The Ninth Commandment
We must at all times be truthful with our neighbors.
Leviticus 19.11
“You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another.”
Colossians 3.9
In this statute we can see the interconnectedness of the Law of God, and why, if we break one of God’s Laws, we break them all. Stealing and lying are transgressions of righteousness on the same spectrum. Break the one and you break the other, and them all (Jms. 2.10).
The Law turns now to being truthful with our neighbors. Stealing and lying are in the same category of transgression; each is a form of not being truthful. If we steal from our neighbors we lie by saying that what we possess is ours and not theirs. If we lie to our neighbors we steal from them the truth God intends them to know.
Any lying to our neighbors of any kind is unacceptable to the Lord, a violation of trust and an assault against God Himself, Who is the truth. This includes everything from exaggerating the truth to misreporting our taxes and giving false information on a loan application.
We are now accepting registrations for the course, Spiritual Maturity 1: Revival. This free, seven-session course by T. M. Moore allows you to study by yourself or with a mentor, and includes free resources from Patrick, Columbanus, Luther, and Edwards, among others. Visit The Ailbe Seminary for more information on this training opportunity.
