The Life Of David / It’s Complicated | Pastor Nate Keeler
Chances are, you won’t find yourself in a life-or-death situation where a lie could save you. But let’s be honest—how many times have you been tempted to lie to make life easier? Maybe it’s a quick excuse to avoid conflict. Maybe it’s pretending everything’s fine when it’s really not. Maybe it’s a small exaggeration to make yourself look better.
We live in a world where bending the truth is normal—sometimes even expected. Studies say the average person lies at least twice a day, and many can’t get through a ten-minute conversation with someone new without lying. It’s almost like lying is baked into everyday life.
But as followers of Jesus, we’re called to live differently. We don’t ask, “What does everyone else do?” Instead, we ask, “What does God say about this?” And what God says about lying is direct and powerful.
God’s Serious Take on Lying
The Bible doesn’t pull any punches when it talks about lies. In Proverbs 12:22, it says, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord.” Think about that word—abomination. It’s not a “bad habit” or “small mistake.” It makes God sick to His stomach.
And when Paul writes to the Colossians, he tells them plainly: “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices” (Colossians 3:9). Lying, according to Scripture, belongs to the old life—the person you were before Jesus changed you.
But here’s the most sobering part: When we lie, we speak the devil’s language. Jesus calls Satan the “father of lies” in John 8:44, and He says, “When he lies, he speaks his native language.” So when we lie, no matter how small, we align ourselves with the enemy of God.
How Satan Traps Us with Lies: A 3-Step Strategy
Satan doesn’t just want you to slip up and lie once. He has a long-term strategy to trap you in a life of deception. Here’s how it works:
1. He Gets You to Tell Lies
It starts small:
- “No, officer, I have no idea why you pulled me over,” when you were speeding.
- Telling your boss, “Traffic was terrible,” when you just woke up late.
- Pretending things are fine in your marriage when they’re falling apart.
Maybe it’s half-truths or little white lies to make yourself look better or avoid hard conversations.
2. He Gets You to Believe Lies
Once you start lying, the next step is justifying it.
- “Everybody does it.”
- “It’s not hurting anyone.”
- “It’s just a white lie.”
- “I’m protecting someone by not telling the truth.”
Before long, you believe the lie so much you don’t even see it as wrong anymore.
3. He Gets You to Live a Lie
This is Satan’s masterpiece—when you’re not just telling lies, but living one.
- Acting like you have a perfect life on social media while hiding addiction, fear, or anger.
- Claiming to be a Christian, but living like God doesn’t exist when no one’s watching.
- Putting on a happy face in public, but at home, your marriage is falling apart.
And Jesus has strong words for this. He called people who live like that hypocrites—people who say one thing but live another way.
Why Lies Will Never Set You Free
Here’s the truth about lies: they promise to protect you but they only imprison you.
- Lies promise to get you out of trouble—but leave you worrying about getting caught.
- Lies promise to make you look better—but leave you feeling fake and ashamed.
- Lies promise to give you control—but leave you trapped, needing to lie more to keep up appearances.
Lies never deliver what they promise.
If you’ve ever been caught in a lie—or lived for a while covering up parts of yourself—you know how exhausting it is to keep pretending.
The Power of Truth to Set You Free
But here’s the good news: Jesus offers a better way—freedom through truth.
In John 8:32, He says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
God’s nature is truth. His language is truth. And when we speak truth—even when it costs us—we walk in His freedom, not the devil’s trap.
Does telling the truth sometimes cost you? Yes. It can cost you your reputation. It can cost you comfort. It can even cost relationships. But truth is the path to freedom and real peace—the kind of peace where you don’t have to keep covering things up.
Choosing Truth in a World of Lies
So how do we begin to live as people of truth? Here are three steps:
1. Get Honest About Where You’re Lying
Start with yourself. Where have you let little lies slip in? Where are you living a double life? It might be hard to face, but that’s where healing begins.
2. Confess and Come Clean
Confess to God. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
And sometimes you need to confess to others too—people you’ve hurt or deceived. That’s where trust starts to be rebuilt.
3. Commit to Telling the Truth, Even When It’s Hard
Make a choice: from today forward, I will be a person of truth. Even when it costs me. Even when it’s uncomfortable.
God honors people who live with integrity. He becomes your defender, your provider. You don’t have to manipulate situations to get what you want—He takes care of you.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
We live in a time where truth feels hard to find. Spin, half-truths, and deception are everywhere. But as followers of Jesus, we are called to be different—to be people who speak truth in love, who reflect God’s character to a broken world.
And think about this: If we, as Christians, don’t live as people of truth, why should anyone believe us when we talk about Jesus, who is the Truth?
Our witness to the world is tied to our commitment to truth.
God Is a God of Truth, and He’s Calling You to Live in It
The Bible makes it clear—God is the Father of Truth. His Son, Jesus, is the way, the truth, and the life. And His Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth. Everything about God is rooted in truth.
So when we live in truth, we align ourselves with God—with freedom, peace, and life. But when we live in lies, we’re speaking the devil’s language and choosing bondage. The choice is ours. Who will we follow? Whose language will we speak? So, are you ready to speak truth—even when it’s costly—and find real freedom?