The First Lie and Its Implications for Christians

What was the first lie? Who told it? And to whom? Does it have importance to us today?

Jesus taught,

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it (John 8:44, NKJV throughout unless otherwise stated).

Now pretty much every one in the Church of God knows that, and thus knew who told the first lie. But what was it?

The First Lie

The first recorded lie to human beings was given by Satan to Eve:

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4).

Possibly the first lie by human beings was given by Eve when she said:

God has said…’nor shall you touch it’ ” (Genesis 3:3).

Why was that probably the first lie by a human? Because the Bible did not record God saying not to touch it, hence Eve may have presumptuously exaggerated.

But neither of those was the actual first lie.

Why?

Because Satan, as the father of lies, apparently told himself the first lie, before he told any to anyone else.

Isaiah 14:12-15 states,

“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.”

Why did Satan tell himself this?

We can pick up the story in Ezekiel 28:12-17:

“Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created. “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you. “By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God;And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones. “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you.”

In other words, Satan had been made perfect, but decided because he was so beautiful and so wise that he should ascend to God’s level. He felt that he was at God’s level of authority.

He apparently deceived himself that he would win, yet the Bible records:

And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Revelation 12:7-9).

Jesus Himself stated, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18).

So the first lie was that one made below God’s level should have a position that God did not want him to have.

The Bible shows it is “the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:9). Eve, herself, accepted Satan’s lie to her (II Corinthians 11:3) and also deceived herself (Genesis 3:6; I Timothy 2:14), and thus began human deception.

Pharisees

There are various types of lies, and the Pharisees lied to both themselves and others. Of course, God knew the truth.

Jesus often called the Pharisees hypocrites (Matthew 15:7;16:3;22:18;23:23,25,27,29; Mark 7:6). According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, the Greek word Jesus used that was translated as hypocrite means, “an actor under an assumed role”. The Pharisees didn’t really want to be good, they just wanted to look good (Matthew 23:25-27). Although they wanted to be, they were not God’s people (Matthew 3:7-9).

Why?

Because “they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:43). They also believed that their priorities were better than God’s (Matthew 15:1-9). Jesus condemned the Pharisees by saying: “you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:28).

The Pharisees were insincere, bearing a false witness: “Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk…But Jesus perceived their wickedness” (Matthew 22:15,18). This a violation of the ninth commandment–if the Pharisees really felt that Jesus was true and taught the true way of God, they would not have plotted to entangle Him. They also had part in spreading the lie that Jesus’ body was stolen-Matthew 27:62;28:12-13; another violation of the ninth commandment.

The Pharisees, though religious, do not make it:

14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! (Matthew 23:14-15).

Lying is Hazardous to One’s Health

A recent study concluded that people who reduced lying had improved physical health and felt less stressed:

Want to Feel Healthier and Happier? Cut Back on Lying

According to new research led by Anita Kelly, a psychologist at the University of Notre Dame who studies secrecy, self-disclosure, and self-presentation, telling lies—both little “white lies” and major deceptions—takes a psychological and physiological toll… The result? Those who lied less reported not only better mental health (feeling less tense, for example), but also fewer physical ailments like headaches. From Notre Dame:

“Compared to the control group, participants in the more truthful group told significantly fewer lies across the 10-week study, and by the fifth week, they saw themselves as more honest, Kelly said. When participants across both groups lied less in a given week, they reported their physical health and mental health to be significantly better that week. The study also revealed positive results in participants’ personal relationships, with those in the no-lie group reporting improved relationship and social interactions overall going more smoothly when they told no lies.”

“Interestingly, the benefits of lying less were greater for people in the group who were asked not to lie at the outset.” (Price A. Want to Feel Healthier and Happier? Cut Back on Lying. August 7, 2012. http://www.good.is/post/want-to-feel-healthier-and-happier-cut-back-on-lying/ viewed 8/11/12)

The Bible also concurs.

Those of us who believe the Bible, have read the Bible, and believe in keeping the Ten Commandments have long realized that telling the truth contributes to happiness. Notice the following:

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. (Proverbs 3:7-8)

18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law. (Proverbs 29:18)

14 Happy is the man who is always reverent (Proverbs 28:14).

And since lying is a violation of the law, logic dictates that those who lie are less healthy and happy than those who do not.

What About Christians?

The Bible teaches: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Why?

Romans 8:20-25 teaches:

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

So we were made subject to futility. One definition that Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines the Greek term used here for futility is “what is devoid of truth and appropriateness”.

Why?

Apparently so that we would desire to be delivered from the bondage of corruption by God.

Now Galatians 6:7-9 states:

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Now why does God have to have this stated? Because we are deceived and we do not always believe that we will reap what we sow. Part of the problem for true Christians is that this does not seem to always happen in this life, so even real Christians wonder about this. But the reality is that in due season we shall reap! But that season is NOT now.

Actually, Paul taught:

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (I Corinthians 15:19, KJV). Plus “39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us (Hebrews 11:39-40).

Thus, even though it may appear to even true Christians that life if not fair, God’s assurances are that they are. Remember that Paul also taught: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

Christians going through various trial need to remember that those “who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13).

The other reason that life does not always seem fair to Christians, is because judgment is now upon us:

17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator” (1 Peter 4:17-19).

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7).

Now what does all this have to do with lies?

Much.

Who Does Not Make It?

The last book of the Bible mentions who does and who does not make it in the Kingdom of God.

Now who makes it?

Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city (Revelation 22:14).

Some do not:

But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie (Revelation 22:15).

Because the Pharisees “loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:43), they are condemned (Matthew 23:14). They both loved and practiced a lie.

Those of us in the Church of God have had a variety of tests and trials. Satan wants us to be discouraged so that we do not make it. We cannot believe the lie that we do not reap what we sow.

We have to look past this present physical existence to the future coming Kingdom of God. We must constantly remind ourselves “that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

Otherwise, we could be among those who through our beliefs practice or love certain lies. Those that do not make it.

Christians need to remember:

1 according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began (Titus 1:1-2).

God cannot lie and He has promised us eternal life if we have faith and believe the truth.

The first lie in the Bible was Satan (then known as Lucifer) lying to himself that he had a better plan for himself than God did. He did not believe God had the truth. Satan has successfully deceived the whole world, and has many who believe and practice lies. We need to endure all things in hope and believe God, and not deceive ourselves that we have a better plan than God.

Link to article in Mandarin:

https://www.ccog.asia/the-first-lie/

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