Good Morning.
You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:11)
Today, let’s look at another aspect of what is meant by the instruction, “Do not steal or deal falsely” beside the obvious fact that to do so is wrong. Let’s consider why it is wrong within the context of a nation. If lies and deceit become the norm in a nation, in time, the entire society will break down. In fact, the Torah alludes to this by showing the progression of sin: someone steals, then lies to cover it up and swears falsely to shift the focus somewhere else. As we all know, this chain reaction is typical in our society to the point that many have come to see it as normal, even in the business world.
For instance, if a person were to “steal” from someone by deceiving them in a business deal and were then challenged by the victim, the guilty party might decide to deny any allegations that could not be proven. They might even swear by God’s name to convince someone that the lie is true. In time, no one would know what to believe because everyone is committed to a lie. Consequently, trust would not exist, only suspicion and unbelief and that is no way to live, much less prosper.
As followers of Messiah, we are told that our “Yes” should be “Yes” and our “No” should mean “No.” In other words, we need to mean what we say and say what we mean. We must be zealous for truth and be honest in everything and with everyone. We are the ones who must resist the tendencies of a fallen world inclined to deceive and be deceived. We must stand for the Truth, live the Truth and proclaim the Truth to a perverse generation because only the Truth can make one free (John 8:32).
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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