“You lie!” Those two words have set off a firestorm of political and racial tension. Congressman Joe Wilson’s accusation against President Obama for his stated exclusion of illegal immigrants from health care became front page news and back page gossip. Muted boos, sneers or mild, dissenting vocal rumbles have marked other speeches by U.S. presidents to joint sessions of congress, but “You lie!” simply set off a torrent of criticism and, sadly, an undercurrent of racial charges.
Wilson’s two words were like a shot heard ‘round the world. No one steps forward to defend Wilson’s lapse of judgment and wretched decorum. Accusing someone of lying is the basest of charges, and concluding someone to be a liar demotes him to the lowest moral level.
But everyone should ask why it is that the accusation of lying hits such a sensitive nerve. Its explanation is found in the biblical revelation of demonic subterfuge in human history. The first liar was the Devil, who ensnared Eve with stupefying contradiction. “You will not surely die” is the ultimate falsehood in Eden. Read all about it in Genesis where God’s prohibition (Gen. 2:3) was subtly countermanded by Satan’s lie (Gen. 3:4). Because of that first lie to Eve, “in Adam all die,” and “death passed upon all men.” (I Corinthians 15:52 and Romans 5:12 respectively).
Jesus Christ, who was God incarnate, affirmed this Satanic deception and linked untruth with murder. “You (Christ’s religious detractors) are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. 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 resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:44-45)
The biggest lie of all is rejecting Christ as Messiah and King of Kings and Lord of lords. I John 2:22 says, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?”
It is no coincidence that Antichrist is linked with lying. The big lie of our day and of the end times is that Satan is God and Christ is the impostor. The Apostle Paul says that unbelievers will be deceived in this misidentification. “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 – emphasis mine)
The Antichrist issue (extensively described in Revelation 13) is serious. Even before the seven-year Tribulation period, little “antichrists” will arise. The second half of 1 John 2:22 warns, “He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.”
Lying is a favorite pastime of Satan, and he lures fellow travelers into his demonic camp with the most seeming of “white lies.” Moreover, our denial of personal sin and guilt accuses God of the ultimate falsehood. “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.” (1 John 5:10 – emphasis mine)
To refute any declaration of God is a much worse crime than any Joe Wilson can commit. The sincere acceptance of all God says, especially personalized in receiving Christ, whom He sent to be our Savior, ceases our calling God a liar. If you believe God’s truth and receive God’s Son, you can stand in total truth.
And that’s no lie.
Dave Virkler
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