Lies & Violence!!!!
In today’s world both lying and violence are now seen to be valid ways of getting what you want. Both are even championed at the highest levels, by those that want to create an atmosphere of fear and control.
These days you can lie to yourself (and to everyone else) about yourself and who you really are - and it’s deemed socially acceptable. You can lie about business arrangements, relationship statuses, personal income - even your looks on dating apps - and it is all normalised behaviour.
So, when the truth gets buried under the weight of falsehood and personal whims, violence follows closely behind. Modern society allows violence on the unborn, the old and the young alike. It becomes the means to create enough fear to force others towards the belief systems of those committing the violence - be it religious, political or worldview in its foundation.
Alexandr Solzhenitsyn a Russian author and philosopher (who was also Christian), was imprisoned and exiled by the Communist Russian regime, has a famous quote about violence and lies. In the 1970’s he said…
"When violence bursts onto the peaceful human condition, its face is flush with self-assurance, it displays on its banner and proclaims: “I am Violence! Make way, step aside, I will crush you!” But violence ages swiftly, a few years pass—and it is no longer sure of itself. To prop itself up, to appear decent, it will without fail call forth its ally—Lies. For violence has nothing to cover itself with but lies, and lies can only persist through violence. And it is not every day and not on every shoulder that violence brings down its heavy hand: It demands of us only a submission to lies, a daily participation in deceit—and this suffices as our fealty."
The brilliance of Solzhenitsyn’s quote is clear for all to see, but we shouldn’t rest on human wisdom - so we turn to the Bible for insight into this issue.
John 8:44 informs us about the character of Satan when is states… “You 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.”
In these verses Jesus is talking to a group of people near Jerusalem, and some of them were trying to show their piety and belief in Yahweh as the God of the Jews. Jesus calls them out for their fake faith.
Jesus then turns the focus onto their darkened hearts and deeds. It is at this point that Jesus talks about Satan and his character.
Lies and violence go hand to hand in this scene that Jesus finds himself in. The crowd is choosing the lies of human tradition and philosophy over the truth that Jesus is sharing with them and in turn we see in John 8:37 Jesus says “…but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.”
It should be no surprise then that when people who are actively choosing to believe the lies of the devil that they will also resort to violence to keep those lies going in order to protect their own situation/position (and the things they can gain from it).
Proverbs 12:22 adds “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”
One misconception about God (Yahweh) and His son Jesus is that they love everyone. In one sense this is true, however, there are some things that God detests.
One of the things that God detests - which is a much stronger statement than say ‘hate’ - is…"Lying lips” or rather, people who are constantly lying in their everyday lives, to benefit their own position and status.
On the flip-side of that, God loves those who are trustworthy and who do not lie. So, our aim is to be as trustworthy and honest as we possibly can.
Psalm 11:5 says “The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion.”
The concept of God hating something and someone is also represented in this psalm, where it shows that God hates those that act violently in a wicked manner.
Not only does God hate them, be he does so with a passion - this means that his full wrath will pour out on those who act in this way.
Hosea 4:2 tells us that “There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.”
In this verse the prophet Hosea is talking about Israel as a people and is referring to how sinful and evil they had become. As a part of that sinfulness, lying, vulgar language, murder, theft and adultery have all become the norm within their society.
Does this sound familiar??? Our societies and communities have become wicked just like this.
We need to make sure that we as individuals repent of our sinful actions, thoughts and attitudes on a regular basis - so that we do not face the wrath of God when it arrives.
Violence and lying are the fruit of the evil one - Satan, and his influence on our lives. Those that deny the truth of Jesus Christ ‘WILL’ turn to lies and violence to maintain their lifestyles and philosophies. Our role as Christians is to live as righteous lives as possible, drawing closer and closer to God - so that we reflect the love that He has shared with us.
We need to stand against the evil that is flooding this world by living righteous and loving lives - fully focussed on God and His Kingdom.