... and all liars ...
by Sandy Simpson, 11/05/06

Revelation 21:8
" But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers
and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (NASB)

Lying is a problem for all people (Ps. 116:11).  We are all sinners (Rom. 3:23).  Those of us who are Christians are "sinners saved by grace" (Eph. 2:8) indwelt by the Holy Spirit in our "new self" (Col. 3:10). But we still live in our "old self" which we must "put off" (Eph. 4:20-25) by taking up our cross daily and following Christ (Luke 9:23).  The difference between unbelievers and those who are truly born again is that believers no longer "practice sin" (1 John 3:9, see my Bible study on 1 John!)  They have the indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:11) who convicts them when they lie (John 16:8). True believers then repent (1 John 1:9) and go on to "practice righteousness" (1 John 2:29) with the Lord's help.  The unregenerate, the false brothers, or those who have fallen away (Gal. 5:4, Mark 4:17), practice lying.  They practice a lifestyle of lying because their consciences are seared (1 Tim. 4:2) and the Holy Spirit, when convicting them, cannot break through the hardness of their unrepentant hearts (Eph. 4:17-19, Heb. 3:13).

1 Timothy 4:2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. (NIV)
Those we expose as false apostles, false teachers, false prophets and false Christs on the ACT web site are hypocritical liars who practice lying as a lifestyle.  They lie when they say the Lord told them something and it is proven not to be true.  They lie when they claim to be able to transfer Holy Spirit anointings.  They lie when they claim to be healing people or raising the dead when they are not.  They lie when they teach things that are against the cores doctrines of the Bible and yet they claim to have some newer revelation.  They lie when they say they either can't remember teaching heresy when confronted with the facts, or that they never taught it.  They lie about their associations with certain groups and individuals when they think they will get into trouble with biblical believers.  They lie when they are put to the test and keep on lying without repentance.  This is how you can know your true brothers in the Lord and those who claim to be brothers but are actually false brethren.
1 John 3:7-10 Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. (NASB)
Those who practice lying as a lifestyle, according to John, are actually of the devil.  They may claim to be followers of Jesus Christ (Matt. 7:21-23).  They may speak high sounding words, have millions of followers and maybe even perform great signs and wonders (Matt. 24:24).  But if they are liars they show who their father is (John 8:43-45).

They will commit heinous sins and then, after they are caught, they confess.  But when they confess they only confess to what they were caught doing or think they might be prosecuted for, and then they continue to lie about the rest.  Their confessions are only political in nature, done to please men, but are not true repentance.  Then in a few months they are back preaching the same lies and living to please their appetites because their "mentors", "counselors" and followers allow them to continue in the lifestyle to which they have become accustomed.

Eph. 4:20-25 But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. (NASB)
Those who are true believers will stay away from false brethren because they are wolves who have slipped into the Church in order to try to bring true believers into bondage again to sin.
Galatians 2:4 But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. (NASB)
Matt. 7:15-16 "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? (NASB)
False brethren bring the Truth into disrepute.
2 Pet. 2:1-3 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. (NIV)
What is their fruit?  Not the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) but the fruit of unrighteousness.
Gal 5:19-21  The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (NIV)
Matt. 7:18-20 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
There is a lesson for all true believers in recent events.  Have nothing to do with deeds of darkness perpetrated by false brothers.  Reject heresy.  Mark and avoid false teachers.
Ephesians 5:11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. (NIV)
Titus 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; (KJV)
Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. (KJV)