Truth, Lies, and the Call to Love

Jan 30, 2023

Devotional

Day 1: The Dangers of Bearing False Witness

False witness is not just a legal term but a daily reality that can deeply wound others and distort justice. When we misrepresent the truth about someone—whether in a courtroom, at work, or in casual conversation—we participate in a sin that God explicitly forbids. The consequences can be devastating, as innocent people may suffer, relationships can be destroyed, and trust is eroded. God’s commandment to not bear false witness is a call to integrity in all our words, reminding us that honesty is foundational to a just and loving community. [05:42]

Exodus 20:16 (ESV)
"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."

Reflection: Is there someone about whom you have spoken or shared information without being certain of its truth? What step can you take today to make things right or to ensure you only speak truthfully about others?

Day 2: God Hates Lies and Loves Truth

Scripture makes it clear that lying is not a trivial matter—God detests a lying tongue and those who stir up conflict through deception. Lies, whether small or large, have the power to harm individuals and entire communities, and God’s heart is grieved by the damage they cause. In a world where misinformation spreads rapidly, we are called to be people of truth, resisting the temptation to participate in or perpetuate falsehoods. Let us remember that our words have weight, and God calls us to use them to build up, not tear down. [07:35]

Proverbs 6:16-19 (ESV)
"There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers."

Reflection: Think of a recent conversation or online interaction—did you choose your words to build up or to tear down? How can you be more intentional about speaking truth and avoiding even small deceptions?

Day 3: Be Wise as Serpents and Innocent as Doves

Jesus calls us to a posture of both wisdom and innocence in a world full of deception and manipulation. This means being alert, discerning, and careful not to be taken in by scams, misinformation, or false appearances, while also maintaining a heart that is pure and gentle. Especially in the digital age, we must be vigilant—checking sources, questioning what seems suspicious, and refusing to participate in schemes that could harm others. Our faith is not naïve; it is thoughtful, prudent, and always rooted in love. [25:53]

Matthew 10:16 (ESV)
"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."

Reflection: Where in your life do you need to exercise more discernment—perhaps in what you read, share, or believe? What practical step can you take today to be both wise and innocent in your interactions?

Day 4: Test the Spirits and Do Your Homework

Not every message, prophecy, or “word from God” is truly from God; we are called to test what we hear and not be swept away by every claim or conspiracy. Especially in times of uncertainty or fear, it is easy to be drawn to sensational stories or predictions, but Scripture urges us to be prudent, to research, and to seek the truth. By doing our homework and refusing to pass along unverified information, we protect ourselves and others from harm and honor God’s call to integrity. [29:25]

1 John 4:1 (ESV)
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."

Reflection: The next time you encounter a sensational claim—whether in church, online, or in conversation—will you pause to research and pray before sharing or believing it? What resources or habits can help you become a better discerner of truth?

Day 5: Use Technology to Spread Love, Not Lies

Technology gives us unprecedented power to amplify our words, for good or for harm. Every post, share, or comment can either spread Christ’s love or contribute to the noise of gossip, slander, and misinformation. As followers of Jesus, we are called to use our digital presence to reflect His truth and love, choosing to be agents of encouragement, hope, and reconciliation. Ask yourself: will you use your voice and your platforms to build up or to tear down? [36:06]

Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)
"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

Reflection: Before you post, share, or comment online today, ask yourself: Does this reflect Christ’s love and truth? How can you intentionally use your technology to encourage and bless others this week?

Sermon Summary

Truth and falsehood have always been at the heart of the human story, from the earliest pages of Genesis to the final chapters of Revelation. Today, we find ourselves in a world where technology has amplified both our ability to share truth and our temptation to spread lies. The challenge is not new, but the stakes are higher than ever. With a single click, we can broadcast information—true or false—to thousands, even millions. This power demands a renewed commitment to integrity, discernment, and love.

Lying is not just about the “big” falsehoods that land people in prison or destroy reputations. It’s also the small, everyday deceptions—those “white lies” we tell to avoid discomfort or spare feelings. Yet, even these can erode trust and community. Scripture is clear: God hates lies, and bearing false witness is a serious offense, not just in the courtroom but in every aspect of life. The consequences of dishonesty ripple outward, sometimes in ways we cannot foresee.

