Lying To Save A Life?? part 2

This is the Second Post from Appendix 10 of Friends With God: “Should You Lie To Save A Life?” In the first post in this series we addressed how to possibly answer this question. In this post we explore the ramifications of this question.

What Is The Purpose Of The Question?

If the Gestapo were at the door, would you lie to save the Jews, or Christians, in the basement?

Now obviously this is highly improbable in Australia, or any western country. However, as persecution of Christians is increasing around the world, we need to take this question seriously, as a question like it may not actually be hypothetical in the near future!

Yet, most often, the purpose of such questions is to simply tempt you, and undermine your determination to keep the law of God.

The person asking the question has put you into an extreme circumstance. However, at this moment you may not be ready to answer such a question, simply because you don’t have sufficient knowledge to make an informed decision. Yet they want an answer now. So, you can just say you don’t want to answer such a question as it is hypothetical.

Yet your tempter may respond "it was not hypothetical for those people who hid the Jews in Nazi Germany". True, but we are not in that situation.

Let me ask similarly:

Would you commit adultery to save someone’s life?

Or would you murder five people to save five thousand people?

Or would you curse God to save a nation?

Or would you bow down to an idol to save your own neck?

Or would you answer a fool according to his folly?”

All of these are equally hypothetical situations, some of which were dealt with in the previous post, and have clear real examples in scripture about how they were dealt with.

God does not teach us in his Word by using hypothetical situations, instead he provides us with real life examples, of real people. He does this so that he can then put us in a real-life situation, and observe how we react.

If such an unlikely event were to occur, we may have a greater amount of faith at that time, than we do now, as God has promised not to test us beyond what we can bear. (1Cor 10:13)

In this way he teaches us his truth, and helps us to grow in understanding of how to live his way of life. We may fail, or we may overcome. No matter what, the point is that we need to learn from our experiences, and overcome and grow in understanding.

We can change and overcome, for that is the reason for any trial being given to us; it’s not to condemn us, but to teach us. The issue of God testing us is discussed in detail in this previous post.

Life Is More Complex Than Any Hypothetical Situation

Using a hypothetical situation is more unrealistic than it appears, as such questions are generally presented as simplistic clear-cut alternatives: “You lie you and you save the Jews. You don't lie and they die”.

The reality would be much more complex.

There are at least three options in how you could respond in this situation: tell the truth, tell a lie, or say nothing. However, no matter what you may choose to say, your actions would be determined by your fear, and the immediate circumstances, and most often simply by the first thing that comes into your mind.

If you have determined already in your mind to always rely on God, and ask him for help, then you will most probably rely on what God puts into your mind, as Jesus said

Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” (Luke 12: 11-12)

This scripture is actually God telling you how to handle a hypothetical situation where your loyalty to Christ may be regarded as ‘illegal’ by the governing authorities. Jesus gives us the clear instruction to rely on God to guide you at the time.

But if think you would be too weak and therefore predetermine that you won’t rely on God, then you will be ruled by the situation at the time, and will most probably lie.

Do you actually think that if you were to rely on the Holy Spirit to inspire you, it would encourage you to tell a lie? To disobey the perfect law of liberty?! (James 1:25) It is the truth that makes you free, but if you sin you are the slave of sin. (John 8:31-34)

If you lie you speak not the truth, but you follow Satan, for he is the father of lies. (John 8:44)

If you determine today to rely on the weapons of Satan in the future to help you, then you are today determining not to rely on God, but rather are running away from your hypothetical problems, and in these same hypothetical steps you are today running away from your God, the God of love.

Therefore, it seems foolish to meditate on how to provide a specific answer to any hypothetical problems, but rather we should aim to live today by God’s law of love, and rely on God now, and determine to rely on God in the future, no matter what happens.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be added to you.
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Mat 6:33-34)

Don’t undermine your faith with fears created by worrying about how you would cope in some kind of horrific hypothetical situation. Rather choose life, by focusing on the truth of God’s word, and his way of life, and he will provide for you.

