In the book of Revelation, John writes that everyone who “loves and practices falsehood” (or lies) is not in the city of God (22:15).  This has been compared to a similar list in Revelation 21:8, which mentions liars (or deceivers), who face a similar fate.

Sometimes I wonder if lying, deception, and falsehoods are more than overt acts or speech that is not true.  “I didn’t eat the cake,” when you did eat the cake is an obvious falsehood.  But there’s more to lying than just telling a lie.

Often, falsehoods stem from fear.  The person in the above example is probably afraid that they will get in trouble if they admit to eating the cake.  Similarly, people lie so that they don’t get in trouble, so they aren’t rejected by a specific set of people, or so they will receive something they’re afraid they don’t (or even know they don’t) deserve (an example of this is someone lying about their experience to get a job).

Other falsehoods and lies are more subtle.  We put up a false front of our lives on social media.  We wear certain clothing or talk a certain way to fit in with a crowd we want to like us (that includes church, by the way).  We pretend our interests lie in certain areas.  It’s not who we truly are.  It’s just a very carefully constructed lie born out of the fear of allowing other people to see who we really are – the beautiful (if sometimes warped by sin) personality and person that God has created us to be – or the fear of being rejected.

There’s nothing wrong with intentionally wearing nice clothing to church (or work, or a party, or…) because that’s what the situation dictates.  There’s nothing wrong with cheering on your favorite sports team.  There’s nothing wrong with discussing flowers with your neighbor or any number of other activities.  The problem comes when we do it with an ulterior motive, based on fear or pride, to intentionally create a persona or mask that is false.

Genuineness is become more and more valuable as the fakeness of our generation spirals out of control.  When you find a genuine person – not someone who is pretending to be genuine by having no filters; but a truly genuine person – it’s like a breath of fresh air for those who are also living genuine lives.  But for those who are living lies, it’s a threat: They’re going to find out who I am.  They’re going to undo my mask!

Truly genuine people are rarely (in my experience, at least) trying to unmask liars.  But it happens.  A lie meets the truth and shrivels up and dies.  You can love it or hate it, but there’s something about the genuine truth that will, even unintentionally, show up every lie.

We are called to be genuine, not to live a lie.  It’s not always easy.  The people who live falsehoods can get mighty uncomfortable around us.  But if we want to pursue God, in Whom is no falsehood at all (John 7:18), we must repent of our falseness and live and love genuinely (Romans 12:9).

“And this I pray, that your love may overflow still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10; emphasis added)