The Truth About Honesty
June 3, 2016

Rediscover the Bible for Life

“The Truth About Honesty”

By Dennis Lee

The Bible has a lot of instruction on honesty, especially about those who were honest, and those who are not. The most radical example is found in the New Testament when a husband and wife, Ananias and Sapphira, were found lying to the Holy Spirit and were struck down.

Personally I’m really glad God doesn’t use that same technique, because if He did nobody would be alive to read this article.

One survey said that 91 percent of all Americans lie regularly, but I found myself doubting this survey because I wasn’t sure if they were of the 9 percent who tell the truth or of the 91 percent who lie.

Sociologists say that between all our interactions we either hear or see 300 lies daily. Actually it’s only 200, but I wanted to show you how easy it is to lie.

Here are just a couple of the great American.

  • The check is in the mail
  • The doctor will call you right back
  • One size fits all
  • This hurts me more than it hurts you
  • Your table will be ready in a minute

Our culture endorses, embraces and practices untruth so consistently that we’ve come to expect people to be dishonest.

We expect dishonestly in advertising.

Back in the late 80’s the Isuzu car manufacturer created a character that lied to sell their cars. His name was Joe Isuzu. In one ad he said, “This car gets 900 miles to the gallon and if you act now you can buy it for 9 dollars.” All the time he’s speaking they are flashing on the TV screen, “He’s lying.”

Their honesty about their dishonesty made sales rise around 20 percent.

We’ve come to expect a degree of untruthfulness from business.

In one survey seven out of ten people said that they compromised their values to conform to company standards.

We also expect a degree of dishonesty from students.

A survey of college students showed that 63 percent of humanity majors, 68 percent of science majors, 74 percent engineering majors, and 87 percent of business majors admitted to cheating. They didn’t even bother interviewing political science majors.

From the White House to the schoolhouse, truth is in trouble.

I think that it is safe to say that dishonesty is everywhere, and that’s because it’s a part of our sinful nature.

The Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Dishonesty is also a part of the universe’s spiritual structure. In other words, it’s bigger than us. There is a cosmic struggle going on. It’s light verses darkness, good versus evil, Satan verses God, and truth verses lies. The Bible tells us that God is truth, while Satan is a liar and the father of all lies, John 8:44.

Some people say that being honest is a good idea, but they’ve missed the whole point. It’s not a good idea; it’s a command of God. In fact, it’s one of God’s top ten.

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

When we lie it keeps us from living life the way God has intended it to be lived.

 

01.23.2015-Dishonesty









Search Our Site

Location

211 West First South, suite C&D
Mesquite, NV. 89027
(Behind Ace Hardware)

Service Times

Sunday Service
10 a.m., and 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday Evening Bible Study
6:00 p.m.

Children's and Youth Ministry
available at all services
Call (702) 346-8558 for details
©2025 Living Waters Fellowship   |   All rights reserved