The Ten Commandments – Nine

How many of us have been hurt by someone telling a lie about us? Someone can devastate your reputation by telling – or posting – a single falsehood about you. Even if it is not true and you can prove it, the word goes into people's minds and they may always associate you with that falsehood. Some may wonder if there isn't some truth in it. God addresses this in the ninth commandment. It says: Exodus 20: 16 (NIV): You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

Notice God didn't say you shall not lie. This commandment is more specific than that. This commandment deals with harming someone's reputation. Is it okay to lie, then? The reason we don't lie is because God never lies and our aim is to be like him. Satan is the father of lies and we don't want to be like him. Half-truths have been called whole-lies, too, so we don't want to go there either. Those who “love and practice falsehood” will not be in heaven, according to Revelation 22:15, but this commandment is talking specifically about harming someone's reputation with a lie.

These commandments build the foundation of civil society. If our culture would only follow these ten rules, we would live in utopia. And the only path to civilized human interaction is an honest and level playing field. The word testimony reminds us of words spoken on the witness stand in a court room. This means we are not to lie about someone who is on trial. It is a standard for fairness and honesty.

Jesus said we would answer for every careless word we speak (Matthew 12:36). The context of his saying this was when the religious leaders were accusing him of getting his power from Satan. Jesus said our words show what's in our hearts.

Paul says in Galatians 5 to be careful not to bite and devour each other or we may destroy each other. Paul knew then what you and I know today, that sticks and stones may break our bones, but words can really hurt us. God knows it too and strictly forbids it.