Zoom Class on Acts 6 / Outline: THE MORAL ISSUE OF DISHONESTY

[Frank Walton]

We are glad that we can now resume our weekly class on the book of Acts 6:8 with the preaching of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Stephen is a great example of dedication to the Lord and preaching the truth amid fierce opposition. Despite the world's attacks, the Lord's truth will prevail. When Stephen's enemies killed him, they simply helped to punch his ticket to heavenly glory. 

TIME: Friday, Dec. 19, 11 AM in the USA central time zone, which is: 1 pm Chile, 5 pm Ghana, 7 pm Zambia & South Sudan; 8 pm Uganda & Kenya; 10:30 pm India

Link: http://zoom.us/j/9312107673 (If joining by phone, you must have the zoom app downloaded to your phone to view the zoom class. You can download the zoom app from Google Playstore. Save this link. It is the same link is the same for every class.)

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THE MORAL ISSUE OF DISHONESTY

INTRODUCTION

1. A survey of 29,760 students in USA high schools revealed the following about stealing...
1. 30% admitted stealing from a store within the past year
2. 23% said they stole something from a parent or relative
3. 20% confessed they stole something from a friend
-- Josephson Institute's 2008 Report Card on the Ethics of American Youth
2. In the same survey addressed the subject of lying...
1. 42% said they sometimes lie to save money
2. 83% confessed they lied to a parent about something significant
-- ibid.
3. Again, the survey revealed the following about cheating...
1. 64% cheated on a test during the past year
2. 38% cheated two or more times
-- ibid.
4. Amazingly, these same students have a high self-image when it comes to ethics...
1. 93% said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character
2. 77% said that when it comes to doing what is right, they are better than most people they know
-- ibid.

[Such dishonesty is a problem confronting our society, and certainly not just young people (e.g., elected officials, employers and employees, etc.) and likely affects many Christians as well. So let's consider...]

1. THE PROBLEM WITH DISHONESTY
1. IN GENERAL...
1. Condemned by God's Word
1. In the Law of Moses - Lev 19:11; Pr 6:17-19; 11:1; 12:22
2. Liars will have their place in the lake of fire - Re 21:8
2. Common wisdom tells us that "honesty is the best policy"
1. False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil - Socrates
2. The least initial deviation from the truth is multiplied later a thousand fold - Aristotle
3. Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom - Thomas Jefferson
4. No man has a good enough memory to make a successful liar - Abraham Lincoln
2. IN PARTICULAR...
1. Destroys reputations
1. Once you are caught lying, stealing, or cheating, you will rarely be trusted again
2. Even if you do it for someone, with someone - you prove yourself untrustworthy
3. With lies you may get ahead in the world, but you can never go back - Russian Proverb
2. Demolishes families, friendships
1. Relationships depend on trusting one another
2. If you marry a man who cheats on his wife, you'll be married to a man who cheats on his wife - Ann Landers
3. Even if we lie for one another, we are undermining that trust
4. Who lies for you will lie against you - Bosnian Proverb
3. Disrupts workplaces
1. Some believe that lying, cheating, stealing is necessary to conduct business
2. If I am willing to lie for you, how do you know I won't lie to you (the same for cheating and stealing)?
3. Once a company implements a policy of dishonesty to customers, employees will employ it against employers whenever convenient

[The problem of dishonesty in the form of lying, cheating, and stealing is really self-evident. Only those blinded by pride and greed can deny the harmful effects of dishonesty. In God's Word we find...]

2. THE SOLUTION FOR DISHONESTY
1. BE A PERSON OF INTEGRITY & PUT AWAY LYING, STEALING...
1. We are to "put on the new man...in true holiness and righteousness" - Ep 4:24
2. We must be honest with ourselves before the Lord in striving for Christ-like integrity - Matt. 5:8
3. Which involves "putting away lying" - Ep 4:25; cf. Col 3:9
4. Which includes no longer stealing, pilfering, etc. - Ep 4:28; Tit 2:10
2. SPEAK THE TRUTH...
1. "let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor" - Ep 4:25
2. "let your 'yes' be 'yes,' and your 'no,' 'no,'..." - Mt 5:37
3. LOVE ALL MEN...
1. One does not lie, steal, or cheat those they love
2. We are to love one another - Ro 13:8
3. We are to love our enemies - Mt 5:44-45
4. PURSUE WHAT IS GOOD...
1. Both for ourselves and for all - 1Th 5:15
2. Whatever we want others to do to us - Mt 7:12

CONCLUSION

1. How much better, more pleasant, would life be...
1. If everyone lived honest lives
2. Not lying, stealing, and cheating
3. Following the principles taught by Jesus and His apostles
2. Indeed, the same could be said concerning all the moral issues we have examined...
1. The truth for moral issues is in Jesus - Ep 4:21
2. For Jesus is the light of the world - Jn 8:12
3. Those who walk as children of light bear the fruit of goodness, righteousness, truth - Ep 5:8-9

Liars will be lost in hell (Rev. 21:8). Follow Jesus to be a person of integrity, and we will have the light of life and truth, guiding us through the maze of moral issues that confront us daily.

-- By Mark Copeland, expanded by Frank Walton

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"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13).