Ephesians 4:21-25
There’s a popular TV game show, “To Tell the Truth,” where there are three people claiming to be the same person. Only one of them is the real John or Johnnie Doe, and he / she is sworn to tell the truth. The two imposters do all they can to deceive the panel. The objective of the game is for each panelist to take a turn asking the three strangers questions, trying to determine which two are lying and which one is telling the truth. Note that this is a game show, and it is strictly for entertainment.
In real life telling untruths are lies, not a game, not entertainment. For some in many circles, lying, or falsehood, has become fashionable in order to impress others, to get what one wants, to slander, or to bully another. Lies are the opposite of the truth because they come from the devil. Telling lies is a sin that causes hurt, distrust, deception, etc., whether it’s a full lie or a half-truth. Recall the conversation between the serpent and Eve; both of them told half- truths about the command God had given Adam (Genesis 3:1-5). Back in Genesis 2:16-17, God placed Adam in the beautiful garden of delight to take care of it. God promised Adam that he could eat freely of every tree of the garden with the admonition not to eat from “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” The conversation of lies and half-truths between Eve and the serpent, led to man’s disobedience to God, which resulted in our death: “The wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a).
How do we counteract the spirit of lying? We are commanded to (1) “put off the former way of life, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts”(v. 22); (2) “be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (v. 23); and (3) “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness (v.24).” Yes, temptation will surely come, but we must resist and not allow that old selfish, prideful person we used to be dictate who we are today. We’ve taken off the old man; therefore, the mind is to be renewed, made new again as before the fall of man. “Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes” (4:23, NLT). The weight of those old evil thoughts that once dominated our thinking has been replaced with things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of a good report (Philippians 4:8, paraphrased). We’ve been renewed in the spirit of our mind, desiring the same mind which was in Christ Jesus. So we’ve put off the old man, now what? We must put on something in its place – the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” We heard the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ and believed. We put on the Lord Jesus Christ, meaning that we have become a new creation made in his image, and have taken his ways to be our ways. We are resurrected with him, and that old rebellious nature has been replaced with the fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit works from the inside out to make the spiritual nature of the inner man a new creation of righteousness and true holiness. It is “By grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
Taking on the new nature of Jesus Christ requires us to behave, think, and speak differently. “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another” (4:25). Let’s tell the truth and treat our brothers and sisters kindly. Speaking the truth requires us to know the truth. To know the truth we must know Jesus; he is the truth. You don’t have to take my word; take Jesus’ word, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6a). “It’s not fake news”; it’s good news.”