Embracing Truth, Rejecting Falsehood

Finish, then, with lying and tell your neighbour the truth.

Ephesians 4:25, Phillips Translation

To live in falsehood is to live in defeat. In Christ we embrace the truth, no more pretending to be something we are not. We have peace because as we embrace the truth of our need of grace, we also accept the provision of God’s grace in Christ. The Christian admits his spiritual failure, but also believes in the plan of God to redeem him and all those who trust in Christ.

Paul has finished writing about the work of redemption in our hearts, about the new person God has created us to be through the redemption that comes by Christ. He then begins a long section on the practical application of this truth. This is uniquely Paul in his writing. No other writer in the New Testament had Paul’s style — laying a doctrinal foundation first and then building upon it the practical applications of these truths.

I believe the Spirit of God is saying something about applying the truth by beginning this section with putting off falsehood, that putting aside the false fits in a general way to describe all the sins we commit. The words are literally, “Do not abide in falsehood,” translated by J.B. Phillips as “Finish, then, with lying.” All sin is to continue to abide in falsehood, to believe the deception of the world, the justification for wrong actions that comes to our minds through trying to fulfill our lusts.

We are called to be people of the truth, to know the truth, to believe the truth, to embrace the truth, and to live in the truth. Our decisions should be based not on the deception of the world but on the beautiful truth of the redemptive love of God.The psalmist David wrote, “Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart” (Psalm 51:6).

Accepting the truth about ourselves and our circumstances gives us peace. We do not need to lie. We can believe the truth and tell the truth and live in the truth. We are great sinners, but Christ is an even greater Savior. God has begun a great work in our “inward beings” and in our “secret heart.” Do not be drawn away from truth, for God is a God of truth and those who follow Christ must live in the truth. As He said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32). Tell yourself the truth, then tell your neighbor the truth. Live in the truth.