____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ November 17, 1991 ____________________________________________________ The Problem of Lying by Dee Bowman I preached this last Lord's Day on the problem of lying. I believe it to be one of the most prevalent and damaging problems in the lives of not only the world, but Christians as well. It has become epidemic. It is in our private relationships, our families, our social lives, our business practices. It's everywhere--at school, at the golf course, at the PTA meeting, even in the church. Coincidentally, The Houston Post, in its June 4 issue, carried a review of The Day America Told the Truth, a new book by J. Walter Thompson Advertising Exec., Peter Kim and his associate James Patterson. It is an astonishing look at the morals of our people. The picture is not pretty. For instance: -- 91% of Americans lie regularly -- 63% of American men and 52% of American women have lied to protect themselves. -- 40% of the people interviewed admitted to having lied on job applications. -- 62% think there's nothing morally wrong with the affairs they're having. And get this: 13% of the people have had an affair with a fellow worker. And 26% have shoplifted. What a sad description of our times! How deplorable that people have such little regard for truth, such little respect for morality. Can you believe that? A lie is a false statement deliberately presented as being true; something meant to deceive or give a wrong impression. And we all have trouble with that at various times, some chronically. My Dad once spoke of a man who ``would lie for a check when he could get cash for telling the truth.'' Why do people lie? Sometimes it's done to deceive (Psalms 50:19); sometimes to shirk responsibilities (Luke 14:18, An excuse is not a reason, it's a lie); sometimes out of fear (Matt. 26:69-74, Peter's denial). And sometimes it's done to hurt someone (Gen. 39:14-17, Potiphar's wife); or to get gain (Acts 5:1-10, Ananias and Sapphira). And yes, there is such a thing as a religious lie (1 Tim. 4:12; Rom. 1:25). 2 Cor. 11:13-15 is an apt description of those televangelists who have duped people in this age by making claims of inspiration or having powers like those of the apostles'. They have charmed old ladies out of fortunes, talked the ignorant and superstitious out of their life savings, while they live in houses with gold-plated faucets or carry on illicit relationships with prostitutes. This is religion? Some lies are hard to detect. Self righteousness, for instance, looks good on the surface, but is no more than a subtle lie, an impression created to deceive (Matthew 27:27-28). One of the worst forms of lying--and very subtle--is the innuendo. It is a rather indirect implication or impression which often takes the form of an insinuation. In fact, the word is from the Latin innuere, ``to nod to.'' Some of us nod just at the right time to leave a wrong or derogatory impression. And one of the worst forms of the same is to not stand up for a friend when you know what is being said is not so. Dereliction in such instances is no different than a blatant lie. I see entirely too much of this among brethren! There are other forms of subtle lies: To appear to be more than you are. To discredit someone who has been praised. To transfer suspicion. To procreate gossip. To get ahead in line. And that most subtle of lies, self-deception, lying to yourself about yourself. The end of all liars is predicted. Lying is repulsive to God (Prov. 16:16). He warns against it (Eph. 4:25; Col. 3:9; 1 Pet. 3:10). He will punish all liars (Prov. 19:5; Rev. 21:27). Make no mistake about it, God will deal with all liars, those who make lies and those who proliferate them. No one is immune. The problem is huge, greater than most of us realize. Let every man examine himself and take care about lying. Let every person be impressed with the value of truth. And let us teach our children that all lies are sin. ___________________________________________ A Power-Filled Life From God by Tom Edwards Many of today's contrivances have a need for power: cars, jets, planes, trains, refrigerators, microwave ovens, computers--just to name a few. Even man himself needs energy for his physical body, so he must eat and drink to acquire this nutrition. More important than our temporary house of flesh, however, is our eternal spirit. It, too, must be nourished; but with a food of a much higher nature. As Jesus declares in John 4:34, ''...My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.'' And corresponding to this is the Lord's earlier statement in Matthew 4:4 that ''...Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'' It is, therefore, God's word that we must feast upon in order to grow thereby. Concerning the Lord's ability while on earth to miraculously make people well, Luke 5:17 says, ``Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the POWER of the Lord was present to heal them'' (emphasis mine). Here, the term ``power'' comes from the Greek word ``dunamis,'' from which our English word ``dynamite'' has evolved. Apparently, this was a power that the Lord was very much aware of, for according to Mark 5:30, He could sense it: ``And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that POWER had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, `Who touched My clothes?''' (emphasis mine) Christ experienced this when the woman who had a twelve-year hemorrhage had touched the hem of His garment, believing that if she would, she would be cured of her infirmity. The Lord could feel this portion of power that had left Him in order to enter this woman and heal her. Though the King James Version renders this Greek word as ``virtue,'' it is from the same Greek word ``dunamis'' and is translated as ``power'' in five other versions that I have. Interestingly, this same Greek word is also used in Romans 1:16 wherein Paul states, ``For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the POWER of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek'' (emphasis mine). Though God's power was formerly manifested through His wondrous miracles, today it is found within the wonder-working power of the Gospel. If we want to have this power in our lives then we must have the Lord's word dwelling in our hearts. As Jesus Himself testifies, ``Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see [spiritual] death'' (John 8:51). Yes, there is much POWER in the word of God; this particular Greek word is used at least 121 times in the New Testament. The Gospel can, therefore, give us the power to accomplish many things. As Paul states in Philippians 4:13, ``I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.'' We can further note that there is another Greek word that appears to be closely related to ``dunamis''; it is the word ``dunamai,'' and it is translated in the King James Version as ``is able,'' ``can,'' ``which is able,'' ``could,'' ``might,'' ``mayest,'' ``shall be able,'' and ``were possible.'' Consider the following passages where this Greek word is used: Hebrews 2:16, ``For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He IS ABLE to aid those who are tempted.'' Jude 1:24, ``Now to Him who IS ABLE to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.'' This same Greek word that is used with reference to God's ability to help the Christian overcome sin and temptation is also used with regard to the Christian as well; this can be seen in the following verses: Ephesians 6:11, ``Put on the whole armour of God, that you MAY BE ABLE to stand against the wiles of the Devil.'' (This is how the Christian can have God's power in his life--by making himself well equipped with the gospel.) Ephesians 6:13, ``Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you MAY BE ABLE to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.'' Ephesians 6:16, ``above all, taking the shield of faith with which you WILL BE ABLE to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.'' This Greek word is used at least 210 times in the New Testament; and, according to these passages, the one who prepares himself with the armor of God and the shield of faith (which is through adherence to the Gospel) can have a sureness that he has the power to overcome sin and temptation. Yes, there is a powerful and a positive message in God's word that can make one dynamic in his service to the Lord if one will believe and obey that rejuvenating message. May we who are Christians strive to increase the power of God in our own individual lives and also in the lives of our brethren, for this power will have no end. ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________