What would you identify as the most damaging and disturbing of all sins? Of all our failings and missteps, what has the deepest, darkest and most long-lasting negative impact?
There are, sadly, many contenders. Personally, I think a strong case can be made for the sin of lying – those times when we deliberately mislead others by communicating something false. It’s probably not the most obvious choice. It’s also a sin we trivialise – referring to “little white lies” and being “economical with the truth” – phrases which suggest there are lies that are necessary, perhaps even loving.
The Bible and lying
The Bible, by contrast, is uncompromising in its condemnation of lies. The Lord detests lying lips, Proverbs 12v22 tells us. Proverbs 6v16-18 identifies a lying tongue as one of the “things the Lord hates”. The psalmist appeals for help in the face of lies: “save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues” (Ps.120v2). And the impact of deceit is also made clear: “a lying tongue hates those it hurts” (Prov.26v28).
