Why should a Christian not engage in uttering falsehoods? Why should a follower of Christ abstain from the habit of telling lies? Because such a practice is so contrary to the character of God, the epitome of truth and righteousness. And the one who truly seeks to follow Christ would not engage in such behavior.

But what about so-called "white lies"? The habit of uttering falsehoods can start innocently enough at this point. These can easily be rationalized in one's mind as something that does no real harm to anyone and may actually be beneficial in many cases. But is this really a good thing? Once such lying is condoned and becomes a habit in one's life, it becomes easier and easier to rationalize progressively greater lies, sometimes without the person even being aware of it. People who slip into this quagmire can gradually change from reflecting the righteousness of God to reflecting those who act wickedly, disgustingly, and shamefully. The process can be quite insidious. And to make matters worse, it is sometimes done in the name of God.

But the word of God says that lying lips to Him are an abomination (Proverbs 12:22). Why is this so? Because it is so totally opposed God's character, and more like to Satan's, the father of all falsehoods. Also because it destroys trust between people, causes quarrels, and a great assortment of other evils that tear down rather than build up solidly.

As Christians, care must be taken that honesty remain an integral part of our lives as we interact with others. Even the appearance of evil must be avoided. For how can people know we are disciples of Christ when we cannot trust each other's words? How can we be good witnesses for Jesus when we fail to consistently tell the truth?