Megan (a_philosophress),
Why?
Life is better without lies; Lies destroy lives. Lies hurt people.

From one teen to another, you should try to stop. Trust me, lies hurt even when they're not intended to.

Nicholas

As much as I hate to admit it, I've lied a lot in my life.  I know it's wrong, but it felt necessary.  Although, it did feel necessary for all the wrong reasons.  Lies helped my sins, which didn't help me one bit.  I don't want to lie anymore.  I want to be a better person.  I guess if I don't do anything that I would have to lie about, then that would be even better, right?  I mean, we usually lie to cover up a sin.  I've also been wondering why lying is so accepted, on some level.  Most people think it's okay, even Christians.  "Lying helps in certain situations," they say.  That's not true though, is it?  Well, it may help you out at the moment, but in the long run it won't do you any good.  You will be punished. 

Thank you Nicholas, for this post.  This is something that I've been struggling with for a while.  Please pray that I get over this and no longer feel the need to lie, no matter the circumstance. 

heh, You know I tried thinking about this same topic ealier today but I couldn't come to any conclusions.  Now, that I've written it out (my thoughts), it has really helped.  hmm, interesting...

Anyway, have a wonderful day. 

~Lana~

Lana (herheartistaken), it takes a very courageous person to do and admit to what you did. We have all lied at some point in our lives, and it is a very shameful thing. Yes, if we take away the reason for the lie, then the lieing will stop.

The thing about lieing that makes it so dangerous, besides that fact that God has already said that it is wrong as Nicholas so eloquently pointed out, is that lieing is habitual. By that I mean, once you start and you find out that "it works," that you've "successfully" covered up something that you've done wrong; you will have to lie again to cover up the first lie, and then you will have to lie again, again, and again in order to keep up your story. It gets to the point of obserdity, where it is so hard to keep up with all the lies you've already said that it is much easier to tell the truth than to keep on lieing. "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free" (John 8:32).

We can have so much comfort knowing in telling the truth than we can by lieing because if we are telling the truth, it doesn't matter if anyone else believs it because we know (and God knows) that it is the truth; however, if we lie, we could have the whole world accepting that lie but we will always know that we told the lie, and so will God.

Well yes I agree... lying is usually wrong. However there are some cases where it's ok to withhold some of the truth... for instance look at what has happened because some stupid memeber of congress told NY times Pres. Bush was listening in on phone calls to the Middle East. That is information that should have been top secret. Yet you could still say it was a lie... but sometimes secrets are just necessary. You will realize this the more you live in the world.

And I find it funny you hate liars when you are one.. we all are... we're just born with that sin nature. We have all lied and we have all done a bunch of other stuff, and no sin is worse than another. We are equals in God's eyes no matter who we are. You said you don't want to be involved with anything Satan does... but you are. We all are. It's called sin and whether it's pride or premartial sex, God views it all the same.

Just something to think about...

Crescendo_of_ambiguity,   What exactly do you mean "born with that sinful nature"? If you mean to say that we're born in sin and are automatically sinners when born into the world I must disagree with you. Why would Christ tell us to become as little children if they are sinful?

Also, you said to Nick, "And I find it funny you hate liars when you are one..." How do you know this? While yes, all sins are equal, it doesn't mean we will commit every sin there is. Just because lying is a weekness for one person doesn't mean someone else has a problem with it. Just because one person has a problem with greed doesn't mean someone else does. It was a mighty large assumption to put on someone. I haven't exactly figured out where all your views are coming from - but I'll tell you this - the way you are saying things makes it seem impossible to be pleasing to God. You act as if we shouldn't even try to be what God wants us to be. We are told to imitate Christ - Christ was perfect. We can't ever be perfect - why even try? Because we're told to!! That's why! We must try our hardest to become as much like Christ as we possibly can.

Yes all sins are equal in the sight of God - but that doesn't mean just because we commit one sin we commit all sins.  Yes, perhaps Nick has lied at one point in his life - but that does not make him a liar. If Nick is being the Christian he needs to be, which I full believe he is, then he would have repented of lying. If someone commits adultery but repents...do we still have the right to call them an adulterer? Does God? No - because when God forgives - He forgets.

Urchin03: Well first of all... I didn't mean to sound judgemental when I called Nicholas a liar... but if you murder just once, does that mean you aren't murderer just because it only happened once? Of course not. This applies to lying as well.

And Paul says faith without works are dead... so of course we should grow in the faith and try to be like Christ. Lol but it's impossible to please God. God never says in the Bible that we please Him. Only Jesus did, and God pointed that out when John baptised him. We sin. That makes it impossible for us to please God. You can say sorry as much as you like, but the only thing that saves us is the Cross. You're right... Jesus was perfect. When he died, he saved us from our sins... that indicates we couldn't do it on our own. He fulfilled the law... Paul says the law is good because it showed him what sin was... unfortunately it did nothing to fix it. And that is the grace you guys are missing.

