HONESTY IN EVERY AREA OF LIFE IS PARAMOUNT IF WE ARE TO BE WITH GOD ETERNALLY.
Some of Webster's definitions of the word include, sincere, candid, genuine, and straightforwardness. Jesus dealt with it in the sermon on the mount when He spoke of forswearing (Matt. 5:33-37), and said that if our language includes anything more or less than the truth it "is of the evil one." If someone calls on the phone or knocks at the door, do you tell the children to say, "We're not at home" or are you honest and answer? The Bible knows nothing of "little white lies" or "big black lies." A lie is a lie, big or small, and regardless of who tells it, Christian or non-Christian.
HOW DO YOU REPORT AN EVENT OR CONVERSATION?
Do you give some information that my be factual, but eliminate what would give a correct assessment, thereby misrepresenting another person? "Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor." Many people, including some who claim to be members of the Lord's church, are not careful in this area. Lying, whether in small or great matters, will land one in hell (Rev. 21:8).
HONESTY IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY WHEN PAYING TAXES.
Please read Matt. 22:15-22 and Rom. 13:7. We have a number of members here at ______ who are self-employed. Saving adequately for quarterly estimates is required. For everyone, what is deductible and not are important issues legally and spiritually. Reporting all income from areas required by tax laws is a part of being honest, like it or not!
HONESTY WITH THE WORD OF GOD IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
The sum of thy word is truth" (Psa. 119:160). Jno. 3:16 is truth, but not the "sum" of truth relative to what must be done to be saved. All God says on any subject constitutes the truth on that subject, and is what we should strive to learn when studying any Bible subject. It is what Paul meant when he said we are to rightly divide the "word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:;15). One may dishonestly handle God's word by looking at one of a few passages on a subject in an attempt to justify some activity in which one is already engaged. Our attitude should be that we desire to study all God says on whatever subject is under discussion, then determine that is what we will do, regardless of our past or resent actions.
HONESTY IN OUR PAYMENTS IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
Have you ever signed a contract to buy something on time? You are giving your word that you will make whatever the payments are by a given date. I know of some who sigh such contracts, and know going in that they cannot meet their obligations. "Covenant-breakers" is one of many sins which characterized the Gentiles who had refused to retain God in their knowledge (Rom. 1:31). Honesty in Christians means we pay what we owe.
HONESTY IS DEMANDED IN THE WORK PLACE.
We should work at our jobs as if Jesus Christ Himself is our supervisor and He watches our every move. He does, in fact! Concerning a Christian in the workplace, Paul said that it should not be "with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord: whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men, knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye serve the Lord Christ" (Col. 3:22-24). Loafing, only working when a superior is watching, taking longer off for breaks than the time allotted for such, and generally goofing off is being dishonest with an employer who is paying for work to be done. One should be honest with his time given an employer.
HONESTY IS DEMANDED IN BUSINESS DEALINGS.
"A false balance is an abomination to Jehovah; But a just weight is his delight" (Prov. 11:1). While fair market values should be in place, still we are not to defraud. Have you ever been overcharged for something, then upon seeking a just settlement the business personnel apologized for the mistake? What about the opposite? Have you ever been overpaid after a transaction with a business? For instance, you buy $84.00 worth of groceries, give a cashier five 20's and she gives you $26.00 rather than $16.00. What do you do? I have heard some say, "The store is big; it will never miss it." But what about you? The honest thing to do is call his/her attention to the mistake and seek to correct it, even if you come out on the "short end of the stick."
HONESTY IS NECESSARY IN DEALING WITH THE SOUL'S OF OTHERS.
After Simon sought to buy a miraculous spiritual gift with money, how easy it would have been for Peter to have said, "Simon is a young Christian, perhaps he will grow out of this later." Or, "I don't want to hurt his feelings; perhaps I can talk with him about this sometime later." But allowing Simon to continue in his sins was the worse thing Peter and anyone else could do. "Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee" (Acts 8:20-22), said Peter. He was being honest with Simon's spiritual condition.
While we should never do anything that would alienate people unnecessarily, we should always be honest with them concerning their spiritual condition. This means we should never give an impression that someone is in a right relation with God if he isn't (2 Jno. 10,11). One who knows the Scripture does, in sin, the biggest disservice possible when he is not honest with that person about his condition. If he seeks that person's friendship over being honest with him about his spiritual condition, he doesn't truly love that person. Love seeks what is in the best interest of the other and is selfless. Maintaining friendship with one at the expense of being honest with him/her relative to spiritual matters is actually selfish and not selfless.
Our eternal destiny will be based in part on honesty. One of the definitions of honesty is straightforwardness. God will deal with us in a straightforward manner in judgment when "we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Cor. 5:10). Along with other reasons, since God will deal with us in a straightforward manner relative to eternity, we should do the same in every area here on earth.
|
