Question 112: What does God require of us in the Ninth Commandment?

 

Question 112: What does God require of us in the Ninth Commandment?

Answer: God requires us not to bear false witness against anyone, not to twist what another has said, not to gossip or slander, not to condemn anyone without a just cause or hearing. We must also reject lying and all perjury, whether in court or elsewhere. Such practices are the devil's devices and bring down God's terrible wrath. We must love the truth, speak it, and publicly acknowledge it. We must do our utmost to protect and uphold our neighbor's good name.

The Ninth Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

The nature of lying stems from greed in the heart. We lie to fulfill the desires of our hearts, which are greed. John 8:44 says, "You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of it."

False Christians do not dwell in the Word of God, but rather distort and falsify it to suit their own convenience. Today, false prophets spread false gospels, suggesting that simply believing will save them, or praying the prayer will save them. This ends up becoming a Christianity they themselves have created. The reason for this is that they have not been born again. They may think they are Christians through knowledge, experience, and so on, but if they are not born again, they are false Christians. We must not be deceived by man-made Christianity. We must confirm the words of the Bible and let those words dwell in those who claim to believe.

We cannot be born again through a Christianity that has adapted to the world. We cannot be born again through a Christianity that teaches that baptism washes away sin. Romans 6:4 clearly states, "Therefore, we were buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."

1 Peter 3:21 says, "Baptism, which now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the body but the appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

They say that confessing your sins and asking for forgiveness can be completely forgiven through the blood of Jesus, but Romans 6:7 says, "For he who has died has been freed from sin and has been declared righteous." It's not that the Bible is being distorted; it's the unregenerate who are distorting it. This is the blind leading the blind.

In this age where the cross is considered a mere ornament on a necklace, if you don't die on the cross with Jesus on Golgotha, you can't say you're in Christ. Even if you know you're in Christ, if the Word doesn't dwell within you, you can't say you're in Christ. Only those who shed their old, fleshly self and are clothed in a new, spiritual body from heaven can be true Christians. Otherwise, they can be called false Christians.