Foreword:
The following exerpt is taken from The Ten
Commandments by Arthur W. Pink
(BAKER BOOK HOUSE, 1994 GRAND RAPIDS, MI)
In this blog series I will work through this very important article a paragraph at a time – asking my reader comprehension style questions at the end. I have been much convicted by the writings of Pink and I pray your walk will also be strengthened meditating on his teaching of scripture …
THE NINTH COMMANDMENT PART II
Negatively, this ninth commandment forbids all false and injurious speeches respecting our neighbor; positively, it inculcates the conservation of truth. "The end of this Precept is that because God, who is Truth itself, execrates a lie, we ought to preserve the truth without the least disguise" (Calvin). Veracity is the strict observance of truth in all our communications. The importance and necessity of this appears from the fact that almost all that mankind knows is derived from communications. The value of those statements which we accept from others depends entirely on their verity and accuracy. If they are false, they are worthless, misleading, and evil. Veracity is not only a virtue, but it is also the root of all other virtues and the foundation of all right character. In Scripture, therefore, "truth" is often synonymous with "righteousness." The godly man is "he that speaketh truth in his heart" (Psa. 15:2). The man that "doeth truth" (John 3:21) has discharged his duty. It is by the truth that the Holy Spirit sanctifies the soul (John 17:17) .
The positive form of this ninth commandment is found in these words: "Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour" (Zech. 8:16). Thus the first sin prohibited therein is that of lying. Now a lie, properly speaking, consists of three elements or ingredients: speaking what is not true; deliberately doing so; and doing so with an intent to deceive. Every falsehood is not a lie; we may be misinformed or deceived and sincerely think we are stating facts, and consequently have no design of misleading others. On the other hand, we may speak that which is true and yet lie in so doing, as in the following examples: we might report what is true, yet believe it to be false and utter it with an intention to deceive; or we might report the figurative words of another and pretend he meant them literally, as was the case with those who bore false witness against Christ (Matt. 26:60). The worst form of lying (between men) is when we maliciously invent a falsehood for the purpose of damaging the reputation of our neighbour, which is what is more especially in view in the terms of the ninth commandment.
1)Do you agree with Pink’s assertion that a lie consists of three elements or ingredients: speaking what is not true; deliberately doing so; and doing so with an intent to deceive? Should we add a fourth category – doing so in order to commit evil. To aid your thinking on this, consider the following three scenarios:
- a 1940s German who is hiding a Jewish family in her loft is asked by the police if there is anybody else in the house with her and she say no.
- the woman Rahab who hid the Israelite spies in her home in Jericho and misled the soldiers who came to arrest them.
- Or what of Christ himself – we find the following in John 7 - “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do...You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee. However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.
2) Following the idea in question 1) is it appropriate to lie in order to save others from injury or death or to love others. Do parents tell many little lies to their children simply because the truth is harmful for a young mind (for example saying that granny is sleeping rather than dead, or even saying that granny is definitely now with Jesus even though it was clear to the adults that she had no real faith, or that mummy and daddy sometimes close and lock their bedroom door because they need a proper sleep in the afternoon.) In other words – is all mistruth always sinful? What about the placebo effect for example or a parent saying that “this is not going to hurt” or “it will be better tomorrow”?
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