You throw a baseball at a building a mile away... you may throw it farther than me, but it doesn't matter... neither of us hit the building. Think of it like this... we should try and throw that ball as far as we can.... but then we have to let Jesus pick it up and throw it the rest of the way, because only he can.

Ok so it's just an illustration... but that's the idea. We should want to know God because we love him SO MUCH. But the cool thing is, he loves us too and he wants to know each of us one on one. Problem? He can't look on sin... so he sent Jesus to do what we could not. He took away all the sins of the world... including ours. How awesome is that?

You guys are awesome for trying to live so hard for God... but don't get caught up in the law and miss the joy of knowing God... Jesus fulfilled the law... we should live for God because we want to, not because we have to.

Rachael (crescendo_of_ambiguity),
Lying is wrong, regardless of the intentions for telling the lie.

I don't appreciate you calling me a liar; you don't know if that is true or not. You made an "accusation", which I pointed out in my entry as a form of a lie. Not only was it a false accusation, but you have no proof to back it up...

I am not a liar. I agree with Reagan; we are all sinful but that doesn't mean that we all commit the same sins.
If you use the type of logic which you just used, that would mean everyone is a liar... This can't be so because God tells us that all liars will spend eternity in hell, and if everyone is a liar then there will be no one in heaven.
Revelation 21:8,27 (8)But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (27)And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

When we ask for forgiveness for our sins, God forgives and forgets them; He no longer holds us accountable for the sin because we have repented of it.
i.e. As a little kid, I would lie to my parents in order to avoid punishment for something that I did wrong. When I was baptized, my sins were washed away -- meaning that I could no longer be held accountable for my lies because they were forgiven of me. After we become Christians we can ask for forgiveness for our sins and He will forgive us of them. -- and when God forgives us for a sin, He no longer holds us accountable for that sin.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Yes, I have lied, but when I became a Christian I was forgiven of my sins. -- I was a liar before becoming a Christian, but I was no longer a liar after I became a Christian.
I have lied after becoming a Christian but I have repented of lying and asked for forgiveness -- I was a liar before asking for forgiveness, but I was no longer a liar after asking for forgiveness.

If I hadn't asked for forgiveness, I would be a liar; but I did ask for forgiveness, so I am no longer a liar in God's eyes.
If you commit a murder and you ask for forgiveness for that sin out of a pure heart, you will be forgiven for it and you will no longer be a murderer in God's eyes.
I might always be considered a liar or a murderer in the worlds eyes, but it doesn't matter what the world thinks; If I have repented of my sins, God will no longer hold me accountable for them... What matters is what God thinks, not what man thinks.

I am not a liar.

You stated "we're just born with that sin nature"... Do you mean to say that you believe we are born with sin? -- We are sinners when we first come out of the womb? Please explain.

Nicholas

R.K.O. (lgndkllr),
Concerning me being judgemental, I believe you are referring to 1 Corinthians 4:5 where it says Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

I do not believe this condemns all judging... For example..
2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
In order to withdraw from the disorderly, we must decide if a person is walking disorderly or not. How do we do this except we judge a person? We have to judge people in order to know if they walk disorderly or not.
The way I see and understand it, we can judge as long as we do it through the Bible.

As for cussing and stuff... Times change, I mean... some words that are considered profane today may not be profane in a hundred years (if the world is still in existance then); Just like words that were considered profane 100 years ago are not considered profane today.
That's why God condemned profanity and not just certain words, because He was smart enough to know that profane words would change as the times change.

First of all, we don't say damn because it is considered profane, but we also shouldn't say damn even if it weren't profane.
God is the only one with the power to "damn" something. Since only God can "damn" a thing, only God should use the word.
Like I said, we shouldn't use profanity.

Lying is never right! No, when I have kids I will not teach them that Santa Claus brings them presents, because he doesn't.
God doesn't say that lying is okay as long as you have good intentions, He says lying is an abomination, period.
There are no if's, and's, or but's about it. God says don't lie.

Lying one time does make you a liar, but if you repent of lying then you are no longer a liar. I explain this in detail in my reply to Rachael (crescendo_of_ambiguity), so scroll up and read that.

I don't know what you meant by your last comment "o and is it possible to lie and be a born again christian because if it is then how can a christian burn in hell?". Please explain.

Nicholas

Matt (Matt_frazier),
No, I do not.
It's easier just to keep the whole discussion on this Xanga than it is to double-post both here and on the other Xanga's.

I did reply on the individual Xanga's when I first started out (on my personal Xanga), but when I moved over here to this Xanga I decided to keep it here.
I just supposed that if people were really interested in learning more about the Bible (which is the whole purpose of this Xanga), then they would come back.

Also, some people that are not religious at all could be reading my Xanga and they might not make comments if I were to reply to everyone on their own site because I'm sure the non-religious people would not want their "friends" to know that they are trying to learn about the Bible...

Just my way of thinking I guess; I find it best to do it this way.

Nicholas

Yes... we are sinners the minute we are conceived. We will sin and there is just no way around it.  That's why I say "sin nature". Romans talk about it alot.

