Christian Churches of God

No. CB78

Lesson:

Ninth Commandment

(Edition 2.0 20050909-20070303)

The Ninth Commandment says: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. This Commandment deals with honesty, sincerity and integrity.

Christian Churches of God

PO Box 369, WODEN ACT 2606, AUSTRALIA

E-mail: secretary@ccg.org

(Copyright ã 2005, 2007 Cheri Willett, Ed. Wade Cox)

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Lesson:

Ninth Commandment

Goal:

The Ninth Commandment deals with honesty, sincerity and integrity, which are the opposite of bearing false witness.

Objectives:

1. Children will be able to understand the meaning of the Ninth Commandment.

2. Children will understand ways in which we bear false witness.

3. Define intentional lies:

• To deliberately say or create an untrue statement in a conscious effort to deceive somebody.
• To present false information or to convey a false image or impression with the intention of deceiving.
• The action of swearing to a statement which is known to be false or taking an oath we don’t intend to keep.
• To falsely accuse someone else of wrongdoing.

Resources:

Law and the Ninth Commandment (No. 262)

The Ten Commandments (No. CB17)

The Law of God (No. CB25)

Relevant Scriptures:

Exodus 20

Memory Verse:

Exodus 20:16: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Format:

• Open the study with prayer.
• Review basic concepts of the previous commandments children learned and allow them to comment in a group setting.
• Go over Objectives.
• Do activity(s), time allowing.
• End with prayer.

Lesson:

Examples of different types of lies that can or cannot be used to bear false witness.

Discuss these in a group setting and have children give other examples if they have any.

• Malicious or outrageous lies: are wilfully done to destroy another person’s good name and can be lethal.
• Normal lies: saying something that isn’t true. Misleading others to make us look more important. Done to avoid embarrassment or punishment.
• Non-verbal lies: giving wrong directions to a traveler by pointing our finger in the wrong direction.
• Lies at the behest of others: when someone in authority instructs us to lie or make false claims.

A boss tells an employee to lie to a health inspector.

A church leader instructs a member to make false claims.

A doctor lies to other professionals about a patient’s diagnosis.

• So-called “white” lies: they are deliberate but not malicious - to avoid social embarrassment or to keep out of trouble.
• Lies to avoid responsibility: “I didn’t make that mess.” We break a glass and say: “I didn’t do it”.
• Exaggerated statements: this is the best remote car in the world!!!
• Jokes and gossip: lies told for the purpose of amusement at someone else’s expense.
• False assumptions: to assume someone did something when they didn’t.
• Unintentional lies: passing on false information believing it’s true.

Questions we can ask ourselves before speaking negatively of another person:

1. Is it true? Do I have evidence for what I want to say? Is it completely true?
2. Does it really need to be said or is it better left unsaid?
3. Is it fair to everyone involved?
4. Is it helpful or hurtful?
5. If it’s said, will I be able to continue in brotherly love with all members, and if not, how can I restore that situation?

Helpful things to remember:

1. Tell the truth in love, even if it hurts.
2. Speak the truth whatever the circumstance.

3. Never assume anything because it could defame someone by mistake. Written defamation is libel, spoken defamation is slander.

4. Don’t make excuses for our actions, but be responsible.
5. Our lips need to preserve knowledge.
6. Speak wholesome words to one another as it has good spiritual value!
7. Combine speech with action!
8. God’s way is life and truth and Satan’s way is death and lies.
9. Put off our old nature and take the whole Armor of God. (Eph. 4:17-32)
10. Twist no one’s words around.
11. Let our “Yes be Yes” and our “No be No”.
12. Be forgiving.

Activity Options

• Question and Answer Worksheet.
• Play telephone relay message game and find out if original message stays original.
• Make an antique looking Ten Commandment paper.
• Word Finder Puzzle.
• Colour, cut and paste Moses with Ten Commandments (for younger children).

Supplies:

Bibles, crayons, 1 poster board for comparison chart, blank paper, scissors, 9 x 12 cake pan, cold leftover tea or coffee to make antique looking paper, construction paper.

ANSWERS to Work Sheet. Go over them one by one.

1. A true witness: does not lie and saves lives. False witness: utters lies and is a betrayer.
2. Satan is the father of lies.
3. It’s impossible for God to lie.
4. We need to be careful what we say.
5. Lies lead us astray and get us off course.
6. (A) Ask God to deliver us from lying lips; and

(B) Put falsehood and lying far from us.

7. God
8. Swear falsely.
9. Those who do cast off faith.

10. Proud look, lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are quick to run to mischief, a false witness that speaks lies.

11. Those who are truthful are His delight.
12. We witness to God by our actions within His Law.
13. The Pharisees taught “tradition” that tore apart the word of God.
14. Not to think evil in our hearts against our neighbours and to not love a false oath.

WORKSHEET

1. What does the Bible says about true and false witnesses? (Prov. 14:5, 25)

A true witness: ____________________________________

and__________________________________

A false witness: ____________________________________

and___________________________________

2. Satan is a father to what? (Jn. 8:44)

3. What’s impossible for God to do? (Heb. 6:17-18)

4. What do we need to be careful about? (Mat. 15:1-14)

5. Where does lying lead us? (Amos 2:4)

6. What should we ask God for in prayer?

(A) Psalm 120:2 ___________________________________________

(B) Proverbs 30:7-9___________________________________________

7. What can false witnessing stop people from knowing? (Ex. 23:7)

8. What should we not do? (Lev. 19.12)

9. Who become tattlers and busybodies? (1Tim. 5:13)

10. God doesn’t hate anyone, but what are 6 “things” God hates? (Prov. 6:16-19)

11. What delights God? (Prov. 12:22)

12. How do we witness to other? (Psa. 2:1,2)

13. What did the Pharisees do that was so wrong?

14. What else does God tell us to do? (Zech. 8:17)

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ARMOR	LIES
BEAR	MALICIOUS
CREATE	OATH
COMMANDMENT	PRAYER
EXAGGERATED	SINCERITY
FALSEHOOD	SLANDER
GOSSIP	TONGUE
GUILTY	TRUTHFUL
HONESTY	WHITE
INTEGRITY	WITNESS
INTENTIONAL	WORD
INNOCENT	UNTRUE
JOKES

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