Exodus 20:16 commands, "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour." While often summarized as "do not lie," this commandment specifically protects human dignity, community trust, and justice. We need it because we know it hurts when people lie to you or about you. We live in a world that spins truth as relative or categorize some lies as big and others as “little white lies.” Sometimes these lies are intentional and malicious, other times they are partial truths or misunderstandings that we share. The Bible teaches us that lying tears down real relationships creating real harm. The commandment teaches us to guard each other’s reputation and to speak the truth. At first glance you may think “I got this one covered!” but like with the other commandments, historically and scripturally, there is a much deeper understanding that teaches us that God loves truth and we love our neighbour best when we speak the truth to them, about them and to each other.

Preacher: Jim de Witte 

Passage: Exodus 20:1-17 

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