Lies, Deceptions, and Half-Truths (Part 2)

By John-Michael Wong. Read Part 1.

Remember the Examples of the Past

Third, remember and teach that God is in control and works all things for His good purposes (Ro 8:28), even things that others mean for evil (Ge 50:20). If lies have driven division in your church, know that difficulty comes by necessity. In Corinth, Paul taught the believers that “there must also be factions among you,” with the Greek particle δεῖ (dei) showing the obligation and necessity that these factions would arise, which was for the highlighting of “those who are approved” as the proven disciples (1Co 11:19).

Deception fractures people along fault lines that were already there beneath the surface yet dormant until an earthquake unleashes its destruc­tive friction. If you find yourself dealing with factions, know that the division was already there, and it just became evident when pressure arose where people need­ed to choose between truth and error.

We see the example in the Old Testament also of Korah’s rebellion, where Moses and Aaron were falsely accused of exalting themselves above the assembly of the people (Nu 16:1­3). The work that Moses and Aaron had accomplished was beyond dispute to the generation of the Exodus. The method of deception here was to attack the motives and present a lie-laced half-truth. The truth was that God exalted them to a prominent leadership posi­tion among the people. This was clearly observable. But a lie was built on top of it, presenting an alternative expla­nation for the facts: that they were exalting themselves and that the whole congregation was holy. Even after the earth swallowed up the rebellious insti­gators, the congregation continued grumbling, leading to a plague (v. 41). It was through this confusion that Moses and Aaron were affirmed as tested and approved servants of God in everyone’s eyes as they made atonement for the people (vv. 46-48) and kept the budding rod as a testimony for all Israel (Nu 17).

Help your church remember such examples from the past for their instruc­tion (1Co 10:11-12) and remind them of God’s sovereign and good purposes. He allows lies and factions to arise so that truth may emerge, false teachers would be removed, and qualified disciples of Jesus will be approved (1Th 2:4; Jas 1:12). Regarding leadership defection, Jerry Wragg put it this way,

As God protects the purity and unity of His peo­ple by exposing those who would destroy it, we are called to walk humbly before Him. Defection sobers a congregation.²

Be Patient With People

Fourth, be patient with people as they struggle with the lingering effects of how lies contaminate relationships and when false perceptions become seen as reality. The entrance of sinful speech into the conversation of a church is what rapidly “spreads strife” and “separates close companions” (Pr 16:28; 17:9).

Under these circumstances, one’s strengths and gifts may become perceived as weaknesses or faults when viewed wrongly. For example, a clear and care­ful expositor of God’s Word can become branded as overly academic, a proficient administrator as overly authoritarian, prayerful thinker as a detached observer, or a loyal leader as a subservient follower. When this twisted mindset prevails the church’s leaders may be in a no-win situation from a human standpoint, as the proper exercise of their spiritual gifts may be misconstrued according to the lies promulgated by a deceiver.

The effect on individuals can be subtle and sometimes be seen when church ­members who were once close suddenly become distanced because of unchecked suspicion or a fear of man manifested in reserved self-preservation or disillusionment. Such people may be suffering ­weariness and can be encouraged to “not lose heart in doing good” (Gal 6:9; 2 Th 3:13). They can be reminded of our Lord Jesus’ endurance (Heb 12:3) and encouraged when they also see your example of perseverance in the middle of hostility.

If this has set in, consider inviting leaders from another church to speak truth into the matter. An outside voice untarnished by the deception may more effectively clarify the truth to some­one who is a victim of deception. This is a great strength within our IFCA International fellowship, where multiple churches in a region are available for one another as we remain united in purpose and doctrine.

Lead in Prayer

Last, redirect people to pray and depend upon God, not themselves, to untangle the web of deception. Be swift with prayer. Even in the middle of con­fusion, encourage God’s people to trust that He has already given us everything pertaining to life and godliness (2Pe 1:3) and that He gives sufficient instruction and examples in His Word to deal with all challenges (2Ti 3:16-17).

This will require patient persever­ance because it takes time to recover after the destruction of deception. After a wildfire, communities and forest-lands require a long-term action plan over multiple years to stabilize, rebuild, replant, and regrow. Similarly, a great forest set aflame by the tongue will take much time to uncover and extinguish smoldering hot spots, clear away the damage, and then set the stage for new growth in a church.

An example of a lingering effect a church can face in this electronic age is slander posted online. On the one hand, the internet has become like the “front door” to the church and a primary way most people will find a church. On the other hand, Michael Beasley summa­rized the dangers writing,

The Internet, in addition to being a potential tool for good, has especially become a useful tool in the hands of the Devil whereby he entices the masses to follow him in spreading false accusations, deception, evil speech, and lies after his own pattern as ‘the father of lies.³

Even though most online platforms provide a means for requests to be made for content removal if it breaks the Terms of Service, the process is slow and unreliable for getting wrongful content removed. It can be rather exasperating to feel helpless while lies persist. Yet, we can be reminded that our Lord is listening to our prayers (Heb 4:16) and that He is involved with all authority in heaven and earth as He is always with us even to the end of the age (Mt 28:18-20).

Several years ago, I asked a young man how he found a Bible-teaching church for Sunday worship while vaca­tioning out of town over a weekend. He explained that he researched church websites to review their basic doctrine and sermons. When he came across a church with negative online reviews, he decided to visit that one. He concluded that the scrutiny and reactions indicated they had a strong biblical ministry!

God surely displays His care in sit­uations where we humbly realize our inability and depend more upon Him. King David was no stranger to lies, deception, and half-truths against him, and we can learn a lot from his attitude of prayer in his moments of anguish. For example, in Psalm 35, he shows his overflowing trust in God to uphold him legally and physically (v. 1), even when attacked without cause (vv. 7, 19; Jn 15:25), even when betrayed and slandered (vv. 11-16), and even when deception surrounded him (vv. 19-21). He called out to God for justice and hopes that “my tongue shall utter Your righteousness and Your praise all day long” (v. 28). Others used their tongue for the power of death. But God encourages us to pray, to rejoice in all our circum­stances, and to use our tongues for the power of life through His righteousness and praise.