Proverbs 13:5 Commentary and Bible Study

The battle for truth starts in the heart with a strong hatred of everything false. It is right that the believer has a strong feeling of hatred within him towards evil, for he must be opposed to it with his mind, his will, and his emotions; these must all join forces to overcome evil. He hates evil not only for its consequences but also for what it is in itself. It is a step into the world of anti-values which are anathema to God, and which he is opposed to with all his being. The Lord can never makes use of a lie or accommodate any lie into his perfect plan in such a way as to approve of it, to borrow from what it brings, or to take advantage of it. The strength of the believer’s hatred of falsehood should be as strong as his Lord’s. One lie is a like a breach in the dam which opens up a channel for all other evil to come through. It is not possible for us to say, ‘I will lie just once, and after that I will speak the truth.’ Why not? Because that one lie has sacrificed integrity forever and it cannot be retrieved again at our convenience. Every lie does irreparable damage to the one who speaks it. To lie is to enter into a very costly contract with Satan by which we buy something very small for an infinite price, and he will never give back what he has wrested from us; only Christ can cancel that contract. Therefore the righteous man sets a guard on his tongue which will not let any exaggeration, any false excuse, or any deception come out from his heart. If he sins in this matter, he repents and turns away from evil again as soon as possible. But the wicked does not hold back from making use of a lie. Having sacrificed his integrity, he plunges forward into deeper and deeper shame, until he is saturated in it and loses nearly all sense of danger. He becomes an object of horror and revulsion to the believer who fears greatly to go the same way.