 percent of those surveyed lie routinely about matters they
consider trivial, and 36 percent lie about important matters; 86 percent lie
regularly to parents, 75 percent to friends, 73 percent to siblings, and 69
percent to spouses.
A USA Today poll found that only 56%
of Americans teach honesty to their children. And a Louis Harris poll turned up
the distressing fact that 65% of high school students would cheat on an
important exam. Recently a noted physician appeared on a network news-and-talk
show and proclaimed, "Lying is an important part of social life, and
children who are unable to do it are children who may have developmental
problems."
OUTLINE: According
To God’s Word, A Man Is A Liar When….
1.
He loves “lying rather than to
speak righteousness” (Psalm 52:3).
2.
He displays a prideful attitude
(Psalm 59:12).
3.
He speaks with “A lying tongue
against the righteous” (Psalm 109:2).
4.
He hates someone and “pretends”
he doesn’t (Proverbs 10:18).
5.
He attains ill-gotten wealth
(Proverbs 21:6).
6.
He beguiles others with lying
flattery (Proverbs 26:24-28).
7.
He refuses to “hear the law of
the Lord” (Isaiah 30:9).
8.
He takes advantage of the poor
(Isaiah 32:7).
9.
He apostatizes from the Lord’s
teaching (Isaiah 59:12, 13).
10. He
“trusts in lying words” (Jeremiah 7:8-10).
11. He
speaks lying words and says, “It’s by the Lord’s authority”
(Jeremiah
29:23)
12. He
prepares “lying and corrupt words” (Daniel 2:9).
13. He
“observes lying vanities” (Jonah 2:8).
14. He makes
an “alliance” with Satan (2 Thessalonians 2:8-10; cf.
John
8:44; 1 John 3:8).
15. He
“walks” in falsehood (Micah 2:11).
16. He lies
to the Holy Spirit and to God (Acts 5:3-4).
17. He lies
to another person (Colossians 3:9).
18. He is a
hypocrite (1 Timothy 4:2)
19. He lies
against God’s Truth (James 3:14).
20. He
“walks in darkness” (1 John 1:6).
21. He says,
“we have no sin” (1 John 1:8).
If we say that we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8 KJV)
LIARS
IN THE BIBLE
·
The devil
o Genesis
3:4
·
Cain
o Genesis
4:9
·
Sarah
o Genesis
18:15
·
Jacob
o Genesis
27:19
·
Joseph's brethren
o Genesis
37:31,32
·
Gibeonites
o Joshua
9:9-13
·
Samson
o Judges
16:10
·
Saul
o 1
Samuel 15:13
·
Michal
o 1
Samuel 19:14
·
David
o 1
Samuel 21:2
·
Prophet of Bethel
o 1
Kings 13:18
·
Gehazi
o 2
Kings 5:22
·
Job's friends
o Job
13:4
·
Ninevites
o Nahum
3:1
·
Peter
o Matthew
26:72
·
Ananias
o Acts
5:5
FACTS
ABOUT LYING
1.
God
Hates Liars: Proverbs 6:16-19 (In a list of seven
things God despises, it is interesting that two of them have to do with lying.)
2.
Lying
Hurts Others: Genesis 39:13-20 (When Potipher's wife lied about Joseph, it destroyed his good
name. Lying about others hurts them beyond measure. We can guard against theft,
but we can't stop people from lying about us.)
3.
Lying
Makes Things Worse: 2 Samuel 11:1-27 (David tried
to use deceit to cover his sin. First he sought Uriah, then he got Uriah drunk,
finally, he had Uriah killed. Every effort to deceive only made the situation
worse.)
4.
God
Condemns Lying: Acts 5:1-10 (Ananias and Sapphira were not condemned for keeping part of the money.
They were condemned for lying. Though their lie was before men, in God's eyes,
lying to our fellow man equals lying to God.)
5.
Unrepentant
Liars Go To Hell: Revelation 21:8 (If you
persist in lying, it can cost you your salvation.)
6.
Being
Deceitful Is The Same As Lying:
Proverbs 24:28; Proverbs 26:18-19 (In God's eyes, being deceitful is the same
as lying. You may say something that is technically true, but in such a way to
mislead. That is still a lie.) Genesis 20:1-12 (Abraham tried to deceive Abimelech. He told him Sarah was his sister. This was
technically true, she was his half-sister. It was still part of an effort to
deceive, therefore, it was dishonest.) Genesis 26:6-7 (Isaac later told the
same kind of lie. As far as I can tell, it wasn't a half-truth. Rebekah was not
his sister. Isaac copied his father, only his lie was more blatant. Others
learn by watching you.)
TEXT:
Ephesians
4:25, "Wherefore putting away lying,
speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are
members one of another."
Colossians
3:9, "Lie
not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his
deeds;"
1
John 4:20, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love
God whom he hath not seen?"
Revelation
21:8, "…and all liars,
shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire
and brimstone:"
STUDY
GROUP QUESTIONS:
1.
Tell us one of the most
damaging lies that the enemy tries to tell us.
2.
Give one reason why people lie.
3.
How do you buy the truth and
sell it not?
4.
How did your parents deal with
you if you lied when you were growing up?
5.
Why is lying so dangerous?
6.
Why do people think they can
get away with lying?
7.
Name someone in the Bible that
lied.
8.
Describe how a lie has affected
your life.
PRAISE
REPORTS & PRAYER REQUESTS:
ACTION
POINT: This week every morning I will ask
the Spirit of Truth to help me to walk honestly before The Lord.