presents
the "Let's Talk About" series
presents
Let's talk about LYING.
The Bible says: "You must not lie."
Have you ever made up a story that is not true?
Have you told the story to other people for fun or to entertain them?
An untrue story that is told for fun or entertainment is called a fantasy.
It is OK to tell fantasies to other people. However, you must remember that the fantasy is not true. You must also make sure that the other people know it is not true.
Have you ever told someone something that you believed was true, and then found out that it was not true?
If you do not tell the truth because you do not know the truth, you are making a mistake.
No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. Thus, you should not feel badly when you, by mistake, do not tell the truth.
Have you ever purposely told someone something that was not true? When you do this you are not telling a fantasy. You are not making a mistake. You are lying.
Lying is trying to make another person believe something that is not true. It is deliberately deceiving or fooling someone.
Lying is not a good thing to do. When you lie, you disappoint other people. You cause them to wonder if you ever tell the truth.
You cause them to stop trusting you.
When people do not trust you, they may not believe you even when you are really telling the truth.
This is not good. There are times when you need to have people believe you.
Thus, you should not lie.
Some people tell lies with their actions.
Your actions may make a person believe something that is not true. You might deceive someone by acting in a certain way. When you do this, you are lying.
Some people tell lies with their silence.
Your silence may make a person believe something that is not true. You might deceive a person by not saying anything.
When you do this, you are lying.
Some people tell lies with their words.
Your words may make a person believe something that is not true. You might deceive a person by saying something that is not true.
When you do this, you are lying.
People usually find out when you lie to them.
When people find out that you have lied to them, do not make things worse by telling more lies.
When you have lied, make things better by telling the truth.
Admit that you have lied.
Say: "I lied to you."
After you admit that you have lied, say that you are sorry.
After you say that you are sorry for lying, do everything you can do to make up for what you have done wrong.
Then try not to tell any more lies.
If you want people to believe and trust you, you must not lie to them.
A Bible example of someone who LIED
Many of the early Christians sold their possessions and gave all the money raised to help others in need. Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of property they owned. However when they were paid they decided to keep some of the money but deceive others into thinking they had given it all to God.
Peter saw through their deceit and confronted Ananias. "How is it that Satan has got you to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep some of the money for yourselves?" he asked.
"It was your money to do with as you wanted but why did you lie and say you had given it all? You have not only lied to us but also to God."
When Ananias heard this he fell to the ground and died. Some young men wrapped up his body, carried him out and buried him.
The very same thing happened to his wife Sapphira a few hours later. And the whole church was shocked as they realized how serious God was about lying.
