Comments on: Is there such a thing as a “righteous lie”?

By: korvin

korvin — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 23:52:46 +0000

So many thoughtful responses! I still wrestle with this question after more than 30 years. Some Scriptures comes to mind. Firstly Jesus instructs us to be “as wise as serpents, harmless as doves”. We might draw an example of this from the way He often answered questions with questions etc. The examples cited above: L. Doyer’s ref to Corrie’s “truth” telling (is lying a sin but deceiving not? did not Corrie deliberately “deceive” with her laughter?), Rahab, the Jewish midwives – to my mind are all examples of God-given wisdom to Spirit led people. And then there is Jesus’ explanation (right to do good) for healing (working) on a sabbath.

By: dave

dave — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:09:25 +0000

I would lie if you call it lying because it is not a lie but if I say â€œyes they are hereâ€ it is committing murder! Why do I say it is not lying because they were looking for â€œJewsâ€ which is to say â€œnot a personâ€ but I have a Jew/s a person/people in my house, you understand. I ask you : If your WIFE is here tell me & I will kill you & rape her & kill her with your children watching then cut they eyes out so the last thing they see is that. So are they there? So YES or no?
Yes lying is WRONG yes but stuid is WRONG. So if you are in a war you tell the enemy your plans if they ask? Please THINK!

Hebrews31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. (this is not a lie to her people?)

By: Neil

Neil — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:00:42 +0000

How about simply we try to be like God, and it says: “God, who cannot lie?”

i’ve wrestled with this a lot; we’re supposed to have childlike faith, not be legalistic, trust in God, etc.

By: Leisa

Leisa — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 20:29:06 +0000

Revelations 21:8 says “…all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone;” I think that pretty much says that God doesn’t like lying.

By: James

James — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:49:42 +0000

Does the Bible say specifically “thou shalt not lie?” It says “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” So isn’t the whole premise of this discussion based on a misconception of God’s commandment which when propogated becomes a LIE?

By: John C.

John C. — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:04:52 +0000

I don’t think God really cares too much unless it hurts other people. Otherwise “I’ve got your nose.” would be a sin, and I think that a loving God would not condemn fathers to hell for playing with their children. In the case of Nazis and Jews, I take more of a Deist idea than most, I don’t think that God actively protects us,but rather that he helps those who help themselves and helps us through other people who have received his love and message.

By: L Doyer

L Doyer — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:16:50 +0000

Does anyone remember reading the book called “The Hiding Place” by Corrie Ten Boom? It dealt with this very topic. A family was hiding Jews and one sister said she would hide them, but would refuse to tell a lie. A special trap door was built in her kitchen and when the Nazis came, the Jews hid there. A solder asked her if there were Jews in her house and she said “yes they are under the table” The solders looked, didn’t see anyone, and she just laughed. The soldiers went away annoyed, and the people were saved. The rest of the family (who had special rooms built as well) were angry with her for not lying, but she replied that she prayed for protection and could not lie. She knew God would take care of all of them. Some of these other family members ended up in concentration camps for helping Jews after they were caught telling lies, others were not.Corrie was the only one captured to make it out of the camps alive, but she was a powerful witness for Christ while she was there. I feel God wants us to obey His laws and there are consequences when we don’t, but He also forgives our sin when we ask Him. He even uses our disobedience to bring about a greater good in many situations, and for all this, I give him all the praise and honor I am able to offer!

By: Josh

Josh — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 02:50:25 +0000

Someone else already pointed it out.

Exodus 1:15Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16″When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” 17But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. 18So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” 19The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20 So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. 21And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.

Because the midwives feared God, they lied to Pharaoh and God dealt well with them and blessed them with families because they did the right thing. God certainly didn’t bless them because they sinned.

By: rachael

rachael — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:42:11 +0000

i understand that there is a wise lie and a lie. but wisdom is important if we lie with wisdom then is it cinsidered a lie?

By: adrian

adrian — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:18:27 +0000

Yes we should help and protect those in need, especially those trusted to us. However we can ask for God’s help so we do that in a righteous way. Rahab could have chosen to say “i know where they are but i will no tell you”