Caught in a Lie

The story is told of four high school boys who couldn't resist the temptation to skip morning classes. Each had been smitten with a bad case of spring fever. After lunch, they showed up at school and reported to the teacher that their car had a flat tire. Much to their relief, she smiled and said, "Well, you missed a quiz this morning, so take your seats and get out a pencil and paper." Still smiling, she waited as they settled down and got ready for her questions. Then she said, "First question...which tire was flat?"

This story, while quite funny, leads us to a pretty good point: that it's very true that lying gets us nowhere. But do you realize how much people tend to lie without even giving a thought to it? Most of the time, the purpose behind a lie is to make the liar look better or be seen in a more positive light. We want people to see us how we want them to see us, so it seems so easy to stretch the truth to accomplish that.

Read 1 John 1:8-10; take an extra second to look at vs. 9 a little more closely.

1. Why would it be deceiving to tell someone that we have no sin?
2. How does admitting we are sinners relate to receiving salvation in Christ?
3. Verse 9 emphasizes the importance of confessing our sins. Is a one-time confession of guilt enough? Why or why not?
4. Not only do we live outside the truth when we lie about our sin, but there is also another result found in verse 10. What is it?

Who really wants to admit that they don't have it all together, right? Nobody honestly wants to have to come to grips with the fact that they have made mistakes in life. But it is nothing more than that old prideful nature rising up inside that would bring someone to say, "I haven't done anything wrong...ever." John is actually addressing some false teachers with his comments in this passage. Not only were they walking in darkness (vs. 6), but they actually had the boldness to claim that they were without sin!

Why, you may be wondering, would our unwillingness to acknowledge our sinfulness cause us to call God a liar? In many places throughout Scripture, but specifically through the word of an Old Testament prophet, God has told us that we are lost and sinners down to the core. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" God has said we sin; if we say we don't, we are telling Him that He's all wrong.

Consistent times of confession of sin are NOT necessary to keep from losing your salvation because salvation cannot be lost. But confessing your shortcomings to the Lord regularly keeps your relationship with Him intact and the way that it should be. Don't fall victim to the temptation to build yourself up by denying your mistakes. The one who recognizes and admits his errors regularly draws nearer to God.

** Today's devo is part of a series studying through the book of 1 John.