My dear readers,

Words Reveal the Inner Man

Proverbs 12:17: “He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.”

Many people are obsessed with what they eat and drink. The Pharisees and scribes in Jesus’ time were also very obsessed with the same, but for religious reasons. They believed they would be pleasing to God and perhaps enter heaven if they followed their dietary laws and spiritual cleanliness according to their hundreds-of-years-old oral traditions. They sincerely thought they were obeying the God of the Bible. But Jesus says in Matthew 15:16-20: “…Are ye also yet without understanding? 17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”

How true are the words of Christ! Today, many are very concerned with what they eat and drink because they wish to live as long as possible. They do not know where they will go after death so they figure it is easier to remain in the known than enter the unknown if they could delay the inevitable. So, why not put it off as long as possible? Are you doing the same?

Believers know where they are going, yet they seem to think and behave like their unbelieving fellow man! The extension of life seems to be the global norm. The reason for the extension is ignored or never questioned. Yet the reason is more important than a mere extension for extension’s sake!

As children of God, we need to make sure of our salvation when we think of life after death. One of the most important ways to do that is to find out what comes out of our mouths rather than what we eat or drink like the rest of the unbelieving world.

The child of God speaks the truth. The word for “speak” is “to blow.” John Gill, in his exposition of the Bible, aptly explained, “He that ‘blows’ or ‘breathes out truth’, as the word signifies; that utters it freely and fully without any hesitation; that speaks nothing but truth, and speaks out the whole truth without any reserve; such a man upon every occasion will declare that which is just and right, and show himself to be an honest and upright man; he that uses himself to speak truth in common conversation, will, in a court of judicature, whether upon his oath or not, testify that which is just and the real matter of fact; there is a connection between truth and righteousness, for though they are distinct things they go together, what is true is just, and what is just is true; so he that speaks the truth of the Gospel, or is a faithful preacher of it, will show forth righteousness, what is the righteousness of the law, and what is the righteousness of faith; how insufficient a man's own righteousness is to justify him in the sight of God; the necessity of the righteousness of Christ, how free and full, excellent and glorious, suitable and useful it is, Romans 1:17.”

Every born-again believer has been imputed with the righteousness of God in Christ (cf. Rom 4). Man cannot see this righteousness. But Proverbs 12:17 has revealed that man can hear or read about this inward righteousness.

On the other hand, a false witness sheweth forth deceit. A false witness is revealed and measured by God through his actions and words, whether what he says and does are lies. A false witness pretends to be a believer, saying and doing Christian things, but he is unregenerate in his heart. He could be teaching or preaching or writing sound and very biblical doctrines, including publishing conservative Christian books, and he knows about God but does not know God. He might be the president or principal of a respectable and conservative Bible College or seminary possessing numerous theological degrees, but he is as far from God as hell is from heaven!

How is that possible, one may ask? It is possible because to such professing believers, Christianity is in the head and not in the heart; their heart is deceitful! They have a mind to read and repeat what they have studied, like an unbeliever studying the arts and natural sciences. They regurgitate what they have learned from others and memorised because they can recall what others have written and taught. They sound like good conservative fundamentalists. But the reality is that their deceitful heart exposes their hypocrisies. The danger of a deceitful heart is that the person who possesses it is unaware of it. He thinks all is well with his soul and life, even though others around him can see it as clearly as the noonday sun that he is in sin and living a lie! When rebuked by friends and loved ones, he retaliates and makes them enemies. They are his caring friends who risk having their heads bitten off. Instead, he would surround himself with the kisses of enemies and not the wounds of friends! Proverbs 27:6: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

What a sad and tragic way to live! A stubborn, self-righteous demeanour makes him unteachable, living in delusion and self-deception, and he ruins the lives of all who depend on him and continue to regard him as spiritual, dragging them down the slippery slope of destruction. The sad reality is that these false witnesses are a dime a dozen in these last days of apostate Christianity. They are professing believers living in delusion, sincerely believing that they are heading toward heaven when they continue to head to hell. The most frightful moment will be when they die, expecting to enter heaven; the Lord will say to them that He never knew them, not even for the slightest moment. Matthew 7:21-23: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” 

False witnesses have a hidden agenda of self-glory and personal gain. They ruin lives. They draw men away from Christ unto themselves.

The righteous glorify God in Christ by their truthfulness and holy life. They are righteous without because they are righteous within. They speak the truth to build up believers' faith and exalt Christ. Fellow believers love to fellowship with them because their faith is strengthened after spending time with them.

What do your words reveal about you?