Friday, March 13, 2009

You asked For Questions...You Got Um #4

Why did Abraham lie about Sarah being his wife? Was it the right thing to do?

5 comments:

JamesCharles said...

Gen 12:12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
Gen 12:13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

Abraham didn't want to die.


Lying is wrong.

Big J said...

What if someone breaks into your home and is aboutto kill you and he asks, "Is anyone else home?" Knowing yuor wife and children are hiding in a closet under a pile of clothes you say, "No!"

Is that wrong or good common sense thatthe Lord understands?

JamesCharles said...

Does it violate the commandment if you kill in war? What about David vs. Goliath? We'd assume not.

I don't know, I've often wondered if since killing in the US Armed Forces is ok by God (or at least it was with ok in the Israeli army with David and Goliath), would it have been approved by God to lie to Goliath?

Also, isn't a war strategy usually based on deception? (Much of Israel's battles seemed so). I don't know man. I say it was wrong, because of what happened with the rest of it. Instead of trusting in the Lord or asking God what to do, Abraham acted on his own understanding. It wasn't the only time he did it either. Then his son turned around and did the same thing.

Leland Acker said...

Did Abraham lie? Yes. Half-truth for the sake of deceiving is lying. Was it the right thing to do? No.

Genesis 12:18 records Pharoah's rebuke to Abraham for his deception. What a shame it was for God's man to be rebuked by an unGodly pagan for lying. The verse also seems to indicate that Pharoah would've left her alone. Would God have protected Abraham, yes, and He did!

So, Abraham lied, and it was wrong. It was a sin, but Abraham was just a man. We should live by faith and trust God, and follow HIs Word always, and not just when it's expedient. (Of course, it goes without saying that we are sinful men and never live up to this standard.)

There, that's a Texas Baptist Institute education for you! HA!

Leland Acker said...

JC, regarding your war questions...

the Bible teaches about war through the specific examples you are referencing... so no, killing in war is not a violation of God's law, unless you murder a wounded soldier or one who is trying to surrender. It's possible to kill in war and not be guilty of murder, and its possible to kill in war and be guilty of murder.

Followers