Calling Stop Speaking Falsehoods

 Calling

Stop Speaking Falsehoods

Falsehoods

You find them everywhere.

Even in silence!

The last 8 verses of Ephesians 4 get very practical.

There are at least 6 things,

we must do on a daily bases

 to walk worthy of our calling.

The first in this series is:

 “Put off falsehoods and speak truthfully to each other.”

This is a nice way of saying, “Don’t lie!”

Nobody wants to be called a liar.

The Bible in Revelations 21:8 says,

liars have their place in the lake of fire.

The problem is lying is so easy.

Most of us don’t even realize we do it and do it a lot.

Take for example two people

who have cared a lot for each other.

This could be a husband and wife

or brothers or just good friends.

Now you don’t lie to those you are close to…

Or do we?

Let’s say a husband and wife are going to church.

The wife wants to look her best

and is having a bad hair day.

She takes a little more time than she

should and is making them late.

The husband is one of those types

of guys that is always on time;

in fact likes to be early.

He is waiting in the car; and

when the wife gets in the car,

the mood feels a little cool.

She asks if everything is alright?

Inside he is upset, but he says, “Ya!”

She is not sure, and asks

 again if everything is ok?

He at this point says,

“Yes, and if you ask me again,

it won’t be.”

Even silence can be a lie.

We do it more than we think.

There are sometimes we are better to keep silent

until we can properly address a situation.

So maybe the answer is letting the other person know

you are working through some things

and need a little quiet time to do so.

Walking worthy of our calling

is not giving someone the silent treatment.

Scripture Reading

 Ephesians 4:25-32 NIV

25 Therefore each of you

must put off falsehood

and speak truthfully to his neighbor,

for we are all members of one body.

26 "In your anger do not sin":

Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer,

but must work, doing something useful with his own hands,

that he may have something to share with those in need.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,

but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs,

that it may benefit those who listen.

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,

with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger,

brawling and slander,

along with every form of malice.

32 Be kind and compassionate to one another,

forgiving each other,

just as in Christ God forgave you.

 

Revelation 21:8 NIV

 8 But the cowardly,

the unbelieving,

the vile,

the murderers,

the sexually immoral,

those who practice magic arts,

the idolaters

and all liars

 — their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

This is the second death."