The Truth about Lying

[Originally published January 28, 2026]

Mark Twain once quipped, "When in doubt tell the truth. It will confound your enemies and astound your friends." Sadly, countless people today do not follow his simple words of wisdom because we live in a culture of lies. Fraudulent financial schemes, a proliferation of internet scams, the fixing of sports games by athletes, and political scandals exemplify this fact. We seek for truth, trust, and truth-telling, but find instead falsity, distrust, and lies. The current cultural malaise of falsehood begs a question: What ought Christians to be and do to infuse culture with truth, trust, and truth telling?

"Truth" means “the character of being, or disposition to be, true to a person, principle, or cause.” Synonyms include faithfulness, loyalty, and steadfast allegiance. The concept has become quite woolly in meaning because its antonyms, such as lying, deceitfulness, or evasion, have been replaced with less disapproving creations such as “white lies” and “black lies." In our current culture, judgments about such lies are based upon the context of a lie and who is affected.

On the one hand, we tell a white lie when we falsely claim that someone looks “great” in a dress, avoid attending a party by claiming we are “under the weather,” or hide the truth about a surprise. Such lies have become justifiable because they spare another person’s feelings, avoid embarrassment, or even ensure that a party or present remains a secret. I recall one of my children telling the white lie that no cookies had been consumed before supper when the evidence was plainly obvious in her teeth! We chuckled a bit, but knew how quickly "innocent" lies can lead to deadly falsehood. A black lie, on the other hand, causes harm or is told to avoid the consequences of and responsibility for what we have done. Such untruths, for example, involve defrauding investors of savings or falsifying expense reports. One wonders what reasons there are for the erosion of truth and truth telling.

Shifting winds. Governments withhold the truth at times to achieve political objectives or protect national interests. Recent killings by Federal officials in Minnesota have elicited widespread accusations of government coverups. Doctors will, at times, hold back the full truth from some patients to spare them undue suffering. Some people claim, in these cases, that those who possess special knowledge and power, because of their positions, are obliged to tell the entire truth. Furthermore, sometimes a desire within medicine to maximize desired “good” consequences for the many leads to a withholding of the full truth from a patient(s) (cf. Tuskegee syphilis experiments). The shifting winds of telling lies in order to "maximize desired goods or lessen perceived bads" can lead to hurtful consequences.

Cultural whims. Even truth-seekers, at times, conceal a portion of the truth to honor a specific rule (e.g. hiding Jews from Nazi murderers). Such real circumstances elicit divergent responses to the challenge of concealment, such as: absolute truth must be always spoken; concealment is permissible in extreme cases only; and concealment is permissible when major and minor rules conflict. Indeed, as all these levels and degrees of falsehood suggest, judgments about truth and truth-telling often shift on cultural whims. Our culture no longer distinguishes clearly between “true” and “false,” or “absolute” and “relative.” Nevertheless, the search for truth is important. A closer ethical examination of truth, trust, and truth-telling, then, is warranted.

The case of Ananias's and Saphira's phoniness in Acts 5 demonstrates how the lack of integrity threatens the spiritual health and witness of the early church (Acts 5:1-11). The couple “pretended to give all” but they were only giving in part. They, in effect, had lied to the Holy Spirit (5:8). Luke’s account shows us that they loved fame and the praise of men more than they loved the Lord. Therefore, their sin was misrepresenting the truth before the Spirit, and the penalty was severe. While some may believe the penalty of death was too extreme, the church was in its infancy and integrity was essential to gain the acceptance of the populace (i.e. for an effective witness; cf. Acts 1:8; see consecration below). Consider the implications of a recent Barna Research survey where 33% of Christians were found to believe that it is morally acceptable to lie to protect personal interests. [1] Such leaven can have disastrous long-term effects on church unity and community witness, if Christians are not careful.

A Christian worldview. Truth is essential for a Christian way of life—a worldview (2 Timothy 2:18; James 5:19; John 14:6). It cannot guide the life of a person unless it is formed within him or her (John 8:31-32; 17:3). Hence a life of truth and truthfulness emerges only from the transformation of a new creation in righteousness and holiness (John 17:3, 17; 2 Corinthians 4:6). The person who lives his or her faith in Jesus continues in obedience to the truth in thought, word, and action (Ephesians 5:9; 3 John 4). 

The practice of justice. Secondly, when lies prevail, the foundations of equity (justice) are destroyed (cf. Isaiah 59:4, 14, 15). Lying is sinful and the consequences affect all of us. Abuses of justice and trust occur when parents overlook their responsibility to model truth and truth-telling before their children. Businesses violate trust and practice injustice when they accumulate vast power and influence by corruption or for purposes of self-interest alone. Governments abuse the public trust and foster injustice by broadcasting lies and/or withholding information that is critical to the well-being of its citizens. Church leaders cultivate distrust and injustice when they refuse to address that which is morally uncomfortable (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Be trustworthy in character. Truth and truthfulness bear ethical implications for Christian character and action. God is truth, cannot lie, and all truth derives its sanctity from Him; therefore, all falsehood is wrong because it contradicts His nature (Psalm 111:7-8; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 16:18). Since we are fashioned in the image of the God of truth, truthfulness in our character is imperative (John 18:37). Conversely, untruth is the fruit of sinful character (Genesis 37: 31-35, envy that led to treachery and deception; Matthew 26: 49; Mark 14:45). 

Practice truth-telling in all relationships. Secondly, since God is truth, then His words and deeds are “faithful” and demonstrate “faithfulness” (Genesis 9:16; 15:18). In direct conflict with the truth is Satan, the “father of lies” (John 8:44). The serpent lies to Adam and Eve by directly assailing God’s very veracity (Genesis 3:5, “You shall not surely die”). The end of such lies is darkness and death (Revelation 21:8, 27; 22: 15). Therefore, God’s fundamental commandment about truth forbids lying (Exodus 20:16; 23:7; Zechariah 8:16-17; Ephesians 4:25). Jesus instructed his disciples to simply say “yes,” and “no,” to demonstrate their veracity (Matthew 5:37). Christians put aside all forms of lies—from deceit to flattery, (Psalm 57:4, 64:3; Jeremiah 9:8) both individually and in community (Ephesians 4:15). Living in the truth, then, is refusing to dip into falsehood in any area of life.

Larry C. Ashlock

Notes:

1. Barna/CRC: "Americans’ Views of Moral Truth ‘Contradictory, Unbiblical.’" May 15, 2025.