The Ninth Commandment: Honest Justice

READ: EXODUS 20:16; MATTHEW 23:23-24; JOHN 18:37-40

"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16). When most of us hear the ninth commandment, we think, "Okay, God doesn’t want me to lie. So I should be good and tell the truth." And this is true! The ninth commandment does show that God calls His people to live honest lives. But it goes even deeper than that.

At its heart, the ninth commandment is really about justice. “False testimony” is a legal term that refers to lying in court. Lying in court could lead to an innocent person being punished or a guilty person walking away free. That’s why, in some cases, giving false testimony could carry the death penalty. God is serious about justice.

In this command, God communicates to His people that He is a just and righteous God, and He wants us to reflect His justice and righteousness. Injustice has no place in the kingdom of God. Therefore, this command is much bigger than “Tell the truth so you don’t get in trouble.”

It calls Israel to execute justice in a way that reflects the justice of God. It commands Israel to dismantle unfair systems of oppression and promote honesty and integrity, recognizing each person as God’s image-bearer. God’s love and justice were to flow through every part of their society, turning Israel into a shining witness of God’s goodness to the whole world.

And they failed. In fact, we have all sinned against God’s justice (Romans 3:23). But God never fails. Even though lies and injustice have broken creation, God sent Jesus, the Truth in flesh, to perfectly embody God’s justice and righteousness. He took on our injustice and brokenness on the cross, bearing our punishment in His death. Then, He rose again, defeating sin and death.

When we're weighed down by the world's injustice, we find sure hope that Jesus is returning to one day destroy every lie and set right every wrong so that we as His people can dwell in His Truth forever. • Taylor Eising

• How do justice and truth go together? Can one exist without the other?

• Because Jesus is the ultimate Truth, we, as Christians, are called to live lives that reflect His truth, the gospel (John 14:6). What are some ways you can pursue gospel-centered justice?

The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. Psalm 33:5 (NIV)