Full disclosure

Yesterday Sunday 28th November the Internet 'leaks' site wikileaks started publishing US government files.  They tell a lot about foreign diplomatic activities, opinions and actions.  In some cases they are secret in a lot of cases they are embarrassing.

Politics is a murky world, we all know that.  It is full of backroom deals, intrigue, backstabbing and compromise.  It is getting one thing by sacrificing another, it is about priorities.

As with life.  Last night David McIlwaine was speaking at Rathcoole Presbyterian Church about this same issue.  Jesus said, 'You cannot serve two masters.'  You can't serve both God and money, God and lies, God and dirty deals.  You cannot advocate truth and cover-up. 'Beware your sins will find you out.'

Often our own lives go by the same principles of these high-level politicians. In public we are respectable, upright, just, fair, kind and astute, but beneath the veneer we are compromising, cutting deals with our conscience.  Justifying wrong actions if they are done with the 'right' motives. 
 

We tell a lie to save face, then another lie to cover the first one, then another then another.  How many of us are so used to compromising truth in order to preserve our reputation that we don't even know what truth really is any more.  But how do we fix this?

We need to remember where genuine truth is found, the source of pure righteousness.  We find this only in the face of our loving God.  A God who knows everything and who is not fooled by any cover-up.  We need to remind ourselves that He will judge us on the things seen and the things unseen. He knows all and He is all wise.

God has a way of restoring those who have gotten so deep into compromise that they don't know where to turn. 

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:31-36

Embrace the truth, the truth that God loves you, that He sent His son to die for you and that by following His teaching, His way and not your own, you will be free indeed.

What's black and white and red all over?

While doing some extensive research for yesterday's post (surfing youtube) I came across another Christine O'Donnell clip.  In this one she is seeking to promote the idea that lying is always wrong.  Fair enough.

However Eddie Izzard is also on the show with her and he asserts that there are grades of lies, that some lies are more serious than others and that sometimes it is better to lie. He asks Miss O'Donnell what would she do if, during the second world war she had been harbouring Jews from the Nazis and Hitler came to the door and asked her where they were.  Would she lie then?



The Bible clearly teaches against lying (e.g. Exodus 20:16 and Leviticus 19:11) but is it always wrong? When is it ok to tell a lie if ever?  How can we always be truthful and yet avoid problems like in the senario above?

Your comments would be most welcome.