Applying the Ninth Commandment (Love in Theology Pt 2 Series, 5 of 6)
Ninth Commandment: You shall not give false testimony.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16)
What is the Ninth Commandment?
The ninth commandment is, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
In the ninth commandment God reveals another way you are to love others as you love yourself—by not bearing false witness against them. The Old Testament Hebrew words for “false witness,” similar to their New Testament counterparts, refer to a deceptive act that involves communicating something that is not true which harms someone's reputation.[1]
In the historical context of the ancient Middle East, this commandment addressed the problem of giving deceitful, false testimony against osthers in a court of law, and thereby threatening the foundational principle that safeguarded the trust and justice that was essential to a flourishing community life in the nation of Israel.
However, like all the commandments, this command has not only a narrow meaning, but also a broad meaning. Just as the sixth through eighth commandments include the underlying sins of anger, lust, and envy, so the ninth commandment (do not bear false witness) includes the underlying sin of lying.
In its narrow sense, this command addresses the deceitful act of bearing false witness against others in a court of law. But in its broader sense, it addresses all forms of lying, and all wrong thoughts, desires, and behaviors that in any way compromise truth.
The Heidelberg Catechism Question 112 expounds the broader meaning of the ninth commandment: “That I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one’s words, not gossip or slander, nor join in condemning anyone rashly or without a hearing. Rather, in court and everywhere else, I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind.”
Like all the commandments, there is a positive command implicit in this negative one. It's a command to seek your neighbors' good by always speaking truth about them and to them.
When Paul wrote to the Ephesian church, he explained both the negative and positive meanings of this command: “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Eph. 4:25).
The Heidelberg Catechism Question 112 also expounds the positive meaning: “I should love the truth, speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor’s good name.”
Just as the sixth commandment is rooted in the sanctity of human life, the seventh commandment in the sanctity of marriage, and the eighth commandment in the sanctity of work and personal possessions, so the ninth commandment is rooted in the sanctity of truth and personal reputations.
God’s original design is for humanity and the world to flourish by reflecting his image as the God of truth, upholding the sanctity of truth in all things.[2] God designed you to flourish as you display your love for him and others by aligning your life with his truth.
So, what is a lie? And why is lying such a serious offense to God? A lie is anything that distorts or compromises the reality of truth in any way. When you lie, you dishonor God, violate his design for you to flourish, and deny your core identity in Jesus Christ—who is the truth.[3] This is why God hates lies, and why you should hate lies.[4]
However, the heart of the ninth commandment is much more than merely not saying something that is untrue or saying something that is true.[5] It is a command to align your whole life, including your thoughts, desires, words, and behaviors, with the reality and virtue of truth as it has been revealed by God.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 78 says, “The ninth commandment forbids whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbor's good name.” Speaking lies is prejudicial to truth, but the Bible presents many other ways that truth can be prejudiced and compromised by not even speaking at all.
One of the most serious ways to prejudice truth is by denying the biblical concept of absolute truth. The prevailing belief in our day is that “truth is relative,” meaning that truth is not something that is fixed, objective, or absolute; truth varies depending on individual perspectives and subjective circumstances.
In the past, people were prone to believe that truth was found outside yourself. Today, most people seem to believe that truth is found inside yourself.[6]
Historic Christianity has always affirmed that God has spoken in the Scriptures, through the words of human authors, and revealed “absolute truth,” meaning the supreme and final ultimate authority in all matters of faith and life (1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:15–17; Jn. 3:16). We are to believe all that this truth teaches, obey all that it requires, and trust in all that it promises.[7]
Like all the commandments, this command has both a negative and positive dimension, both vices that God forbids and virtues that God requires.
What is forbidden by God in the Ninth Commandment?
In this command, God forbids you to prejudice, distort, or compromise truth in all possible ways, especially when it will cause harm to someone’s reputation.[8]
Prejudicing truth involves influencing the perception of information in a biased way that results in people making wrong judgments without knowing all the facts.
Distorting truth involves twisting the truth by altering information to misrepresent the facts so that people are misled into believing something that is not entirely true.
Compromising truth involves weakening the integrity of information to accommodate specific interests so that people are deceived by incomplete or partial truth.
