Scripture makes it clear that God cannot tolerate sin as it is in opposition to His holiness (Habakkuk 1:13). This is why God hates lying (Numbers 23:19; Habakkuk 1:13;
Proverbs 6:16-17, 12:22; Psalm 5:6). In fact, not bearing false witness—lying—is the ninth of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:16).
Jesus calls Satan the "father of lies," which implies that those who lie align themselves with the Devil (John 8:44). That and many other New Testament passages teach that Spirit-filled believers will avoid lying (Colossians 3:9; Ephesians 4:25). Liars are among those who will be judged and condemned to hell (Revelation 21:8).
Some have pointed to examples in the Bible in which lying seems to be excused, such as the Hebrew midwives lying to Pharaoh and Rahab lying to the Jericho king's men (Exodus 1:15-20: Joshua 2:1-5). But considering that the Bible consistently condemns lying, those examples should be read as commendations of the womens' faith, not of their lying.
You can justify it, redefine it, or call it "the lesser of two evils." But a lie is still a lie. Scripture never gives us permission to sin because the alternatives are hard. At the same time, the Bible recognizes that we sometimes face tragic situations where every available option involves the effects of living in a fallen world.
Lying is never presented in Scripture as morally good because it is contrary to the character of the God who is truth. Yet life sometimes confronts us with heartbreaking situations where every available option seems to involve pain. What if telling the truth could place an innocent person in danger? What if every choice feels like choosing between two evils? These are difficult moral dilemmas that require wisdom, humility, and deep dependence on God.
In those moments, our first response should not be to trust our own instincts but to seek God's wisdom (James 1:5), asking Him to help us honor Him in the most faithful way possible. We may not always know the perfect answer, but we can be confident that obedience to God is never the wrong path, even when it is costly. Rather than looking for excuses to compromise the truth, followers of Christ should pursue wisdom, courage, and love, trusting God with the consequences.
The examples of the Hebrew midwives and Rahab remind us that God honored their faith and their willingness to protect His people, not necessarily the lies they told. Their stories encourage us to trust God when obedience is costly rather than assuming we must sin to accomplish His purposes. When you find yourself in a seemingly impossible situation, remember that your responsibility is faithfulness.
Still, for the most part, we are not faced with these extraordinary situations, yet we still struggle to tell the truth. More often, we lie to avoid embarrassment, escape consequences, protect our reputation, gain an advantage, or spare ourselves discomfort. Those everyday lies reveal a heart that is tempted to trust self more than God. Followers of Christ are called to be people of truth because we belong to the One who is "the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Lies, like all sin, enslave us, but the truth frees us (John 8:32). A life marked by honesty, even when it is costly, is a powerful testimony to the God who never lies.
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