Deuteronomy chapter 25. Deuteronomy chapter 25. We'll begin reading in a moment from verse from verse 13. We took a hiatus from our series for the last couple weeks. Last Sunday morning, I preached on being a servant and on deacons because, well, we we ordained two new deacons to our church, Ray Anderson and and David Polar.

The Sunday before was Father's Day, and so we we spoke on on Father's and but previous to that, we start a series. Began with Ephesians two eight and nine. For by grace are you saved through faith and not by what? And not by works. Okay?

And, clearly, the Bible teaches we're saved by grace. We're kept by God's grace and power. If it depended upon our faithfulness and our good works, we would be in great trouble. Praise the Lord. There's nothing we can add to the work of Jesus Christ that he did on the cross of Calvary that we might be saved.

We simply must receive him and his offer of salvation by faith. Receive him as our Lord and savior, and he will carry us safely to the place that he has reserved in heaven for us. However, if you continue in Ephesians two eight nine and then verse 10, we do see something. That is good works do play an important part in the life of every believer because God expects his children to live in such a fashion that reflects their heavenly father in heaven, that reflects the life of Jesus Christ, their savior. Good works that he has before ordained or prepared that his children should live by them or in them.

So, Ephesians two eight nine and ten, for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. For we are those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and been saved by his grace. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus, in other words, the work of Christ, unto for what reason? That we might do what?

Good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Good works are not the means to our salvation. They are the result of our salvation. We don't do good works to earn our place in heaven. Our place was earned by Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.

It is received by grace through faith in Christ alone. Good works are not the means of our salvation. They are indeed the result of salvation. When you are saved and born again, receive therefore the Holy Spirit of God who comes to live inside your heart. You are changed day by day into the image of who?

Jesus Christ. And that should produce fruit in our life, good works, evidence that others may see. As James said, show me thy faith without thy works, I will show thee my faith, what? By my works. So that brings us to the question, what are good works?

What good works are we talking about? Well, first of all, three weeks ago, we looked at this simple definition, obedience. Good works are obedient works, obeying our father which is in heaven. If you want to know if it's good or not, you can ask the question, is it done in obedience to our father? Because well, it should be.

And that's an easy definition. If you're living disobediently, then it isn't a what? It isn't a good work. Okay? If you're obeying your heavenly father, then likely it is a good work rather than looking at all the little ins and outs and lists and rules, just a simple question.

Am I out of love and gratitude obeying the one who saved me and gave me life. In regards to that, this morning, I want to look at just one specific area and that is that's honesty. The ninth commandment of the 10 is thou shalt not bear what? False witness against thy neighbor. In Deuteronomy 25, if you've turned there, we read verses 13 through 16 together.

It says this, Thou shalt not have in thy bag diverse or various weights, a great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house diverse measures, a great and a small. Thou shalt not have thou shalt have a perfect and just weight. A perfect and just measure, thou shalt have, that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. For all that do such things and all that do unrighteously are an abomination unto the Lord thy God.

Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Dear heavenly Father, thank you, Lord, for your word today. Thank you that you are trustworthy and true, and that we can trust your word and trust your actions to reflect that. Know that we have a father in heaven who loves us, cares for us, will not let us down, that we can trust in every aspect. And Lord, may that be reflected in us, pray.

Forgive us where we have failed and help us, Lord, to be true to you as you have true to us. In Jesus' name we do pray. Amen. In Proverbs chapter six, it says this, these six things doth the Lord hate. Yea, seven are an abomination unto him.

A proud look. A what? A lying tongue. Hands that shed innocent blood. A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations.

Feet that be swift and running to mischief. A false what? Witness that speaketh lies and he that soweth discord among the brethren. As I read through that, I see two or maybe three places at least where deceit is involved. A lying tongue, a false witness that speaketh life.

He that soweth discord could also be involved deceit as well, as would some other things. Mischief, swift and running to men. That might involve deceit as well. Several things. Deceit is not of the Lord, it is of who?

Satan. He is the father of what? The father of lies, we are told. We are not reflecting the nature of our father in heaven when we lie. We are reflecting the nature of the God of this world, the one who is rebellion against the one who made us, Satan.

So what are good works? Well, they're honest works, Truthful words, honest actions and motives, candidness with our neighbor, honesty with our employer, openness with our spouse, honesty in our work and dealings with others, honesty with our money, etcetera, etcetera. We could go on. We live in a day when the minds of many in in the minds of many, it isn't crime that doesn't pay. It's honesty that doesn't pay, at least in their twisted thinking.

