James 3:14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. They professed the faith of the truth. But the indulgence and manifestation of such tempers of mind was a "lie against the truth" which they professed. It was not merely a lie against, their profession of it. Then all would have been right. Those who witnessed their tempers and behaviour would have been led only to conclude that their profession was unsound, and had no corresponding reality; that they were either self-deceivers or hypocrites. And this would have been the right conclusion. But they "lied against the truth." While they professed to believe it, and acted inconsistently with it, they bore to the world a false testimony — a practical testimony much more apt to be credited than a verbal one — with regard to its real nature and its legitimate influence. Everything of the kind is a practical lie. It is "bearing false witness" against the truth of God, and, consequently against the God of truth. It is leading the world to erroneous estimates; and while dishonouring to God, is ruinous to souls. And let us see that we gereralise the principle. It is true of all inconsistences, as well as of those here specified. The charge of "lying against the truth" bears upon every one who assumes the name of Christian, while "walking," in any part of his conduct, "according to the course of this world." As the Jews of old belied their God and their religion, when, on "entering among the heathen," they acted so wickedly as to lead the heathen to say, with a scornful taunt — "These are the people of Jehovah, and are come forth out of His land"! so is it, alas, among the heathen still, in regard to the multitudes who go amongst them, from our own or other countries called Christian, bearing the Christian name, while in the general course of their conduct they are utterly unchristian. There is hardly a more serious obstacle in the way of their success with which missionaries have to contend than this. O let us beware of throwing any such stumbling-block in the way of an ungodly world — any such obstacle in the way of the progress of the Redeemer's cause. Upon all our words and all our actions let there ever be the impress of the truth — that, like Demetrius, we may "have good report of all men, and of the truth itself": — and that thus our characters may attest the Divine origin of the gospel by presenting to men a manifestation of its Divine influence. (R. Wardlaw, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. |
    |