Is deception talked about in the Bible?

May 3, 2005

Bro David I agree that Moses was punished but what his actions did not show a fear of the Lord or respect rather he showed anger. I just don't think the two situations are comparable in too many ways.

Let me try to organize my thoughts by breaking the actions up. First they disobeyed because they feared the Lord- which is justified by several scriptures..

Acts 5:27-29. "Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 'We gave you strict orders not to teach in this Name,' he said. 'Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood.' Peter and the other apostles replied: 'WE must obey God rather than men'!"

which seems to show that if something we are told to do of man differs from what God says then we are to obviously do what God says.

Next they lied. Since I don't see this protecting God's people I believe they lied to save their necks. So I believe that this act is separate from the fear of God that was stated earlier.

Next it says that they were blessed because they feared God. This also seems to exclude the deceit.

So the passage does not say that they were blessed while it also doesn't say that they were punished. However I think that 'saying they were not punished so it's alright to lie/deceive in certain situations' has a lot less of a leg to stand on than saying, "it says they were blessed because they lied to save lives".

I'm going to have to look at this and other passages further before I make a final decision. I think that the passage that 'other one' brought up deserves some discussing as well. I think that condoning deceit, which seems to be what happened here, is along the same subject lines as the original question.

God bless

May 3, 2005

Let me add this, I believe that there is a difference between someone who is a habitual liar and someone who lies to save a life. Now I know we are not to make doctrines on what we believe God will do, so I'm open to supporting scripture lol while I study to find some myself.

God bless

Edited May 3, 2005 by wilburnh

nebula · May 3, 2005

In 2 Sam. 17, there is another story of a woman who lied to save the lives of two men who were messengers on behalf of King David when he was fleeing from Absolom.

17:18-21
Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom. But both of them went away quickly and came to a man's house in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down into it.

Then the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground grain on it; and the thing was not known.

And when Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house, they said, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" So the woman said to them, "They have gone over the water brook." And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

Now it came to pass, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well and went and told King David, and said to David, "Arise and cross over the water quickly. For thus has Ahithophel advised against you."

If she had not given false information, would the message have ever gotten to David?

If we look in the Torah, the command is to "not bear false witness against your neighbor."

Lying to save someone's life is not "bearing false witness," it is saving a life.

OneAccord · May 4, 2005

In second Thessalonians, Paul tells us that God will send a strong delusion. Is this a deception of sorts? Why would God want to delude His chosen elect?

NITE OWL · May 4, 2005

Lying is not a good thing. It's frowned upon. As far as lying to save another's life, only you can answer that question.

2 Thess. 2:11 refers to those who rejected God's message.

Not all believers are going to heaven.

OneAccord · May 4, 2005

2 Thess. 2:11 refers to those who rejected God's message.

Not all believers are going to heaven.

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In other words, many believers who think they are going to heaven are decieved, this would have to be the worst deception of all. Not only do unbelievers not make it to heaven, but so do believers that are decieved. This really narrows the playing field.

Matthitjah · May 4, 2005

Grace to you,

Mt

RGR · May 4, 2005

So if the mid-wives would have told the truth to Pharoah, chances are that even if God did deliver them miraculously, they would have lost their positions as mid-wives therefore no longer having an assurance that the babies would live. So going with that thought, it's not necessarily true they were lying to save their own neck!