Do you inform the rapist who breaks into your home where your wife or daughter is? Or alert the robber where to find your valuables? If you’re captured by the enemy when you’re in the military, do you put your brothers in arms at risk? Do you betray your country? These are great questions.
God Tells Us Not to Lie
Without a doubt, God tells us not to lie. We’re no longer under Moses’ Law (Hebrews 7:11-12, et al.), but one of the Ten Commandments tells us not to bear false witness. We’re also told, as believers, not to lie to one another:
“Do not lie one to another, since you have put off the old nature with its deeds” (Colossians 3:9).
Yet, Bible personalities have lied to protect the innocent, to deceive our enemies, and even to advance God’s purposes:
- The Hebrew midwives in Egypt lied to Pharaoh to protect the male Hebrew infants:
- “The king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you … preserved the male children’s lives?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives come to them.” Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty” (Exodus 1:18-20).
- Rahab hid the Jewish spies and told their seekers they had left the city (Joshua 2:2-6).
- God allowed a lying spirit to deceive wicked King Ahab:
- “The Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab so that he will go up and die at Ramoth Gilead?’
- “And one said this, and another said that. Then a spirit came forth and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will persuade him. ‘The Lord said to him, ‘How?’ “And he said, ‘I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And He said, ‘You will be successful and persuade him. Go forth, and do so” (1 Kings 22:20-22).
God Can’t Lie
God hasn’t told these lies; God can’t lie. He never needs to. He’s all-powerful and no one can ask Him what He’s doing:
“In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began” (Titus 1:2),
But this world isn’t ruled by a righteous ruler, at least not yet. Within God’s boundaries, God has allowed Satan’s (unrighteous) rule to play out. Even since Adam sinned, Satan has been the god of this world:
“The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Every lie will be evil when Jesus rules in His Davidic Kingdom on earth. But that’s when all laws and their enforcement are truth. He will rule in absolute righteousness:
“Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with justice and with righteousness, from now until forever” (Isaiah 9:6).
Be True to Our Word
These are exceptions to the rule! We must reflect God’s character by being true to our word. It’s never okay to deny our Lord. But it’s important to know that there may be circumstances that require a lie to protect the Greater Good:
When the rapist asks for your wife, daughter, or any potential victim.
Pray that God may protect us from any of these situations!
