LITTLE “WHITE” LIES: IT’S ALL RIGHT TO CHEAT
AS LONG AS YOU DON’T GET CAUGHT
2 Timothy 3:1-7, 13; 4:3-4, 7-8
Dr. Glenn A. Jent, Pastor
INTRODUCTION
A white lie is not mean or vicious in intention. It is typically a lie to protect someone from the painful truth. Satan would have us to believe many little “white” lies, but his intention is to deceive us. The one I want us to consider today is that it’s all right to cheat as long as you don’t get caught. Satan wants us to believe that successful cheating harms no one and is not wrong—if no one knows you are cheating. Let us examine this lie more closely.
I. IT’S ALL RIGHT TO CHEAT AS LONG AS YOU DON’T GET CAUGHT!
1. In Our Private Life
(1) By cheating on ourselves: Not taking care of our bodies and minds
(2) By cheating on our family: Not giving them the time and attention they need
(3) By cheating on the internet: Involving ourselves in inappropriate activities
We may get away with our cheating for a while but . . . . If we cheat on ourselves, will it not show up in our bodies and minds at some point? If we cheat on our families, will it not show up in broken relationships? If we cheat on the internet, will it not show up in our spiritual lives? Of course it will!
2. In Our Public Life
(1) By cheating in our secular life: Claiming another person’s ideas (plagiarism)
(2) By cheating in our sacred life: Not giving tithes/offerings, nor time/talents
(3) By cheating in our stewardship: Not using our money & possessions properly; not paying taxes; not giving to help the less fortunate
We may get away with our cheating for a while but . . . . People who plagiarize are soon found out, disgraced, even fired. People who cheat in their religious life will be exposed as frauds. People who cheat the government will be found out.
3. In Our Professional Life
(1) By cheating in our bodies: Using Steroids, HGH, uppers (or amphetamines)
(2) By cheating on our buddies: Selfishly claiming credit for another’s work
(3) By cheating on our bosses: Giving less than our best; using time poorly
We may get away with our cheating for a while but . . . . People who use are soon found out and disgraced. Selfish thinking will cost us our friends and associates. Failure to give our best will always cost us in our professional life and elsewhere.
II. IT’S NOT ALL RIGHT TO CHEAT, REGARDLESS OF GETTING CAUGHT!
1. The Fear Factor
Numbers 32:23—“You may be sure that your sin will find you out.”
Galatians 6:7-8—“7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction.”
2. The Future Factor
1 Timothy 5:24—“The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them.”
3. The Faith Factor
2 Timothy 4:7-8—“7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
CONCLUSION
We live in a generation full of people who love themselves but no one else, who are proud, boastful, without self-control, brutal. They are evil, going from bad to worse. They are caught up in Satan’s lies and are deceived. We dare not believe his lies. We dare not cheat! We must completely commit ourselves to live righteous lives.
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