Topical Bible: Lying: The Wicked: Seek After

◄ Lying: The Wicked: Seek After ►

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Lying, as a deliberate act of deception, is consistently condemned throughout the Scriptures. It is often associated with the behavior of the wicked, who are depicted as actively seeking after falsehoods and deceit. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings that illustrate the moral and spiritual dangers of lying, emphasizing its incompatibility with a life of righteousness and truth.

Biblical References:

1. Psalm 4:2 : "How long, O men, will my honor be maligned? How long will you love vanity and seek after lies?" This verse highlights the tendency of the wicked to pursue falsehoods, contrasting their actions with the honor and truth that God desires.

2. Psalm 52:3 : "You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth." Here, the psalmist describes the wicked as those who prefer deceit over truth, illustrating their moral corruption and the destructive nature of their choices.

3. Proverbs 17:4 : "A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue." This proverb underscores the relationship between wickedness and lying, suggesting that those who are inclined toward evil are naturally drawn to deceitful speech.

4. Jeremiah 9:3-5 : "They bend their tongues like their bows; lies instead of truth prevail in the land, for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know Me," declares the LORD. "Let each one beware of his neighbor; do not trust any brother. For every brother is a deceiver, and every friend a slanderer. Each one betrays his friend; no one tells the truth. They have taught their tongues to speak lies; they wear themselves out with sinning." This passage paints a vivid picture of a society steeped in deceit, where lying is rampant and truth is scarce, reflecting the spiritual decay of those who reject God.

5. Hosea 4:1-2 : "Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land: 'There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land! Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.'" The prophet Hosea identifies lying as a key element in the moral decline of Israel, linking it to a broader pattern of sin and rebellion against God.

Theological Insights:

Lying is not merely a social or ethical issue but a spiritual one, deeply rooted in the human heart's rebellion against God. The wicked, in their pursuit of lies, demonstrate a fundamental rejection of God's truth and righteousness. This behavior is symptomatic of a deeper spiritual malaise, where deceit becomes a way of life, leading to further estrangement from God.

The Scriptures consistently call believers to reject falsehood and embrace truth, reflecting the character of God, who is the ultimate source of truth. In contrast, the wicked's pursuit of lies is a path that leads to destruction, both in this life and in the life to come. The Bible warns of the consequences of such behavior, urging individuals to turn away from deceit and seek the truth found in God alone.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 4:2
O you sons of men, how long will you turn my glory into shame? how long will you love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Sermon for the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
... But afterwards our wicked adversary led us astray again ... and altogether drowsy, their
minds lying waste and ... on grievous sicknesses, and they seek their pleasure ...
/.../vii sermon for the fourth.htm

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
... it is strengthening the hands of the wicked to make ... be wrecked; the driver would
be lying drowned in a ... those elusive, soaring spirits that seek after God only ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol ii/fourth sunday after epiphany.htm

Psalm LIII. (LIV. ).
... while without thinking upon God they seek the soul ... it is displayed to them; the wicked
will never ... Truth confounds falsehood, and lying is destroyed by truth. ...
/.../hilary/the life and writings of st hilary of poitiers/psalm liii liv.htm

The Importance of a Choice
... But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the ... in peril and in something
very like lying, for which ... lives by faith, and he will seek after the things ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the importance of a choice.htm

Against Excessive Fondness for Jewels and Gold Ornaments.
... of what is necessary, we must seek after what can ... were suitable, begets a practice
of lying and a ... Resigning, therefore, these baubles to the wicked master of ...
/.../the instructor paedagogus/chapter xiiiagainst excessive fondness for.htm

Psalm XL.
... earth." Therefore, even when thou wert wicked, He "took ... after them: they are "vanities,
and lying madnesses." Let ... But do thou seek after thy God Himself: nay ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xl.htm

Psalm XXXIV.
... "Seek peace, and ensue it;" because when thou also hast ... Haply say the wicked, I securely
do evil, because the ... Thou seest him outwardly lying on his bed, dost ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xxxiv.htm

The Unclean Spirits.
... and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their ... 1-3. And Paul says of that wicked:
"Whose coming ... Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the unclean spirits.htm

The Tenth Chapter of the Gospel of John. Of the Shepherd, and the ...
... do they pervert this declaration when it is said to them in their wicked lives,
"With ... "For all seek their own ... "The hireling when he seeth the wolf lying in wait ...
/.../sermon lxxxvii the tenth chapter.htm

The Conversion of Zaccheus
... from the rich men of this wicked and adulterous ... depart, saying, "It is in vain to
seek after a sight ... to strength, break through every difficulty lying in their ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/the conversion of zaccheus.htm