Proverbs 14:5
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A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.
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Is this proverb too simple for your time? You can grasp its obvious meaning with a single reading. But have you considered the less obvious importance of faithfulness, honesty, and truth? We must take Solomon's dark saying and open it to the light of Holy Scripture and the Holy Spirit. Let every reader be gripped by the importance of perfect faithfulness.
Faithful men (or women) are rare. David said, "Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men" (Ps 12:1). Solomon asked, "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?" (20:6).
Jeremiah said, "Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it" (Jer 5:1). Micah added, "The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net" (Micah 7:2).
It is no different today; in fact, it may be worse, even among so-called Christians. For the character of carnal Christianity, which makes for perilous times, includes trucebreakers, false accusers, and traitors, among other sins (II Tim 3:1-5). Let us rather follow Paul in carefully providing things honest in the sight of all men (Rom 12:17; II Cor 8:21).
The world watches Christians, so you must be impeccably honest at all times to silence their accusations (I Pet 2:12; 3:16). Paul commanded you to even avoid the appearance of evil (I Thess 5:22). Honesty is the only policy! Is your word always as pure as gold?
God hates lying (6:16-19). Of seven things God hates, two of them are lying. There will be no liars in heaven, for they will all be in the lake of fire (Rev 21:8,27; 22:15). He is a God of truth, and He despises false witnesses (Ex 20:16). If a man gave false witness in Israel, he would be judged with whatever punishment was at stake (Deut 19:16-21).
Reader, do you have perfect integrity? Do you always tell the truth? Can all men totally trust your every word? You must hate exaggeration. When asked about your activities, you must be open and complete. When asked about others, you must honestly represent them. When truth will hurt, you tell it anyway! Are you the faithful man so hard to find?
Jesus is the Faithful and True Witness (Rev 3:14). He is called Faithful and True (Rev 19:11). Men falsely accused Him on trial (Mark 14:56-60); they hated Him for His honesty (Is 53:9). His true disciples will be as perfectly honest (John 1:47; Rev 14:5).
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