The word liberal is one of the most overused and misused words in modern language. We often use the word to refer to those who have weaker morals or those who may have a particular “left-leaning” political agenda. Most often the word is used as a negative connotation by those who are traditional or more conservative. The Bible paints a much different picture of the word’s usage and application. Someone who is liberal willingly and graciously helps others. When others are in need, he gives above and beyond to meet that need. According to our passage, “The liberal soul shall be made fat.” This means that the person who helps others will often receive blessings in return. This truth is confirmed in 2 Corinthians 9:6 where the Bible says, “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”
It has always been the will of God for a man to work in order to support his family. God adamantly and emphatically says, “if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Timothy 5:8). Though this truth may seem harsh to some people, God’s expectations and guidelines always serve a greater purpose. Therefore, it is never God’s will to financially assist someone who will not work though completely capable and available. There may be times when people cannot legitimately work and have a need for help; but we disobey the Lord when we help those who have needs resulting from laziness. Our last lesson showed that the Bible defines food as a necessity; but if a man will not work, he does not even deserve the necessities of life provided to him through the generosity of others.
During the first century, hard times had come upon the believers in Jerusalem. Some specific time of trial, persecution, or tribulation had put them in a difficult situation. The Bible offers specific guidance as to when to assist others who have fallen on hard times.Believers in other cities saw the need and determined to make “a certain contribution for the poor saints” at Jerusalem (Romans 15:26). This contribution was either a monetary donation or a material contribution as the Bible says the assistance was “in carnal things” (Romans 15:27). Today, this would be akin to one body of believers assisting another body of believers, or one individual assisting another individual. Whatever the case, we ought to help others when a real need arises and it is in our power to assist them.
As opportunities present themselves, we ought to “do good” unto others. Scripturally speaking, we have a basic duty to help “all men,” but our foremost responsibility should be directed toward those “who are of the household of faith.” Regardless of our heart’s desire, the Lord knows there are times when we cannot help those in need. This fact should never be used as an excuse when we have a genuine opportunity, as the good that we might do to others does not always merely involve financial help. Acts chapter 3 offers an example of Peter and John who were faced with such a situation. Peter responded, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee” (Acts 3:6). Where these men lacked any monetary opportunity to help the lame man, they fulfilled their responsibility by imparting help in the way that God had especially enabled them.
The Bible records the fact that Ananias lied to Peter! He told Peter that he and his wife had sold some property for a certain amount of money. Yet, God and His servant knew that he had sold it for more than that indicated to Peter. The Bible teaches that Ananias told these lies to a man but had in fact lied to the Lord (Acts 5:4). Man may not recognize the extent of a lie, but lies told to others are lies told to God. This brings a whole new perspective to the wickedness of lying. Men’s lies are not just before and against men, but they appear before and are in conflict with a holy God. No wonder the apostle Paul said, “Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not” (Galatians 1:20). He understood that lying to men would be lying before God, and he did not want to be guilty of that.
Today's passage provides a list of things that God expressly hates. That list includes those who murder the innocent when it refers to “hands that shed innocent blood” (Proverbs 6:17). It also mentions those whose hearts devise “wicked imaginations” (Proverbs 6:18). In the midst of this list, the Lord twice references lying as it refers to “a lying tongue” (Proverbs 6:17) and “a false witness that speaketh lies” (Proverbs 6:19). This should really concern those prone to lying with seeming impunity. God hates lying so much that He is going to judge those who do it. The scripture says, “he that speaketh lies shall not escape” (Proverbs 19:5), but will "perish”(Proverbs 19:9). In fact, liars are listed among the wicked groups that will “have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone” (Revelation 21:8).
The context of our passage is the sinfulness of God’s people, particularly those residing within the city of Jerusalem. The city is said to have “wearied herself with lies.” A similar truth is taught in Jeremiah 9:5 where the Bible says, “they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.” The context is different, but the concept remains constant: it requires hard work to tell and sustain lies. Anybody that has ever told a lie knows that it takes much greater effort to sustain a lie than to simply let the truth stand upon its own merit. Among other things, lying takes creativity, calculation, and a good memory. Additionally, lying stresses a person’s conscience. Very rarely does one lie suffice within any particular deception, but the original lie often requires additional lies to support it. Lying is hard work and very stressful for those who have not seared their conscience!
Unfortunately, far too many people today seek to hide the truth behind their lies. This condition is nothing new. In fact, the rulers of Jerusalem claimed to “have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves” (Isaiah 28:15). The Lord quickly answered their false assumption. He informed them that their lies would not stand when the Lord passed through their midst with judgment (Isaiah 28:16-19). In verse 20, God offered an illustration of the manner in which their lies would fail to protect them. He said, “the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it” (Isaiah 28:20). In other words, no matter how big, well thought out, or cunning a man’s lies may be, they will never be enough. Hiding behind lies is useless and fruitless. Lies can neither support a man nor hide him when the trouble arrives.
Honest scientists are increasingly learning truths once deemed unimaginable by those who did not know the scriptures. Some of these truths concern the inner workings of man's mind and body. These relatively recent discoveries reveal that the body emits signals exposing truths intended by men to remain concealed. Sometimes the individual even lies attempting to conceal the facts further. For this reason, people began studying body language in hopes of determining if an individual's movements reveal otherwise hidden truths. Yet, the Bible has included these secrets long before man's scientific discoveries. In fact, the main character found in the oldest book of the Bible understood these principles. Job claimed that the truthfulness of his statements could be seen by simply looking at him. People have long assumed that the conscience is responsible for body language and the scriptures support this claim. Romans 9:1 confirms this truth as Paul stated, “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost.” The Bible repeatedly shows that the conscience reveals the truth even when man intentionally tries to hide it, lie, or deceive.
The Bible has much to say about the tongue or the words man speaks. The tongue of man is a deadly weapon (James 3:5-8). As such, the scripture likens it to a bow that is bent; only the arrows are the expressed lies (Jeremiah 9:3). A similar thought is found in Psalm 64:3 where David said of the wicked that they “whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words.” Unfortunately, even Christians sometimes make light of how deadly words can be. The old saying, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” may sound quaint; but it is far from the truth. Words do cause wounds. The Bible likens lies to arrows that are shot out of a bow. Relating the lies to the arrows is certainly meant to convey the pain caused by the lying. Lies often do bring hurt; sometimes not physically, but in some form or another lies wound others.