Lies and deceit and half truths, hypocrisy and cheating rule the day and without remorse. They don't call it lying. They call it spin as though that makes it better. Something we're just supposed to expect from our politicians and our news media, our teachers, entertainers, business advertisers, and sometimes friends. It's just the way everything is and it's wrong.

And it should not be the way we live who are to reflect the glory of the one who made us and saved us. Lies and deceit rule the day in business practice. Nothing new there. This was a problem back in Deuteronomy chapter, what, 25. It was a habit, a choice of many in business when they were selling things to have two sets of weights.

One that were weighted just a tiny bit over the weight and one which were weighted a tiny bit under the weight. And whether it came to your benefit to use the greater weight or the lesser weight, that's the one you would use to measure whatever you were selling. You know, it wasn't about just having a weight that was actually the true weight. You know? 20 ounces.

Okay. Well, this one's 19 over here and this is 21 over there. So and whichever is going to bend, I'll use that way. Or or measure with with a bag. Well, you have this this sack over here and they're they both say they're a bushel, but this one's a little over a bushel and this one's the way the one that's a little under a bushel.

So which one would they most likely use if they were selling and they wanted to make a little bit extra money? They'd use usually the one that was what? A little smaller that said a bushel because then your grain went a little further and the person who bought it got a little bit what? A little bit like I mean, they wouldn't notice. It was just like a half a cup or a cup.

You know, who cares? God does. God does. God cares. Who cares if it's an ounce for two off because of the weight?

God cares. He expects us to be honest in our business dealings. Completely honest. Proverbs sixteen eleven says, a just weight and balance are the Lord's. All the weights of the bag are his work.

In other words, they should all bring glory to who? Whether we eat or drink or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God, and that includes our business practices. We need to be to be honest. Now, that's not the way it is in many cases. But it doesn't make it what?

Right. And it should not be the child of God. It is not expected of God's children to bend the rules but to be true. It is expected of God's children to use an accurate balance to weigh the products. It is expected of God's children not to cheat on the amount of the product they sell.

If it's 12 ounces, it should be what? 12 ounces. It is expected of God's children not to cheat on the quality of the parts they sell or the work they do. Yes. The work we do should be our what?

Our best, not our least. We shouldn't be cutting corners. I worked construction for summer and a couple Christmases after I graduated from high school. One thing that is a habit in construction work is cutting corners. Because when it's something you're just going to cover up, then how is anybody going to know that, well, you messed this up or you, yeah, you didn't add that board in there.

You're you're just, what, covering it up. It doesn't matter. But it it should. Shouldn't it? But yet, you know, cutting corners and covering stuff up, well, that's just part of common business practice today.

Just doing your least and not your best, well, that's a common business practice today, but that doesn't make it right. It is expected of God's children to own up to the mistakes they make. Yes. We all make mistakes. Some of them on purpose.

Those those aren't mistakes. Those are sins. Okay? But but, you know, sometimes when you're making something, you're doing something, you're you you make an honest what? Mistake.

When you figure out you made the mistake, you need to own up to it. You need you need to fix it. You need to make it right. But well, the world isn't all that concerned about that. A matter of fact, usually, when they do get caught, they just blame who?

Somebody else. Yeah. But that shouldn't be the way of the child of God. We should be what? Honest.

Own up to your mistakes. It is expected of God's children to do what they say, to keep their word, not always to be making excuses. Yes. Sometimes there's things out of our control that happen. That happens.

Yes, it does. God knows that. Others know that. But if it becomes a pattern, I, you know, I I know I've invited people to church and say, oh, I'll I'll come next week and something happens next week. I'll come next week and something happens next week.

I'll come next week and some you know, every week something happens. Okay? Well, that's starting to kind of show a what? A pattern. Okay?

But that should not be the pattern of who? Of of God's children. We should do our best to keep our word. It is expected of God's children to give an accurate accounting of their business to the proper authorities. Oops.

I just happened to misplace a $100,000. I didn't know it was there. Yeah. You didn't. You didn't.

Then you laugh, but that happens in business all the time. It shouldn't happen in Christian businesses. We justify some stuff like that. Well, you know, I mean, the government doesn't have they're just gonna use it for something wrong. You know, I'll just it's not right.

That's called justification. Wrong justification. It is expected of God's children not to imbuzzle embezzle. Embezzle or commit fraud. Even a little bit.

