Then I said: ‘Ah, Lord God, behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’” And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds. (Jeremiah 14:13–14, ESV)
There is an expression, “Liar liar pants on fire.” Where and when this expression started is somewhat of a mystery. However, it may have had its roots in folk tradition where it was thought that a liar’s body might catch on fire. It seems to have become popular in schoolyard taunts in the 19th century when children thought another child was lying. In any case to tell something that is not truth is a sin.
This is one of the major issues in Jeremiah’s time and it has been throughout the ages. In Jeremiah’s time there were many prophets who brought a false message to the people that they claimed came from God. The Lord responded to Jeremiah regarding these prophets, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them.”
The Lord indicated that they were prophesying a lying vision. Exactly what motives were behind this false prophesy is not mentioned here, but there are various possibilities. It may be that they had real visions that were false. It is possible that they were seeking information regarding the future through various forms of divination rather than seeking the Lord God. It many have been that it was from their own human wisdom, the imaginations of their feeble minds. Perhaps they were just interested in telling the people what they wanted to hear.
We have these same problems today. People will often claim to speak truth, but the truths they speak are actually lies. Why is this? It is because of the deception of the age. There are two diametrically opposed views on truth today. Some hold that truth is relative, that there is no absolute truth. Others say that truth is absolute, that truth is divinely established and unchangeable.
As believers we see the Bible and its teaching as absolute truth. The reason is that God has given us His word, and it has flowed forth from the essence of His infinitely perfect being. He is truth and has given us His word which is the revelation of absolute truth.
How does this issue work out in our society today? Many are determining truth in their own minds rather than the absolute truth of Scripture.
For example, I witnessed to a young girl one time and asked her if she knew for certain that she would go to heaven when she died. She said yes and explained how she knew for certain. She replied that God knew everything and if we tried to be a good person and did not try to hurt people that He would let us into heaven. Then I asked her, “From who did you learn that.” She stated, “I did not learn it from anyone. I just came up with that on my own.” She created her own truth.
This idea of creating one’s own truth is very dangerous. It can lead to concluding that murder can be justified in certain cases. It can lead to justifying adultery. One might establish a truth that says anything is ok or justified, even if it violates the commands of God.
Moreover, this philosophy can sneak its way into churches that are swayed by changing cultural norms. It is when churches filter the words of scripture, all 66 books which are God’s breathed, through the lens of a society’s moral relativism. This is happening today in what is called the movement of progressive Christianity, churches that deny the infallibility and full authority of the Scripture.
We, in the church must hold to the full absolute truth revealed in God’s word without compromise. The church must be very careful in her teaching and preaching to stay steadfast in the truth. Today we have many false prophets running around with new revelations, visions, and ideas. They tickle the itching ears of people, telling bold lies that will lead them to destruction.
Yes, it may become increasingly difficult to hold to the truth due to the pressures of others, but the brightness of the church’s light is based upon the truth. Look at Paul’s word to Timothy.
“if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:15, ESV)
The church must hold fast as the “pillar and buttress of the truth.”
Renewing the Heart 