Deuteronomy 5:20 “And you shall not bear false witness”

Jon Beck

My sermon notes for Sunday morning, Nov 1st as we walk through the book of Deuteronomy. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon.  They are provided to help you follow the sermon as you listen each week. The church provides a live stream of the service each Sunday at 10:45 on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/firstbaptistavonpark/  We also provide the services through our website by Sunday afternoon at www.fbcap.net

Deuteronomy 5:20

And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

  • Our words are powerful
  • Hard to take back things we have said
  • OUR TONGUE…James 1:26, Chp. 3 – 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.
False Witness
  • Giving false information against another.  To discredit someone… by your words.
  • To lie.

In Biblical times…the words of a witness were crucial (different today with the technology we have to prove a crime)

  • 1 Kings 21 – Ahab, Jezebel, and Naboth’s vineyard

We may not be asked to testify as a witness, but still…our words about ONE ANOTHER ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

Gossip
  • False about someone
  • True that is not necessary

Proverbs 18:8 – The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. (ESV)

2 Corinthians 12:20 – For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. (ESV)

Gossip in the Bible

Slander
  • Deliberately passing along what is false about someone

Matthew 15:19–20a – [19] For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. [20] These are what defile a person. (ESV)

Judging
  • Forming and declaring an opinion of someone without doing the due diligence to determine the facts.
  • Condemning someone rashly
  • Twitter/Facebook today….IS TERRIBLE

Matthew 7:2–5 – [2] For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. [3] Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? [4] Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? [5] You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. (ESV)

Conclusion

Proverbs 19:5 – A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.

Proverbs 6:16–19 – [16] There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: [17] haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, [18] a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, [19] a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. (ESV)

Something else to consider:

ARE WE KNOWN FOR BUILDING UP OR TEARING DOWN?

Ephesians 4:29–32 – [29] Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. [30] And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. [31] Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. [32] Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (ESV)

  • We can be right and not handle it right
  • We can be right but not allow God to utilize me to help others

2 Timothy 2:22–26 – [22] So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. [23] Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. [24] And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, [25] correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, [26] and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (ESV)

1 Peter 3:8–12 – [8] Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. [9] Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. [10] For

              “Whoever desires to love life

                             and see good days,

              let him keep his tongue from evil

                             and his lips from speaking deceit;

              [11] let him turn away from evil and do good;

                             let him seek peace and pursue it.

              [12] For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

                             and his ears are open to their prayer.

              But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (ESV)

WE CAN EITHER BY A FALSE WITNESS OR A GOSPEL WITNESS

Acts 1:8 – But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (ESV)

OUR WORDS SHOULD BE A WITNESS TO THE GRACE, LOVE, MERCY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST UPON OUR LIFE.

OUR WORDS SHOULD FIRST AND FOREMOST BRING GLORY AND HONOR TO GOD.

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