As for lying. No I don't have proof... but have you ever said sunset or sunrise? Science teaches us that is a lie... yet we still say it. I'm sure you have said those words before so that makes you a liar. The good news? Yea, you can be forgiven. So can a murderer or a rapist. So can anyone. It doesn't change the fact that you sinned though.

Lemme ask you a question... why did Jesus die? Because you make it seem like if we do all the rights things and ask for enough for forgiveness, we can be good enough for heaven. And in that, you are insinuating(sp?) that Jesus death is not enough. In reality, that is the ONLY thing than can save us. It doesn't matter who has more or less sins, in the end we are saved because Jesus took our place on that Cross... we are the ones who deserve to be there. But Jesus loved us so much that he took our place. And only he can do that because he's perfect. Jesus was perfect. He fulfilled the law. So only he could take our place. The law is simply to show is what sin is... Jesus is what we can do to fix it. If you read the old testament, you'll see that the Israelites sacraficed a lamb (or some other acceptable animal) for their sins... they had to continually do this to be forgiven. When we accept Jesus, we accept the fact that he is the ultimate "lamb". We don't need to be continually forgiven... the law has already been fulfilled.

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.-Matt. 5:17

The only thing you have to do to be saved is accept Jesus... if we had to do the other things you are mentioned, the that means the Bible contradicts itself.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me." John 14:6

He doesn't say me and something else... he just says him. That's it, that's all. And that is the "good news". We are free, Nicholas... no more law. Yes of course we should do what is right... but Jesus set us free with his forgiveness and his love. That is the gospel. He fulfilled the law.

To the above: (crescendo_of_ambiguity)

             I find your statement rather misguided.  When Jesus was saying that in John 14, he was referring to the fact that he's LEADING the way, he created a path for us, and made it possible for us to "come to the father."

     But try this. You accepted Jesus, correct? Okay. Then logically, you must accept his teachings, correct? all right then. Jesus taught that we were to keep his commandments. John 14:15 (KJV) "If ye love me, keep my commandments" and also, v. 23 of the same book and chapter "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." Are you with me so far?

           Now, to be saved we are specifically commanded to

        Hear the Word - Romans 10:17 "So then Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" 
        Believe the Word - Acts 16:31-33 "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake until him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway."
        Repent of your sins - Luke 13:3 "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish"
        Confess Jesus before man - Matthew 10:32 "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven"
         Be Baptized for the remission of sins - Acts 8:36, 38-39 "And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to baptized?"    "And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Pilip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing."
       & finally... Remain faithful: Revelations 2:10 "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried: and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

             Thus you see? we are commanded to do so much more than just believe in Jesus and "Accept" him. If that were the case, then what would have been the point in Ananias going to Saul in Acts 9? Why was more done to complete Saul's conversion if he was already "saved" by his faith? Yet in verse 18 it clearly states that Saul arose and was baptized. 

            Thus my question: If faith is the "only" step in salvation, then why does the entire New Testament prove otherwise?

           Secondly, if we can do no wrong once we are "saved" then why are there such detailed intructions on how we are to conduct ourselves? In Colossians 3:17. we are commanded to do ALL in the name of the Lord, which means by his authority, which means how he told us to, and NO OTHER WAY! Also, the Bible displays great disgust for those who fall away, such as in II Peter 2:21-22 "For it had been better for them nto to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proberb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."  

       I ask you, if we are "saved" by Jesus' sacrifice once and forever, then why is there such a strong aversion and flat-out disgust towards those who have turned away from the will of God?

                           That's all from me for now. I hope I have made my point clearly and fully. feel free to comment here (for nick's sake, anyway!) or on my own site!

           *Kate

btw...lying...gotta hate it, though it's an easy slip to make, one at which i often catch myself, sadly, not always in time.

      James 3:5 "even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!"

             okay, now enough of me for real. ;)

     *kate

Rachael (crescendo_of_ambiguity),
I agree with Katie and her comment to you, so there is no need for me to repeat the truth.

I would, however, like to add that we are not sinners when we are children...
Children think like children... they do not understand God's word until they get older and their minds develop so that they can tell right from wrong.
If a child dies young or if a child is aborted, God will not send that child to hell. That child did not sin; it did not live long enough to sin...
The age when a child does sin is different for every individual because everyone's mental level is different. Some children might be smart and will understand God's word at 8 years old, whereas some children might not be as smart and will not understand God's word until they are 13, 14, 15... Also, there are children born with mental problems; they will never understand God's word because they do not possess the mental capacity to do so... Everyone is different.

We know that children do not sin because it tells us in Matthew 18:3 to become as little children. God would not tell us to become as little children if little children are sinners...
Matthew 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

A child does not "inherit" their ancestors sins or anything like that; A child is born sinless and free from all evil.

Nicholas

Just a side comment...we were discussing something along the lines of this in bible class Sunday morning and it was stated that "if you tell the truth, you never have to remember what you said, whereas if you tell lies, you have to remember EVERYTHING to keep covering your tracks."