Each book of the Bible adds to our understanding of the
nature of God. In the book of Hebrews we find out that “it is impossible for
God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18). This is because God’s very nature is the ultimate
truth. Reality, present and eternal, is in God’s self-existence, and God is
true. This affirmation about the nature of God and the divine essence is
reassuring to Christians. It is possible for Christians to lie because we are
human and our spirit at times is at odds with the very Spirit of God.
Because it
is impossible for God to lie, I can count on the veracity of what God tells me
about everything that concerns my present and my future. When I hear the
biblical writers say that God is love, I believe it deeply and profoundly,
being thankful that the Scriptures do NOT say that God is hate. That is why
Jesus on one occasion in the gospel of John reveals that Satan himself is the
father of lies. Satan is the opposite of God.
Because it
is impossible for God to lie, it engenders trust on my part toward God. My
faith in God and toward God is based on my trust of God. God’s nature is
dependable and faithful. That is why God, Christ and the Spirit desire the same
from me.
Because it
is impossible for God to lie, we know his revelation is true. Scripture reveals
the truth of God because God is truth. Truth, reality, substance, existence and
being all stem from the very essence of God.
Because it
is impossible for God to lie, this gives me something to strive for in my
communication and relationship with others. When I love God with all my heart,
soul, strength and mind, and I love others as myself—I do so with a heart of
simplicity and truth. No games, no ulterior motives, no self-centeredness, no
half-lies or half-truths, no “little white lies,” just an honest approach that
cares about honoring God and others!
For
Christian leaders, this means that our very awareness of God’s nature guides
how we interact with others. Our communication is clear and true because we
know that honors God and others. We do not try to mislead with our words
because God never attempts to mislead us. We need to be in constant prayer that
God helps it to be said of us “it is impossible for us to lie.”
Every
Christian leader that has any semblance of self-awareness knows those times and
circumstances when they may be tempted to stretch things a bit. Maybe we are
trying to cover over some guilt, shame, and/or trying to save face because of
embarrassment. But we need to remember that in our various roles as Christian
leaders our brothers and sisters in Christ deserve veracity at the deepest
level and of the highest order! God himself expects nothing less!
In Christian love, Curtis
