Hate is Murder

“Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.” (Leviticus 19:16-17)

Gossiping and lying are common maladies in any era. But the Lord saw it necessary to place it in the Law because it can be harmful, especially if the lie or exaggeration leads to false imprisonment or the death penalty. “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19) God hates lying because it kills. It destroys a person’s reputation; a person’s good will and a person’s potential for the Lord to work in their lives either because of the damage we have done to that person in the eyes of others or in that person’s own eyes. One of the most dangerous things in this world in this time is “bullying.” When youngsters do it, they damage another’s potential in succeeding in this world and some even commit suicide. It seems like a minor thing, but to young people, what others think, and friends are very important. When others think ill of one and they have no friends, young people may commit suicide. It’s the main cause of suicide among young people. “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1John 3:15)

Lying about someone is the devil’s work. Who wants to destroy God’s creation? We know it’s God’s enemy, the devil. Jesus said to the Jews He was speaking to: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44) He is the accuser of the brethren and bends the truth so that we will stand condemned. But in the end, he will be cast down into the fiery fire and that will be the end of all misery.  He is the one who causes all evil. “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” (Revelation 12:10)

It is so important to know the Gospel and the Truth of God’s saving grace so that even in the midst of accusations, we know where the lies about us come from and how to combat them. The devil plants lies about ourselves in our minds all the time. He is unrelenting. Find out what God thinks of us and His future for us. God is not some ogre who is waiting for us to fail. He wants us to succeed. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11) God has a good future planned for us. But the devil may derail us if we accept his lies telling us that we’re not good enough or not able to succeed. We can combat the devil’s lies with what the Lord has said about us.

The Lord knew the damage we may do to ourselves when we believe the devil’s lies. He knew that the enemy would use others to make sure we believed the lies, so God’s commandment to us is not to be involved being the devil’s messenger and deliverer of the devil’s lies. We are commanded to bless others. James writes about the royal law. If we keep this law, we will be a blessing to others. “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:” (James 2:8).