Nothing But the Truth

Proverbs 19:9

A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

Speak The Truth

This verse is almost identical to Proverbs 19:5. We saw in this post that there is only one way to pass a polygraph test – by telling the truth.

We also saw that it does not pay to lie!

Richard De Haan said,

Lying may seem like a convenient way out, but it’s really a dead-end. The right and sensible choice, therefore, is to speak the truth–and nothing but the truth.

Nothing But The Truth

A 12-year-old boy was a key witness in a lawsuit. One of the lawyers, after intense questioning, asked, “Your father told you what to say, didn’t he?”

“Yes,” answered the boy.

“Now tell us,” pursued the lawyer, “what were his instructions?”

“Well,” replied the boy, “Father told me the lawyers would try to tangle me in my testimony; but if I would just be careful and tell the truth, I could say the same thing every time.

The Warning

Solomon is giving us a warning in this verse. That warning is that if we lie or are a false witness, then we WILL be punished in the end. By lying, or not telling the truth, we are condemning ourselves and we will perish.

As Christians, we must be very careful with our tongues. If we call ourselves a Christian but continue to “bear false witness” or lie, then we are only fooling ourselves. This is what James 1:26 says,

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. (ESV)

“Tell the truth and tell it right,
A lie will never do;
The Bible says that God is truth–
He wants the truth from you. –JDB

Lord, help our words to be truthful in every conversation we have. Whether with friend or foe, Lord, I pray that we would be a people of honest lips.