Are you lying to yourself?

Our passage this week is taken mid-way through a letter written by Paul to a church in Ephesus, Turkey. He is explaining the changes that take place when you make a fresh start with Jesus. In this part of the passage it is looking at the new-found community that his followers are part of.

In this passage we are told to tell the truth. Admittedly this isn't anything new, after all this is one of the Ten Commandments that God gave Moses way back in the Old Testament. Telling the truth is valued by communities of all faiths, and communities of no faith at all.

However there is something new, this passage isn't just telling us the law. The author isn't telling us not to lie because it is forbidden or unethical. He is telling us not to lie for a much more practical reason. As a follower of Jesus, you are part of his close-knit community, referred to as his "body" which exists to carry out God's work.

Lying in this environment can be damaging in two ways. Firstly like a real body, God's body cannot work properly if people are unsure of what to believe. When you introduce lies you also introduce confusion and uncertainty. This confusion makes it harder for the body to function in the way that God intended.

Secondly, when you are in a close-knit community, people know you, care about you and know what you are like. So the chances are these people will be able to see though your lies to the truth anyway. For those who are fooled, you have to ask yourself whether they really care about what you are telling them in the first place!

So this week remember not to fool yourself by telling lies, and remember the value of the truth. Have a great week.

Header image by: Alexa LaSpisa via Flickr