By concentrating on how to sort out complex and difficult hypothetical questions, you are effectively attempting to find weaknesses in the law of God, rather than meditating on how God’s law actually works and what God expects of you now.

If tomorrow you have a problem living within Gods’ law, then judge the situation in its circumstances. And even if you then do judge the situation as being one where you consider that breaking the law is justifiable, do not confuse that situation as being a guide for what you, or anyone else, should do for the rest of your life.

The law is a guide as to what we should do in order to live honourably, and to reflect the way of God to the world. It is the way of life, even if evil people try to use your keeping of it to kill you! Remember there are two ways to live:

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. (Deut 30:19)

Are We Being Arrogant To Say “God Will Protect Us”?

Some say that to claim we would not lie in such a situation is foolish or vain arrogance. Others think, in all humility, that they would not be strong enough to resist lying in difficult situations.

They therefore conclude that to admit that they would most probably lie is more honest, to their way of thinking, than saying they would not lie.

Yet this is oxymoronic, as the definition of an honest person is that they don’t lie!

If you are an “honest and humble” person, then you would have a very strong conviction about your beliefs, such that you would maintain your honesty and not lie when the time came to be tested, rather than assume that you would be weak. Weakness is not meekness. Being meek is to be teachable and willing to obey God who is the great teacher of truth, for God’s word is truth. (John 17:17)

We are told to remember:

God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (1Cor 10:13)

If, however, even before you are actually physically threatened, you choose to lie, (such as in a hypothetical situation) then you really are showing a lack of faith in God. You are not trusting he will actually show you the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

As discussed in the previous post, God allows us to be tempted and tested, and we may even be thrown into a literal fire! God wants to see if you will trust in him to provide the way out.

We need to trust God to provide for us:

for he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. (Heb 13:5-6)

Being bold is not being weak and fearful, it is being courageous and faithful to God. God will grant us this boldness and faith, as he did with the disciples when they were told not to preach Christ:

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto your servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, … And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:29-31)

Can Lying Be An Act Of Mercy Or Humility?

Others claim that lying to save a life may be an act of mercy, and they cite some examples in the Bible of cases where those who told lies were praised for their faith. These biblical examples will be examined in some detail in the next post, but, as you will see, none of them could ever be used to justify lying by a Christian.

Is admitting we would be weak and lie a sign of our humility? Not really, it’s just simple cowardice, as it’s not trusting in God to see you through the difficult times.

God expects us to overcome in order to be given eternal life, not to be a coward and full of fear and do whatever seems expedient:

He who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son. But the fearful (cowardly), and the unbelieving (faithless), and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will have their part in the lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. (Rev 21:7-8)

If you choose to lie as your way of life, you are showing how afraid you are of God- afraid that he will not provide for you in time of trouble. David was not a coward, because he relied upon God, and was thus able to say:

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil. (Psalm 23:4)

There is a way which involves no fear:

In this is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, that as He is, so also we are in this world. (we follow Jesus’ example) There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment. He who fears has not been perfected in love. (1John 4:17-18)

God expects our love to be perfect: be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect. (Matt 5:48)

We are also told that it’s impossible for God to lie. (Heb 6:18) We therefore should not lie either, if we are to be like our Father in Heaven.

Children Of The Devil

By believing that lying is acceptable in some situations, then you play the Devils game, for he is the father of lies. When Jesus was having a big argument with the Pharisees, he told them who their father was:

You do the deeds of your father. Then they (the Pharisees) said to Him, We are not born of fornication; we have one father, even God.

Jesus said to them, If God were your father, you would love Me, for I went forth and came from God; for I did not come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not know My speech? Because you cannot hear My Word.

You are of the Devil your father, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.

And because I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me. (John 8:41-47)

If we rely on lies to get us out of trouble, we rely on Satan’s way, and because of that we are also unable to hear the words of God!

In the next post in this series we will examine some of the other possible ramifications of lying to get out of difficult situations.