Technology has made it easier than ever to spread misinformation, whether intentionally or by accident. Studies show that false news travels much faster than the truth, often because it is more sensational or confirms our biases. As followers of Christ, we are called to a higher standard. We must resist the urge to share unverified stories, rumors, or conspiracy theories, no matter how tempting or affirming they may seem. Instead, we are to be people who do our homework, check our sources, and speak only what is true.

Jesus calls us to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” This means cultivating both discernment and gentleness. We must be vigilant against scams, deepfakes, and cybercrime, but also careful not to become cynical or hard-hearted. When we encounter claims—especially those that stir fear or outrage—we are to test them, research them, and, above all, ask whether sharing them serves the cause of love.

Ultimately, the truth is not just a set of facts but a person: Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. Our calling is to use every tool at our disposal, including technology, to spread his love and light. Let us be people who build up rather than tear down, who seek truth over convenience, and who choose love over division.

Key Takeaways

1. The Power and Consequence of Lies Lies, whether small or large, have the power to destroy trust, damage reputations, and even ruin lives. Scripture treats dishonesty with utmost seriousness, warning that those who persist in falsehood are excluded from God’s kingdom. Even “white lies” can erode the fabric of our relationships and communities, reminding us that truthfulness is not optional but essential for a life that honors God. [05:42]
2. Technology Magnifies Both Truth and Falsehood Our digital age has given us megaphones for our words, making it easier than ever to spread both truth and lies. False information, especially when it confirms our biases or stirs emotion, spreads rapidly and can cause real harm. As stewards of this power, we must be intentional about what we share, recognizing that a single careless click can make us complicit in spreading deception. [10:13]
3. Discernment is a Spiritual Discipline Scripture calls us to test the spirits and not believe every claim, even those that come from seemingly spiritual sources. This discernment requires humility, research, and a willingness to challenge our own assumptions. We are responsible before God for the information we pass along, and must be vigilant in seeking out what is true, especially in a world awash with conspiracy theories and misinformation. [29:25]
4. Wisdom and Innocence: The Christian Posture Jesus instructs us to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves,” blending shrewdness with gentleness. This means being alert to deception, scams, and manipulation, while also refusing to become jaded or harsh. Our goal is not just to avoid being fooled, but to ensure that our actions—online and offline—reflect the love and integrity of Christ. [25:53]
5. Love as the Litmus Test for Technology Every tool, including technology, can be used to spread either love or harm. The ultimate question is whether our words and actions, especially online, are consistent with the love of Christ. We are called to use our platforms to build up, encourage, and share truth, always remembering that the truth sets us free and that love is the highest calling. [36:06]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - Truth, Lies, and Everyday Deception
[05:42] - The Serious Consequences of False Witness
[07:35] - God’s Hatred of Lies in Scripture
[08:54] - Deception from Genesis to Revelation
[10:13] - Technology’s Role in Spreading Misinformation
[13:18] - Misinformation in the Church
[14:50] - The Prevalence of Sharing Fake News
[17:45] - Tools for Discernment and Fact-Checking
[21:38] - Cybercrime, Scams, and Social Media Impersonation
[25:53] - Wise as Serpents, Innocent as Doves
[27:00] - The Allure and Danger of Conspiracy Theories
[29:25] - Testing the Spirits and Prophetic Claims
[31:46] - The Spread and Impact of False Prophecies
[34:22] - Jesus as the Truth and Our Call to Love
[36:06] - Using Technology to Spread Love

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Truth, Lies, and Technology

Bible Reading

Exodus 20:16 (ESV)
> “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

Proverbs 6:16-19 (ESV)
> There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

John 14:6 (ESV)
> Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Observation Questions

According to Exodus 20:16, what specific kind of dishonesty is forbidden, and how does this relate to everyday life?
In Proverbs 6:16-19, what are some of the things God hates, and how many of them are related to truth and lies?
What does Jesus claim about himself in John 14:6, and how does this connect to the idea of truth?
The sermon mentioned that even “white lies” can erode trust and community. What are some examples of these “small” lies given in the sermon? [[05:42]]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God places such a strong emphasis on truthfulness, even in “small” matters, according to the passages and the sermon? [[07:35]]
The sermon says that technology has made it easier to spread both truth and lies. What are some reasons false information spreads faster than the truth? [[10:13]]
Jesus calls us to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16, referenced in the sermon). What does it look like to balance discernment and gentleness in our digital lives? [[25:53]]
The sermon describes truth as not just a set of facts, but as a person—Jesus. How does this change the way we think about truth in our daily interactions? [[34:22]]

