Truth—Falsehood, Inside or Outside?

Truth—Falsehood, Inside or Outside?

“But outside are . . . whoever loves and practices a lie.” “And all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Rev. 22:15, 21:8.

On the other hand, they who overcome shall inherit all things. Rev. 21:7. They are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. About them it is written, “In their mouth was found no guile [lie].” Rev. 14:5. I imagine that a search was made to find a lie there, even high and low and with a magnifying glass, without finding any lie. This reminds us strongly of David’s word: “You have searched me—and found nothing.”1 Ps. 139:1.

Aren’t there some people who are truthful by nature? Certainly not! “Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar.” Rom. 3:4.

This is precisely why the church is exhorted to put away lying and speak truth, each one with his neighbor. Eph. 4:25. Not only unconverted people lie; God’s people also lie. However, the latter are called to be victorious over sin, to put off all lying, so that when you examine them closely you cannot find a single lie, whether it concerns small matters or big matters. A man who had fallen deeply, but who was converted to God, said about himself and his peers that the last thing they were saved from was lying. Some people are so used to lying that they don’t even notice it themselves.

People do not regard lying as being sufficiently serious and are not careful when it is a question of taking heed to themselves so that not a single untrue word passes their lips, whether it concerns spiritual or earthly things.

However, those who put off lying by God’s grace and power shall inherit all things. They are truly an adornment of the only true God and His true gospel! They have learned to know the truth by abiding in His true Word, and the truth has set them free—from lying! John 8.

They have received the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, as their personal possession and inspiration, so that they do not grieve Him by lying. He is the Spirit of truth whom the world can neither receive nor possess.

Let us make it our aim to speak the truth always and without exception! See 2 Corinthians 5:9.

It is of the utmost importance to avoid ending up on the outside, at any price.