THE DANGER OF LYING AND DECEIT

Dear reader, today's world is filled with many who engage in lying and deceit for a living. Such folks tell lies at the slightest calling and engage in deceits of all kinds no matter who they are involved with.

They tell lies at home, at school, at work, in business, in social gatherings and even in the Church of God Almighty!

You see people who are quick to tell you that Church is Church and business is business, which by their own interpretation means the truth should only be told in Church and not in business. How sad and unfortunate!

When He addressed the Pharisees for not believing in Him and His Gospel message of salvation, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ referred to satan or the devil as their (Pharisees’) father and father of lies and deceit.

It is written in John 8:42-44, Jesus said to them (Pharisees), "If God really were your Father, you would love Me, because I come from God and now I am here. I did not come on My own authority, but He sent Me.

Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to listen to My message. You are children of your father, the devil, and you want to follow your father's desires. From the very beginning, he was a murderer and has never been on the side of truth, because there is no truth in him.

When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies."

Dear friend, what this simply means is that anyone who is engaged in telling lies and deceiving people in whatever guise is a child of satan or the devil and if such person dies without repenting and accepting Jesus Christ, such people would end up for ETERNITY in hell fire with satan his or her father as punishment for the sin of lying and deceit.

As you now understand, there is no excuse whatsoever for anyone to engage in telling lies to deceive another person, to hurt the person and cause pain.

Let us consider some Sacred Scripture verses on lying and deceit to see what God the Father Almighty says about it:

Proverbs 20:17 What you get by dishonesty you may enjoy like the finest food, but sooner or later it will be like a mouthful of sand.

Proverbs 6:16-19, There are seven things that the Lord hates and cannot tolerate: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocent people, a mind that thinks up wicked plans, feet that hurry off to do evil, a witness who tells one lie after another, and a man who stirs up trouble among friends.

Psalm 101:7 God says, "No liar will live in my palace; no hypocrite will remain in my presence."

Proverbs 26:28, You have to hate someone to want to hurt him with lies. Insincere talk brings nothing but ruin.

Romans 16:18, “For those who do such things are not serving Christ our Lord, but their own appetites. By their fine words, they deceive innocent people."

Dear friend, you can see from the last Scripture quote that even in the House of God, the Body of Christ or Church, we are warned not to listen to teachings or any preacher whose teachings are contrary to what the Word of God clearly states.

An example is where some preachers today teach that there is no Baptism of the Holy Ghost. Some teach that there is nothing wrong in masturbation, tattoos, abortion, pornography and even same sex marriages.

The Word of God clearly teaches against these things and any preacher who teaches such deceit and anyone who believes such and practises it, both the preacher and the believer in wrong doctrine will end up with their father satan FOREVER in hell fire if they die without repenting.

Dear friend, we can only deceive man but certainly not God who ALONE knows, sees and hears EVERYTHING and nothing can escape His attention (Jeremiah 23:23-24).

The ONLY way to break out of this sinful habit of lying and deceit is by repenting sincerely of it, accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as Master and Saviour of one's life and asking the Holy Spirit of God to guide and teach one the things about God (1 John 2:27).

There is no way to a life free from all sin and having peace without Jesus Christ. Anyone who preaches and teaches otherwise is lying and deceiving you. Jesus is the only way to eternal life here on earth and once one departs this world.

I urge you dear friend, to accept Jesus Christ today and your life will be transformed by the renewing of your mind in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

God bless you as you heed His Word today, accept it, act on it and share with others in Jesus' Precious Name, Amen.

Gabriel Ama.