It is expected of God's children not to lie to their business partners or the public to save face. It is expected of Christians not to lie about their competitors. How to how often does that happen in commercials? Yeah. Our product does this.

Their product, it's worthless. It does nothing. Yeah. It is expected of God's children to tell the truth pure and simple. We should not find this difficult, but oftentimes we do because everyone else around us is doing it Or because the rules are ridiculous.

Or because the seriousness of the situation necessitates it. Does it really? We get accustomed to telling half truths. Half truths are lies, and God expects something better of his children. Good works are what?

Honest works in our business dealings in particular, in the weights of the back. They rule the day, that is, lies also rule the day often in daily relationships. Isn't that terrible in our relationships that so often they're built upon half truths and lies? You wonder why marriages fall apart and why business partnerships fall apart and why people who have been friends for years no longer talk to each other and family members no longer talk to each other. It's because oftentimes they've woven so many half truths in everything they've said that their relationship comes what?

Crashing down. Because you find out that the person you thought you knew isn't the person you thought they were. Ephesians four twenty five says, wherefore put away lying putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Simple command. Just be honest with your neighbor.

Be honest with your family member. Be honest with your friend. Be honest with your brother or sister in Christ. Don't pretend to be something you're not. Don't tell them you did stuff you didn't do.

Don't tell them the fish was that big when the fish was this big. Okay? Yeah. Laugh and it's silly, but, you know, we do sometimes a little too much of that. We call it exaggeration.

When we do it on purpose, God calls it what? Lies. Yeah. Hypocrisy and deceit are common practice in marriages and friendships with neighbors and relatives and even in church because the truth would be unprofitable or the truth would be hurtful. Or so we think and so we what?

And so we lie. We tell people what they want to hear rather than telling them the truth. We tell people things that would make us look good rather than being honest. It kind of smooths things over for the moment. But underneath the surface, the foundation's got what?

It's got cracks in it because it's built upon half truths and lies, and it's not helping anybody. We lie about activities and accomplishments because the reality is either embarrassing or unimpressive. We lie about our failures in particular to keep from getting in trouble with others and losing their trust or hurting their feelings. We lie because we want the acceptance of others so we don't tell them what they do not want to hear. Are we men pleasers or God pleasers?

Which should we be? God pleasers. Yeah. We should be God pleasers. And if we please God, then God's gonna take care of the other things.

The relationships we do have will be built upon truth and honesty, and he will get the glory and they will last. We lie about our friends and neighbors to make us look good and they look bad. We call that gossip or or tail bearing as it's called in the in the scripture. Thou shalt not go up and down as a tail bearer among thy people, neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor for I am the Lord. Proverbs eleven thirteen, a talebearer revealeth secrets, but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

Proverbs eighteen eight, the words of a talebearer is wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Proverbs twenty six twenty, where is no where no wood is, the fire goeth out. So there is no tail bearer, the strife ceaseth. Gossip almost always has a little bit of a half truth thrown in. We have to exaggerate in order to make somebody else look bad and make us look good.

The whole motivation behind it is evil and wicked because it's all focused on me. We're supposed to, in Philippians chapter two, look out for the needs of others and not just for who? For ourselves. We're supposed to esteem other better than ourselves, not the other way the other way around. At least we can love our neighbor as ourself.

And if we don't want people gossiping about us, we shouldn't be what? Gossiping about them. But sadly, today, many relationships are based upon this premise, half truths and gossip. And so it leads to sorrow. God expects Christians' relationships to be built on something better, honesty and truth.

And we will benefit also thereby. Number three, not only should our our business practices be honest and our our daily relationships and conversations be be honest with others, but sadly, lies rule the day before authorities and sometimes in court to keep from getting in trouble or paying a fine or being punished. The police officer pulls you over and asks you, did you run that stop sign? No. No.

No. I didn't run the stop sign. No. I didn't. Well, he's he's got you on camera.

You're in trouble because you, you know, they sit there and they watch. And if your your hub, your your wheel, you know, you can see when that wheel stops what? Turning. And if your wheel doesn't stop turning, what does that mean? You didn't what?

You didn't stop. Now, I know a lot of times we fudge a little bit on that. When the policeman pulls you over, you need to be what? Honest. How fast were you going?

Well, I think I was going you know, it looked like I was I really didn't look at the speedometer. Yeah, you did. You knew you were going 12 miles an hour over the speed limit. Be honest. We hide we hide our activities so we don't get found out.

