This is part of an ongoing series on the Ten Commandments. God’s word reveals to us the laws he requires for living in the world as he has ordered it, and only by living according to this law are we able to flourish and enjoy our creational purpose: to glorify God and enjoy him. This series explores how Christians, whose identity is in Christ and whose inheritance is stored in eternity, should live under and live out the Ten Commandments.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.— Exodus 20:16
Words matter. Despite this, our present world demonstrates no shortage of ways that speech can be harmful. A quick glance at the harsh nature of online comment sections, flippant lies by public figures, and gossip trains all evoke a sense of wrongness and perhaps even disgust from us. Surely these examples from the world show the importance of understanding and practicing the ninth commandment today.
The church is not exempt from this need. Despite the popular proverb that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” Christians know that our words are extremely influential and have great power over our neighbor for good or ill (Prov. 18:21). For this reason, several biblical books speak of the importance of our speech (Ps. 141:3, Matt. 12:36, Col. 4:6). This is because speaking the truth matters (Zech. 8:16, Eph. 4:25). It matters not just because it is the right thing to do, but because God is a God of truth (Ps. 51:6, Is. 65:16).
9th Commandment and Truth-telling
With all of the Ten Commandments, there is something required of us. For the ninth commandment, one of those obligations is that we tell the truth, especially as it relates to speaking about and with our neighbor and in giving evidence in court cases. The Westminster Shorter Catechism states that we should have an interest in “maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbor's good name, especially in witness-bearing.” In sum, Christians should be active in speaking and seeking the truth as it relates to our neighbor’s name and our own (Acts 25:10, 3 John 12).
Additionally, the catechism puts an emphasis on speaking truthfully in matters of witness-bearing. In cases where a judge or jury is deciding whether someone is guilty, a truthful witness can help preserve the truth and good name of someone. On the other hand, a false witness can be incredibly harmful (Prov. 14:5, 25). Because of the massive responsibility a true witness carries, it makes sense that God would call Christians to be people of truth at all times—especially where the truth and reputation of a person is being determined in court (Prov. 31:8-9). What a privilege it is for Christians to speak justly for the truth (Ps. 15:2)!
Defending Our Neighbor’s Good Name
While not all Christians will have the occasion to speak in a court of law, there are still countless informal situations at school, the workplace, church, and social gatherings where we have an opportunity to speak the truth and promote the good name of our neighbor (Ps. 15:3, 1 Cor. 13:6-7). The Ten Commandments don’t merely probe our outward conduct, but our inner conduct as well. The Westminster Larger Catechism helpfully puts it this way: in addition to being truthful and positive of our neighbor’s name with our words, we are called to have “a charitable esteem of our neighbor” in our hearts and thoughts and to be active in “defending their innocency.” Furthermore, we should always be ready to “[receive] a good report,” and have an “unwillingness to admit of an evil report.”
For children and adults alike, these instructions likely reveal that we have broken the ninth commandment more often than we’re aware. In some cases, especially for people we may not like, we may even mask our harsh words, teardowns of others, and gossip about them under the guise of “talking.” However, in the wisdom and instruction of this commandment, these conversations should never begin or be spread at all.
Instead, this commandment encourages us to have a posture in speech and thought towards our neighbor that seeks their good name in light of the truth. This is something that can be a challenge when sharing prayer requests in small groups or when we’re speaking in the break room about a frustrating coworker. Rather than merely seeking not to be negative, the ninth commandment leads us to conversations that seek the positive welfare and truth of our neighbor's name rather than being skeptical and bitter when hearing a favorable statement about them. We may ask ourselves before we speak “Is what I am saying honoring this person?” Truly, it is a beautiful thing to speak life-giving words of our neighbor! (Prov. 15:4, 16:24).
The Christian Life and the 9th Commandment
Far from being burdensome, God’s commandments are life-giving (1 John 5:3). In a world of harsh judgments and critical insults, Christians have an opportunity for their conduct and speech to be exemplary by being gracious and uncomplaining to others in our speech rather than cruel and demeaning to our neighbors (Eph. 4:29). Furthermore, believers have a chance to honor people created in God’s image by speaking truthfully and kindly about them (James 3:9).
Paradoxically, this commandment finds relevance in the Christian life as the names of believers' are sometimes slandered for the sake of Christ (Matt. 5:11). Despite this, our responses should not be laced with slander and evil (1 Pet. 3:9). Rather, Christians can rejoice even when our names are attacked because our “reward is great in heaven” (Matt. 5:12).
While being maligned is painful, surely with Jesus’ instruction and the fact that our names are written in the Book of Life (Rev. 13:8, Rev. 17:8-13), we can be eager to maintain the truth and good name of others, even when our own name is not. Yet, even in moments when we fail, Christians can cast themselves in faith back on Christ, our perfect Savior, who “committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Pet. 2:22-23).
