A Sunday School Lesson On Lying

Here is a Sunday school lesson or Bible study about lying.

God Cannot Lie

Romans 3:4 “Let God be true though every one were a liar.”

The most important lesson is that God cannot lie and the next important thing is “All mankind are liars” (Psalm 116:11) and aren’t we glad that He’s not like us who breaks promises and does not keep His word for “when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us” (Heb 6:17-18). What would become of all of the great and precious promises of God (john 3:16) if He changed His mind? Indeed “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it” (Num 23:19).

Why is it not possible for God to lie?

Does the Bible teach that mankind is a liar by nature?

What does it feel like when somebody promised you something and then broke their promise?

How Lying Hurts

Exodus 20:16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

For those who believe that the Ten Commandments were only written for Israel, are they saying it’s okay to break the sixth commandment then (murder) and if that the seven commandment’s no big deal (adultery) so they can be with their spouse? Lying is still wrong and it hurts those around us and it hurts us when we lie. The reasons we lie are purely selfish in nature. We want to protect our image and make ourselves look better in the eyes of others. Rare is the case where lying can save someone’s life and we must obey God over mankind’s laws (Acts 5:29) but lying is nothing short of cosmic treason against God and sin against whomever we lied too.

What exception could you think of when it’s okay to lie?

Why is it important not to lie?

How would you feel if you found out someone lied to you?

Who is a Liar?

First John 2:22 “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.”

Anyone who doesn’t believe that Jesus is the Son of God and God’s anointed (Christ) is not only a liar but the Apostle John says they are an antichrist; not “the” antichrist but “an” antichrist. That’s not my opinion but what the Bible teaches. We know who the father of lies is because Jesus tells us and it’s the devil and the children of the devil will do what their father does and that is lie. John records the time when Jesus was rebuking the self-righteous Jews and said, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do 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 lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

Why does Jesus calls these Jews the children of the devil?

Why is a person an “antichrist” if they deny Jesus is the Christ or the Son of God?

Who is there on earth that has never lied?

The Trouble with Lying

Proverbs 17:4 “An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.”

The person who tells lies can drag another person into their sin by simply listening to them as it says “An evildoer listens to wicked lips” so the evildoer is responsible too as he or she “listens to wicked lips” and “gives ear to a mischievous tongue.” The best way to stop gossip is by refusing to listen to it and even rebuking the person who’s lying. When we gossip, we can slander someone’s good name and assassinate their character but as for God, “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him” (Prov 30:5) so by all means, “Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar” (Prov 30:6). Is there really any need to lie? Can’t we tell the truth, even when it hurts? If we can’t be trusted with the truth, people will become skeptical of us and will not take seriously everything we say.

Why do people lie?

Have you ever heard gossip before?

What do you do when you hear gossip?

Conclusion

I urge you in your study to look at all of the Bible verses and read them aloud in the class so that you can get the most out of this lesson on lying because the fate of all liars is so horrible that I cannot even describe it with words but all liars are to be cast into the lake of fire (Rev 21:8) unless they repent and trust in Christ before they die or before Jesus returns. There is no room for lying for the Christian. We know better and we should repent and ask for forgiveness, even to the one we have lied to.

Have you ever had to admit telling a lie?

Why is it best to tell the truth in the long run?

What have you learned about lying in this study?

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.