Why do we do that when we're doing what we know is what? Wrong. Yeah. We tell lies about others so they take the punishment and not us or simply injure them for whatever reason. That's why the ninth commandment, thou shalt not bear false witness against thy what?

Neighbor, don't don't tell a lie about your neighbor in order to get them in trouble and get you off. Okay? Be honest. In the end, it will be better for you, but more importantly, it is the right thing to do. And if you love your neighbor as yourself, you are not going to lie to get them in trouble because you don't like them, because they they play loud music at two in the morning and you can't sleep, or whatever it is that aggravates you or irritates you about them does not justify telling a lie about them, embellishing or overstating the truth.

Be honest. You know, that even in the world in which we live today, that's what is that called in court when you lie? Perjury. That that's considered a pretty serious thing. And maybe you say, well, hey, a lot of people are doing it.

Doesn't make it what? Right. Even in the eyes of the government and the judicial system. Certainly not in the eyes of God. Number four, we should be honest in our business practices and our daily relationships in respect to authorities.

Number four, we should be honest in our politics. How true, sadly, it is that the rarest of animals is an honest politician. And we laugh. Yeah. We do it.

But that should not be the case because lying is still what? Lying. Spin is lying. When you take a story and a narrative and you twist it and contort it to make your opponent look bad and you look good, to make the circumstances look good in your behalf and not in the other, That isn't spin. That's deceit is what that is.

That's lying. And we should be honest in our politics. Say, well, you can't be. Well, yes, you can be. And sometimes you'll still win.

And sometimes you won't win. And that's okay because you'll win with who? You'll win with God. God does not need you to lie to help him. And that's oftentimes the way politicians think or sometimes neighbors or friends.

Well, you know, I mean, this this is this is where we need to go. We we need to do this. Right? But I can't help do this if I don't lie over here to get elected or to get this person on my side in order to get this done, whether it be in government or church or home. It's what?

It's a lie. It's deceit. And God does not need you to lie to help him. Just do what's right and let God take care of the rest. Number five, be honest in school.

Now most of you in this room are not still in school. But maybe somebody watching online is in school. Maybe somebody who watches later that's in school. Cheating is dishonest and it is a what? And it is a sin.

But it's just my homework I copied from my friend. I didn't have enough time. No. If you're turning it in as your work, it is a what? It is a lie.

It's a lie. Well, I took the test honestly. Well, I did, you know, I did get the person from last semester to give me a copy of the test and I memorized a, b, c, d, f, a, b, you know. That's still being that's still cheating. It's being it's being dishonest.

And it's wrong, and it's not justifiable. Number six. My sermon has six points this morning. Just six. We're to number six.

Aren't you glad? Sadly, lies rule the day in church and in religion. How is it that there are hundreds of denominations and 10 thousands of churches and many of them are teaching opposite things? Completely different things about God. Completely different things about salvation and the way to heaven.

How is that? How you possibly be serving the Lord and preaching his word and be teaching the opposite things? Well, somebody is what? Somebody's lying. Somebody's not telling the truth.

Maybe some of them have been deceived by others who lied to them, but the fact is lying is at the root of many churches and many doctrines and many books written by theologians who twist the scriptures, who take things out of context in order to sway people to believe what they think and not what who thinks, what God thinks. To sway them to send more money into the coffers so they can have more money in their pockets, so they can have more power and influence over others. There are those who would tell you you have to give this in order to assure your place in heaven. You have to do this thing to assure your place in heaven. You have to belong to this denomination.

Follow this person. There is only one person you must follow. And who is that? Jesus Christ. There is only one way to heaven and that is to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone who died on the cross and rose again for your salvation.

You don't have to be a Baptist to go to heaven. You don't have to do the works of the Baptist church. You have to trust in the works of who? Jesus Christ that he did for you on the cross of Calvary. That is the way to salvation.

But yet, there's many person who writes a book and stands in the pulpit and preaches in a seminary who is teaching people lies in the name of what? In the name of truth. That's why Paul said the Bereans were more more noble because when he preached to them the word of God, they went to the word of God. They searched it out to see if what Paul was telling them was indeed the what? The truth.

You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. As your pastor, I do my very best to always tell you what is right and true. I will not tell you anything I believe to be a half truth in my teaching or my preaching. Now does that mean that I never get it wrong? I wish that were the case.