Application Questions

Think about the last time you shared something online or by word of mouth. Did you check if it was true? What steps could you take to be more careful before sharing information in the future? [[14:50]]
The sermon mentions that even “white lies” can damage relationships. Is there a situation in your life where you’ve told a “small” lie to avoid discomfort? How did it affect your relationship with that person? [[05:42]]
When you see a sensational or emotionally charged story online, what practical steps can you take to test its truthfulness before passing it on? [[17:45]]
Have you ever been tempted to share something because it confirmed your own biases or stirred up strong emotions? How can you recognize and resist this temptation? [[10:13]]
The sermon challenges us to use technology to spread love rather than division. What is one specific way you can use your social media or digital presence this week to encourage or build someone up? [[36:06]]
Jesus is described as “the way, the truth, and the life.” How can you let your commitment to Jesus shape your words and actions, both online and offline, this week? [[34:22]]
The sermon calls discernment a spiritual discipline. What is one habit you could start (like fact-checking, pausing before sharing, or praying for wisdom) to grow in discernment? [[29:25]]

Sermon Clips

“We're talking about truth and lies. We're talking about technology and misinformation, disinformation, fake news. And we're trying to figure out how do we separate the truth from the lies, and how do we make sure that we're using our technology to spread the truth and to stand against the lies?”

“Most people would still rather be told the truth than a falsehood. But those are the kinds of things. And Americans, I think it was something like 75 % of Americans said that when they tell a lie, it's really just to not hurt somebody's feelings. And so we might call these the more noble of the kind of lies that we tell one another. Then there's other kinds of lies that are a little bit different than that. They're lies that are aimed at helping us kind of protect ourselves to not get punished or not to feel guilty or bad or ashamed or something else.”

“We have two people on our staff here at Resurrection who each were in prison for more than 25 years. And they were arrested. There was somebody who claimed that they were the guilty party in something. In both cases, I think it was a murder.And there was a prosecutor who didn't do their homework very well.And there were people who were willing to lie because they were negotiating their own early release from prison or something else. And consequently, two people who were not guilty spent 25, and in one case, over 30 years in prison because somebody lied. And they only got out when there was somebody else who came forward or evidence came forward that they were not the one who was guilty of the crime. And they were exonerated. But they lost 25 and 30 years of their life in prison because somebody told a lie.”

“This is what in the Bible is talked about as false witness. Like we're claiming something about somebody else that isn't true. And you remember, this is one of the big 10, right? One of the big 10 commandments. We read the ninth commandment, actually. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.False witness against your neighbor. This is true not only of those crimes that could end up with somebody in jail or losing their life, but really in our daily lives, this should be the rhythm of our lives. Let's not bear false witness about somebody else. Let's try to tell the truth all the time because people get hurt when we lie.”

“The devil, the serpent, is a liar.And he's going to whisper things into your head or into your ears. And not literally, but you're going to hear these thoughts that come into your mind. And when they're thoughts of doing the wrong thing, they're never from God.And they're always, you know, from that dark force in our world.”

“From Genesis to Revelation, we're finding that deceit, dishonesty, and the consequences of it have deadly consequences for us in our lives. And so we're not to lie. God hates lies. We have to hear that today.”

“What's happening today with our technology is that we have, and we talked about this last week, we have the ability to magnify what we're saying. You see the cones that cheerleaders would use to shout out there. Well, that's, in essence, what we have with technology, is we can take our lies and we share them on social media, and all of a sudden, it's not just me whispering this to somebody else. It's me whispering this to my 200 friends on social media, or 10 ,000 friends, or 60 ,000 friends, or whatever. You're spreading falsehood that can bring real harm to other people.”

“The technological age has magnified our ability to tell lies or spread false information and make it harder to discern the truth.”

“False news spreads six times faster than true news. Imagine that. Why does it spread so much faster? Well, because the true news is kind of boring. There's nothing really that salacious about telling the truth. You know, it's something obvious. You've told the truth. Nobody's upset about it. You know, or, you know, it's been taken care of. You confessed it, and somehow it's being addressed. But false news is often salacious.”

“As Christians, we should have the integrity. If you're a Christian, even if you're not a Christian, I mean, as a human being, we should have the integrity to say, I'm not going to say anything out there about anybody else that I haven't checked on and researched to make sure it's really true. And often we shouldn't say anything anyway, right? And our mom's taught us that. If you can't say anything good about somebody, don't say anything at all.”