According to Scripture, prejudicing, distorting, and compromising truth can take a myriad of forms, including:
speaking untruth deceitfully (Col. 3:9)
false testimony in court (Lev. 19:15)
gossip and slander (Ps. 15:3; Rom. 3:8)
malicious falsehoods (Prov. 26:28)
boasting and bragging (Jas. 4:16)
baseless accusations (Prov. 3:30)
flattery and adulation (Prov. 29:5)
betraying confidence (Prov. 11:13)
receiving false reports (Prov. 29:12)
exaggerating information (Prov. 25:14)
forgery (1 Kings 21:8)
reviling (1 Cor. 6:10)
withholding truth (Acts 5:3)
private and public fraud (Prov. 11:1)
not keeping your commitments (Prov. 20:6)
not defending your neighbor's name (Prov. 31:8–9)
The Bible teaches that words have great power for good and for evil. James writes:
The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell…. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. (James 3:6–9)
Given how harmful words can be, it’s not surprising to find that Paul lists sins such as gossip and slander among the most serious sins.[9] In Romans 1:29–30, immediately after Paul mentions murder, strife, and deceit, he mentions gossips and slanderers.[10]
The ninth commandment forbids not only speaking untrue words, but also the underlying thoughts and desires of the heart that lead to untrue words and behaviors. The greater sin beneath the sins of untrue words, malicious desires, and deceitful behaviors is the sin of heart idolatry.
An idol is someone or something other than God from which you get your greatest sense of identity and worth. It's what gives you your deepest sense of security, significance, and meaning in life. It's something or someone you believe in, trust in, and hope in more than God for your ultimate happiness and satisfaction in life.
Consequently, the temptation to lie and deceive arises when the things you look to for ultimate happiness more than God are threatened, such as your most meaningful relationships, your possessions, your pleasures, and your reputation. For example, you may lie about your accomplishments because you value the approval of others more than God. And you may lie on a financial report or on your tax return because you trust in your money more than God.
You may lie to impress others by exaggerating your influence. Or you may tell lies to gain favor, agreeing with opinions just to please others, even if it means compromising your own beliefs.[11]
You may lie for revenge by exaggerating truth and fabricating stories to harm someone who has caused you harm. Similarly, spreading unverified damaging information often serves the purpose of retaliation and putting people down in others' eyes whom you see above you.
What is Required in the Ninth Commandment?
Instead of speaking lies, Paul instructs you to be always “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).[12] In this command, God requires you to “speak the truth in love” by upholding, affirming, and defending truth in all possible ways, especially by protecting and defending someone's reputation.
Upholding truth involves presenting information honestly and without bias, preserving the truth and upholding impartiality.
Affirming truth involves communicating facts accurately and correctly, sharing the whole truth faithfully without distortion.
Defending truth involves taking a stand to ensure that truth is not compromised or misrepresented, protecting integrity and transparency.
The Westminster Larger Catechism Q. 144 tells us the duties required in the ninth commandment include:
The preserving and promoting of truth between man and man, and the good name of our neighbor, as well as our own; appearing and standing for the truth; and from the heart, sincerely, freely, clearly, and fully, speaking the truth, and only the truth, in matters of judgment and justice, and in all other things whatsoever.
The catechism answer continues by listing several practical examples, including:
a charitable esteem of our neighbors (1 Cor. 13:7)
loving, desiring, and rejoicing in their good name (Rom. 1:8; 3 John 3–4)
sorrowing for and covering their infirmities (Prov. 17:9; 1 Pet. 4:8)
freely acknowledging their gifts and graces (1 Cor. 1:4–5; 2 Tim. 1:4–5)
defending their innocence as truth permits (1 Sam. 22:14)
readily receiving a good report about them (1 Cor. 13:6–7)
an unwillingness to receive an evil report concerning them (Ps. 15:3)
discouraging gossipers, flatterers, and slanderers (Prov. 25:23; 26:24–25)
love and care of our own good name (Prov. 22:1)
defending our own good name when need requires (John 8:49)
keeping our lawful promises (Ps. 15:4)
practicing whatever is true, honest, lovely, and commendable (Phil. 4:8–9)
Give the Judgment of Charity
To obey the ninth commandment requires giving people “the judgment of charity” by not rushing to premature judgment when you hear bad reports about them (Lev. 19:15; Prov. 17:15). Instead, you show them love that “believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:6–7) by allowing them to defend themselves and correct misconceptions so the whole truth is learned before you make a judgment.[13]
Do Not Receive Bad Reports
Not only is spreading gossip wrong, but so is the act of listening to it. The Bible says, “An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue” (Prov. 17:4).[14] By listening to gossip you are complicit in harming someone's reputation and allowing slander about them to flourish.[15]
Defend Other's Reputations
The ninth commandment also requires you to defend and promote the good name of others.[16] The Bible says, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold” (Prov. 22:1).[17] Defending someone's reputation involves opposing gossip, challenging unproven narratives, and courageously standing up for the names of others as far as the truth allows.”[18]
Speak Truth in Love
You can disobey the ninth commandment by sharing true information in an unloving way. Even if all the facts are correct, they can be presented with harmful intent, or by omitting other truths, which can result in bearing false witness against someone and maliciously harming their reputation.[19]
Conversely, there are extreme circumstances, like war or persecution, when you can obey the ninth commandment by not sharing the whole truth or even by conveying something that is not true to protect someone.[20] Obeying the ninth commandment by speaking the truth in love is a nuanced aspect of Christian ethics that can sometimes lead to difficult situations and decisions.[21]
Catechism Questions
What is the Ninth Commandment?
