Put Away Lies, Speak the Truth

Discipleship Devotional, January 9th, 2025

“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”
– Ephesians 4:25 (NIV)

One prevalent sin that often goes unnoticed and becomes normalized among many believers is the act of telling lies. In numerous African households, as children mature, they may not even be aware that lying is morally wrong. Witnessing their parents deceive others, and in some instances, instructing their children to do the same, contributes to the establishment of a solid foundation of lies and deceit.

This casual approach to dishonesty makes it challenging for many to embrace truthfulness. However, as followers of Christ, we are called to be distinct. Our identity as new creations in Christ demands that we discard the practices of our former selves. Since we have put off the old man, we ought to do away with the deeds of the old man too.

“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.”
– Colossians 3:9 (NIV)

Telling lies is inconsistent with your nature as a new creation in Christ. The Bible calls us children of Truth, so we ought to speak the truth. The old man is of the devil, who is called the father of lies. But we are children of the Truth and the Light. We have been called to walk in honesty with people.

Another issue is the reason people tell lies. A lot of the time, we tell lies to cover up a mistake. Yes, there are other reasons some people tell lies, but if this is your reason, then you should try to always avoid doing things that will make you want to lie. Make sure you weigh your actions and ask yourself if it’s something you don’t have to lie about. This is one of the ways to stay truthful.

PRAYER
Holy Spirit, help me always to be truthful in all I do and not to tell lies.