White Lie:allowed or not?

Today I was asked to participate in teens’ debate at my church and the topic was about white lie. Well since they asked me few weeks ago, I’ve been wondering whether I agree or not. After thinking and goggling I thought it depend on the case, but my friend insisted me to be at the contra side, and our group need to fight for it ‘till the end.

I felt like a hypocrite actually. Insisted that we must not lie whatever the reason is, indeed in reality I’m still lying, either for good or bad reason. But from today’s debate I got the answer about this topic.

These are some arguments from the “Pro’s” side:

1. White lie is allowed depends on the case, especially the case about life and death.
2. It’s normal as a human to do white lie, because we have a good intention.
3. God is good. He’ll forgive our sins when we asked Him especially when we have a good motivation in doing that sin.
4. Everything has its own time, so maybe now it’s not the time to tell the truth.
5. If white lie can encourage others, it right to be done rather than let them down.
6. Sometime God could use this white lie to protect HIS child (based on history).

And these ones are our arguments as the “contra’s”:

1. Matthew 5:37: Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
2. Telling half truth is already a sin, so telling a lies even for a greater good is also a sin.
3. Sooner or later the truth will be revealed. So why should we postponed it?
4. Facing reality by telling the truth teaches us to be more mature.
5. Using a power of word and mind to tell the truth so we don’t have to make a sin, and also can keep encouraging others.
6. We’re all a God’s child. We must not live in grey area (white lie). We need to be a light in this dark world. How can we being a role model by telling a white lie?

To be honest our argument is too theoretical. It’s hard to do it in our daily lives, like our  opponent has said. And after the debate, our reverend gives some conclusions based on the Bible. These are the conclusions:

1. There were some stories about white lie in the Bible. Rahab lied about those two snoops who hid in her house. The midwives lied to Pharaoh about the child. It looks that white lie is right and allowed by God. But the truth is God doesn’t agree with any kind of sin, even a white lie. But God can make our silly and awful mistakes into something beautiful, but He isn’t pleased with it. Some people said that Rahab was redeemed because she lied and hid those two snoops, indeed Rahab was redeemed because of her faith.
2. There will always some risks by telling the truths. Believe God will help us to tell it, to face it, and to overcome the risk.
3. Right motivation + wrong way (white lie) = SIN. Wrong motivation +truth (Example: we were caught by the police for trespassing, and then we told him that somebody was treated at the Hospital and then the police let us go. We were honest that somebody was treated at the hospital, but it’s not our acquaintances. )=SIN. God looks our process not just the end result.
4. Right motivation + wrong way =another problem. Sarai heard about God’s  promises that Abram’s descendants will be as much as the stars in the sky. But Sarai didn’t believe that God would fulfill it through her. She used her own way instead of believing God. She wed Abram to Hagar and then Ishmail was born. Israel came from Isaac’s bloodline, while the Egypt came from Ishmail’s bloodline. And few years later Israel were captive by the Egypt.
5. Back to the Bible, Matthew 5:37
6. And the last that stunned me….We were made in God’s image and likeness. Is there a liar in God’s personality?

So the BIG Conclusion is as a Christian we weren’t allowed to tell a white lie. White or black as long it’s a lie, it still a sin. As God’s disciples we need to be a light wherever we are. While telling a lie, we dim our light and being a stumbling rock to the unbelievers..X)..

We are a TOOL not CARPENTER

This was my first sermon at Thai. At first I was really lazy to go to church because of tiredness one day before and because I hadn’t went to church for almost a month, but my friend insisted me to go. Although we didn’t know where the Christian church was, we intended to go to Catholic Church, but suddenly both of us were arrived at Christian fellowship room. At that time I really felt that JC really cares for me, He doesn’t want me to run away from HIS grace. His hands are long enough to reach me wherever I am. The sermon that day reprimanded me, and now I want to share it here.

The sermon was about Elijah, when he try to run away from Jezebel. Actually he didn’t have to run away, because from what he had done, he showed that OUR LORD is powerful and real, and OUR LORD can help him through anything…Why he tried to run? There are 5 mistakes that Elijah did, that we usually did too in this mean time.

1. Elijah took his eyes from God. Because of that, he had no faith in God. He didn’t realize that OUR GOD can save him from the most dangerous condition. He forgot that GOD will be with us till the end. (Sometimes, I feel the same too…when troubles come my way, I tend to forget that HE is beside me. I try to run from HIM, but from that serendipity – when I don’t want to go to church thing-, I felt that HE will never let me go)
2. He didn’t take time to rest. Christian people usually think I need to do everything, something, everyday for God. But the fact what God want is not us trying to do something. What HE really wants us to do is LET HIM DO something THROUGH our LIFE. He wants us to communicate with HIM. (Yeah..I can do anything through HIM who strengthens me..And how I can get more strength is by reading the bible and pray to HIM –communicate with HIM)
3. Elijah isolated himself. As a human, we tend to withdraw our self when we feel discouraged or depressed. The fact is as a believer we are a part of family. In a family we encourage each other, so no one will feel alone. (I realized, I did the same thing like Elijah..I’ll hide when I feel so depressed, I feel so lazy to face the world, to meet many people, I just want to be alone. But it only makes me weaker and farther from HIS grace. Together with my family, I feel it’s easier to get through all problems, because they encourage me, and remind me about HIS presence)
4. Elijah had his opinion about himself a li’l bit too high. Elijah was a li’l bit cocky. Actually in our lives, even we did great things, it is not our work, but GOD has HIS work on us/ THROUGH us. If He doesn’t want to choose us, HE STILL has million people to do our jobs.. (Wow..We’re really nothing rite? But HE has chosen us from millions people…It’s a grace and an honor for us..).
5. Elijah had a hearing problem. He had listened to the wrong voice/ person, not to THE LORD’s. Like a gun without bullets, and like a glove without hand, it’s us without HIM..It can’t work. Because we’re only a TOOL not the CARPENTER. Without our CARPENTER, we can do nothing..GOD is working through us each day..Have a blessed day