Can Lying ever be Justified?

Sometimes stories in scripture can make us come away feeling rather puzzled. Two stories that come to mind in this would be the one of the midwives and the one of Rahab. After the reading of these two accounts we could easily question whether or not telling a lie could be justifiable in certain instances.

We must go to the teaching of scripture as a whole to solve any perplexing questions we may have. The perplexing question in this instance would be, Can lying ever be justified?  What do the scriptures tell us? They clearly teach that God cannot lie. In Numbers 23:19 (KJV) we read, “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” We also read in Proverbs 6:16-19 that God hates lies, “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”

We also learn that lies come from the devil, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). In fact, God tells us all liars will have their place in the lake of fire. Revelation 21:8 (ESV) reads, “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

The Bible seems pretty clear in how God feels about lies and liars, with not just one or two questionable verses, but many that are clear to the point. So what do we do with texts such as Exodus 1:18-20 where we read of the midwives’ lie to the king of Egypt, or the story of Rahab in Joshua 2:3-6 where she lies to protect the spies? We must realize that both of these examples are from the period of time before the giving of the law, which was to show man how they could live to please God.

The psalmist tells us in Psalm 116:11, “I said in my alarm, “All mankind are liars.” It would certainly be alarming to come to this realization. Romans 3:4 reads, “By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar”, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you judge,” and yes, the scriptures teach our best righteousness is as filthy rags, “..all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). We are in desperate need of the gospel, and of a Savior.

 So the grace of God portrayed in these two stories should both amaze and comfort us, if we are honest enough to realize that our best righteous acts also contain selfishness, deceit, jealousy, and maybe even lies. We can do no good apart from the working of Christ’s righteousness in and through us. We deserve punishment not honor, “And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this..”(Ezra 9:13). We are more responsible than the women in the stories of Rahab and the midwives because we have the full counsel of God through His Word that clearly teaches us not to lie. Yet, as God honors these women for their attempts to be righteous, so God honors our feeble attempts at righteousness. We must realize that any act that is not done out of a perfect righteousness is not pure before a Holy God.

Let us remember that scripture also teaches us, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Our God does not lie, and neither must we, under any circumstances. Even though we know we cannot live in perfection as long as we live on this fallen earth with a sinful nature, we still must strive to live holy lives, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

What an amazing God, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” Romans 11:33. It is no wonder that in Revelation 4:10-11, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Let us repent of our humanistic religion that still tries to deny our sin and exalt man to be like God, and give God all the glory, “to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” Jude 1:25.