The ninth commandment is, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
What is forbidden by God in the Ninth Commandment?
God forbids you to prejudice, distort, or compromise truth in all possible ways, especially when it will cause harm to someone’s reputation.
What is required by God in the Ninth Commandment?
God requires you to uphold, affirm, and defend truth in all possible ways, especially by protecting and upholding someone's reputation.
Footnotes:
[1] The Old Testament Hebrew words in Exodus 20:16 for “false witness” are עֵד שָׁוְא (ed shav), where עֵד (ed) means 'witness' and שָׁוְא (shav) means 'falsehood' denoting a false declaration. In the parallel passage in Deuteronomy 5:20, another Hebrew word that conveys the concept of deceitfulness (שׁוֹא shoa) is used in the place of “false” שָׁוְא (shav) pointing to the deceitful purpose that underlies falsehood. In the New Testament, the Greek equivalent is ψευδομαρτυρέω (pseudomartyreo), which also means to bear false witness deceitfully and is composed of ψεῦδος (pseudos), “falsehood” or “lie,” and μαρτυρέω (martyreo), “to bear witness.”
[2] Jeremiah tells us “the LORD is the true God” (Jer. 10:10). The Psalmist says, “You have redeemed me, LORD, God of truth” (Ps. 31:5). God's attribute of truth is revealed in Jesus Christ, who is “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14), and who declared himself to be “the truth” (John 14:6). Jesus also described the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of truth,” who “will guide you into all the truth” (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13).
[3] Lying strikes at the core of trust, which is the bedrock of all meaningful relationships and healthy societies. And without trust the very fabric of relationships and societies unravels and disintegrates. Israel was tasked by God to uphold his truth for their sake and for the sake of his name as a witness to the nations. Therefore, bearing false witness in Israel often resulted in serious consequences, including death. (Deut. 19:16–21). Similarly, in the New Testament we see the serious offense of lying in the account of Ananias and Sapphira who were immediately struck dead by God when they lied to the church leaders, instilling a deep fear and respect for always upholding truth in the early church (Acts 5:11).
[4] “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers” (Prov. 6:16–19). Through the prophet Zechariah God said to Israel, “These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord” (Zech. 8:16–17). Therefore, you should love truth and hate lies.
[5] We will learn later that it is possible to disobey the ninth commandment by saying something that is true, and it's possible to obey the ninth commandment by saying something that is not true.
[6] In the Western world the historical roots of the view that truth is relative can be traced back to the Enlightenment era, sometimes called the Age of Reason, which spanned from the late seventeenth to the late eighteenth century in Europe. Enlightenment Modernism (sometimes called Rationalism, Scientific Naturalism, or Secularism) embraced the belief that we can escape the superstition of God, the myth of religion, and the existence of moral absolutes by finding truth though scientific investigation and reason. Two world wars and the Jewish holocaust made people realize that science and reason could not answer life's greatest questions. This opened the door to postmodern views, and “post-postmodern” views that embrace new forms of spirituality, but all retain the belief that all truth is relative.
[7] Author Francis Schaeffer often responded to the relativism in his day with the good news that, “He [God] is there and he is not silent.” In other words, we do not live in a world that is a “closed system,” where God has not revealed himself and what is true. Instead, we live in an “open system,” where God has spoken in history, and ultimately in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word, as well as in the Bible, his written word. Truth is not merely an abstract concept or a set of propositions, although it is that. Truth is also relational and ultimately found in God and his Son, Jesus Christ, who said, “I am the truth,” not “I have truth” (John 14:6). The Bible underscores the sanctity of truth because of God's truthful nature, and because humans, made in God's image, are designed by him to flourish only when they reflect his truthfulness in all areas of life.
