Proverbs 19:5 “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.”
The liar lays for himself many traps. He must remember his lies, remember the people to which he has lied, and keep all the details of his dishonesty organized.
The risk of being caught must be ever-present.
Lies have social consequences, as we lose the trust of other people. They have potential legal consequences, as society punishes those who falsify documents and testimony.
The moral and ethical consequences are even deeper and longer-lasting. Especially if we lie to ourselves about God, or about our sin, or about our responsibility for sin.
Dishonesty costs the liar in the short and long term, it costs in every relationship and in every community.
It seems there is indeed no way to escape the negative impact of lying.
Whether our punishment is simple embarrassment, time in prison, or eternity in hell, we will not go unpunished.
The fear must not be simply getting caught, for when we lie we are already caught.
We must fear God – the God who knows the truth and requires that we tell the truth.
Proverbs 19:5 “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.”