There are times I've gone back at a sermon I preached ten years ago, not on salvation or not on the very nature of God or those type of things, but on the interpretation of a particular passage or a particular or what this word meant or that. And I look back and go, I said, I think I see that a little different than I did ten years ago. I've learned something since then that helps me to see that a little differently. Yes. I'm not God, and I'm still learning just like you.

But sadly, there's too many lies on purpose coming out of religious institutions today. Not for the benefit of God, not for the benefit of the others, but for the benefit of the person in the pulpit or the person writing the book. That should not be. Jesus told the truth. He expects us to do our very best when we share with others the scripture to make sure that what we're telling them is the what, is the truth because that is that is important.

It's important that as members of church and members of the body of Christ, as brothers and sisters in Christ, that we are honest with one another. That in in doing the business of the church, that we don't twist things or spin things in order to get our way. It's not about getting our way. It's about getting whose way? Christ's way.

And we should be following the head of the church, which is not the pastor but is Jesus Christ. And we should be doing our best even when we disagree, and sometimes we will, to simply be honest and let the best argument win. Do the thing we believe is the best thing to do. And sometimes it might not be what you want to do. That's okay.

Don't lie. Don't twist in order to get your way. Don't lie or twist things in order that others in the church might pat you on the back or applaud you for what you did if it's not honestly exactly what you did? What happened in Acts chapter five to Ananias and Sapphira? What happened to them?

God God took their life. God said that's enough. We cannot have people in the church lying in order to exalt themselves. And that's what Ananias and Sapphira did. They sold their land and they gave part of the part of the money to the church.

And they stood there in front of Peter and John and they said, this is the entire amount. There was nothing wrong with giving part of the money to the church. There was no law that said they had to give it all. But they wanted other people to think that they were these selfless, great, wonderful people and to praise them. And so they lied.

That was just a small thing. I mean, they still gave the money. It's just a small it's just a little half truth. It cost them their what? Their lives.

Why did God do that? To make a point. Does he take the life of every person who lies? No. Praise God or we all would be dead.

But it doesn't make it what? Right. And that was the point God was trying to make. It should not be the case in the what? In the church of God.

That we cut corners, that we lie to one another, that we gossip behind each other's back, that we tell half truths from the pulpit or the Sunday school to try to get other people to like us. Be honest. Be honest. What does James five sixteen say? Confess your faults one to another and pray for one another that you may be healed.

The effectual fervent forever righteous man availeth availeth much. What does that mean? Admit your failures. Don't hide everything, and don't be a hypocrite. If other people know what you're struggling with, they'll pray for you.

If they truly love you and care for you, they're not going to kick you when you're down. They're going to pray for you and try to what? Lift you up. If they're kicking you when you're down, that's their problem, not what? Not yours.

And they're not a true friend and maybe not a true believer if that's their attitude. You be honest. Be honest. In closing this morning, in regard to our business practice, our personal relationships, our authorities, our politics, our school, or church, is there some place that God has put his finger on you today? Is there some area in which you are being dishonest?

What does God say? Repent. Repent. Be willing to confess it to God and admit where you failed so you can make it right and not continue to dishonor your heavenly father by being dishonest. Do a good work.

Produce good fruit. Be honest. And if you're here this morning, I ask you one last question. Are you being honest concerning your relationship with God? Have you been honest with God about your your sin and that you need a savior?

Are you have have you been telling yourself that you're okay, that that you're gonna make it, that you're good enough? Have you been telling yourself that that you really don't need a savior? Have you been playing games and going through the motions with others? You can fool others, but you won't fool who? You won't fool God.

And someday, we're all going to give an account before him. Have you trusted Christ as savior? Are your sins forgiven? If not, this invitation in just a moment is for you. All of us who know Christ one day had to be honest with ourselves and the Lord.

Is this your day to be honest with him and receive his forgiveness and salvation? I will be glad to meet you down here as someone met me many years ago when I admitted my need of a savior. And if you're a child of God this morning and God put his finger on some area, why don't you spend a moment in prayer as well? Don't let this time pass you by. Don't let this opportunity go by to get that off your off your chest with God and start fixing it by his grace.

Dear Lord, we thank you, Lord, for your honesty and that you are trustworthy, that we can trust you. Lord, forgive us for not being as honest in some areas of our life for justified and in some form or fashion. And Lord, we pray if there be one here this morning that is yet to be honest with you about their need of salvation, about their sin, and come to the Lord in faith and humility. I pray, Lord, that they would come today and receive you as the Lord and Savior of their life. In Jesus' precious name, we do pray.

Amen.