[8] The Westminster Shorter Catechism Q. 78 tells us, “The ninth commandment forbids whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own, or our neighbor's, good name.”
[9] Deceitful words which are communicated by speech are called gossip and slander and often contain misinformation, rumor, innuendo, and hearsay. Deceitful words which are communicated by writing are called libel. Either way the victims are not able to defend themselves, to explain all the facts, their motives, and correct misconceptions. Instead, people are charged, tried, and convicted without the whole truth.
[10] Paul also lists the dangerous sins of quarreling, hostility, slander, gossip, and disorder alongside sexual immorality and sensuality (2 Cor. 12:20–21). He told the Galatian Christians that “dissensions and divisions” were from their sinful nature (Gal. 5:19–20), and he strongly admonished the Ephesian Christians to “put away all slander and malice” (Eph. 4:31).
[11] Self-preservation and profit are also common motives, where truths are twisted to avoid consequences or enhance personal gain. Additionally, lies of convenience are commonplace, from excuses for absence to insincere commitments. People say they are sick when they're not, or make commitments they know they won't keep, or say that someone is out when they are in. Sometimes people say, “Sure I'll try to be there!” when they know they won't, or say, “I'd love to join you, but I have another commitment,” when they don't.
[12] Similarly, Jesus teaches us, “Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No;’ anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matt. 5:37).
[13] The problem is that most people like to hear gossip. The Bible says, “The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body” (Prov. 18:8). It’s commonplace for people not to give others the judgment of charity.
[14] The Bible teaches you should not even associate with someone who gossips and slanders others: “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore, do not associate with a simple babbler” (Prov. 20:19), and “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much” (Prov. 20:19).
[15] There is an old rabbinic saying that "gossip and slander kills three: the one who speaks it, the one who listens to it, and the one about whom it is spoken. Thomas Watson wrote, “He that raises a slander, carries the devil in his tongue; and he that receives it, carries the devil in his ear.” The Ten Commandments, 1692, (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1965) 169–170.
[16] The Heidelberg Catechism Q. 112 expounds the positive meaning of the ninth commandment by stating, “I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor’s good name.” Martin Luther taught in his Large Catechism that your “reputation is something quickly stolen, but not quickly returned.” The Ten Commandments of The Large Catechism, translated by F. Bente and W.H.T. Dau in Triglot Concordia: The Symbolic Books of the Ev. Lutheran Church (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921) uploaded in full at https://www.ccel.org/l/luther/large_cat/large_catechism.html (access date 07.03.24).
[17] Early Christians commended individuals like Demetrius for being “well-spoken of by everyone” (3 John 1:12) and required all church elders to be “well-regarded by outsiders” (1 Tim. 3:7).
[18] In Paul's last letter from prison to Timothy, before Paul's execution, he sadly told Timothy that no one came to defend him. “At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!” (2 Tim. 4:16).
[19] You can use truth deceitfully to be untruthful. Satan used the truths of Scripture to tempt Jesus (Matt. 4:1–11).
[20] In the Bible we see several examples of people who intentionally deceived others and seem to be commended by God. These include the Hebrew midwives who deceived Pharaoh to protect infant boys (Exod. 1:15–21), Rahab who deceived the Canaanite soldiers to protect Israelite spies (Josh. 2:1–6), Jael who deceived the enemy general Sisera to help deliver Israel (Judg. 4:17–22), and David who repeatedly deceived people to escape from Saul, Achish, and others (1 Sam. 19:12–17; 21:10–15, 27). James writes, “And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?” (James 2:25).
[21] The Bible does not teach that Christians must always speak the whole truth in every situation. For example, if you were hiding Jews in your basement in World War II and the Nazis knocked on your door and asked if you were hiding Jews, you would not disobey the ninth commandment if you intentionally misled them by conveying to them things that were not true. In such a case, conveying to the Nazis “things that were not true” would be lying in a technical sense, but would not be the same as the lying forbidden in the ninth commandment because of the unique circumstances and motives. Instead, there are several examples in the Bible (see footnote above) that would seem to encourage you to “technically lie” to the Nazis to protect the Jews.