“This is what's gonna happen. I mean, we're the church of the resurrection. We're gonna stop believing in the resurrection? We not only believe it, we're counting on it.But, you know, this spreads. And then how do you stop a rumor like that? And so you can say, no, we aren't. I've said that across the country. No, we're not. I've written all kinds of things about this. No, we're not. This is what we believe. We're gonna hold onto those things. I don't hear anybody saying they wanna change those things. But, my gosh, once somebody whispers that to somebody else who whispers it to somebody else, post it on social media, what you find is a whole lot of people are afraid. What's happened to my church? I think we better go join that other church because, you know, we're not gonna believe that anymore.”

“We have got to do better than that. And Christians have to do better than that because God hates deception. God hates falsehood. The people who spread lies are actually kept out of the kingdom of heaven and cast into the lake of fire. I mean, all of those are ways of saying that this is simply not okay with God, that we pass on false information.”

“Before hitting send or share, please take time to really look at the information. If it sounds outrageous, that's often because it is. Are there any sources cited to back it up? And if so, are they credible? Is there a way to contact the source? Is there any document? In other words, is there an email connection somewhere back to the source? Is there any documentation provided to support the allegations? And what is your motive for sharing it?”

“Technology is racing forward so fast and doing things today that we just never thought possible 10 years ago and making it even harder to separate truth from fiction.And so in these cases in particular, you really need to do your research.”

“We have to do our homework. We have to ask questions. We have to research. We have to be skeptical when we see things that seem, seem outrageous.Ask the right questions of what we see.”

“I love this in Matthew 10, 16. Jesus says, look, I'm sending you a sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as snakes and innocent as doves. What does he mean? Why is the snakes? I mean, that was a metaphor in Jesus day, you know, a saying.that had to do with be smart, be crafty, be intelligent when it comes to people trying to deceive you or trying to say things that aren't true or what you see going on in your world around you. Jesus calls us to do this. Be wise as serpents and gentle or innocent as doves.”

“There's something about us innately. We are wired to be suspicious. That's part of how we protect ourselves. We, we look around for possible threats. And when we start sharing, you know, conspiracy theories, this, this sort of appeals to that part of us that is afraid that the world is not safe. Life is not safe. And we don't know what to believe. And we don't even know where to research and go. And, and sometimes, you know, we are suspicious of the government or we're suspicious of some organization.And so we find ourselves drawn to conspiracy theories, and there's been a lot of them in the last few years.”

“If we're spreading something that's not true, and it's a conspiracy theory that ignites the hearts of people and then turns people against one another or causes some kind of terrible harm or crimes to be committed or whatever it might be, we played a part in that simply by passing on this information. We are culpable and held accountable by God for this.”

“We've got to be better than this as Christians.”

“Technology is awesome. I love technology. You know, we can use it for so many good things. But if we're not careful, the human condition that we struggle with is just magnified when you put a computer or a cell phone, a smartphone, or a tablet in front of us.”

“Proverbs 14, 15 says this, the naive believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps. Let's not be naive. Let's be prudent. And let's also be the people, maybe this doesn't really apply to us, but it can apply to us when we speak up and we hear something and say, you know, I just don't think that's true. And I've done the research on this. And this is what I found for somebody to be able to speak up and say, hey, this isn't right. I've done the research. I've done the homework. And I simply don't believe this is true. That has to be.what we're like as followers of Jesus Christ, that other people aren't being hurt by the misinformation around us.”

“And then I love this, what Jesus said, you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.And what is the truth?Well, ultimately there are facts underneath all of these stories I'm telling you about, but beneath all of those is the one whose very life and teachings is the essence of truth. And that is Jesus.So I want to live my life in a way that honors him. I want to live my life in a way that serves him. And I want to live my life that expresses his love, his light, his joy. I want to love my neighbors, but I also want to love my enemies. And I want to love the people who hold different political views than I do. And I want to assume the best of people, not the worst of them. But when it comes to things that sound a little outrageous, I want to assume that maybe this might not be true and I at least need to do my homework.”

“Like the idea I take from this is that the technology is meant to help us spread Christ's love in the world.We are not meant to do anything that is inconsistent with love.And I want to ask you, is that true for you?We can use our technology to spread gossip, lies, misinformation, or we can use it to spread love. Which will you do?”

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