Living a Lie

A popular talk show host recently used two hours of her programming to air an interview with a sportsman who was caught in his own deceit. It involved doping, lies, bullying, dishonesty, more lies, and suing and accepting compensation from those who spoke the truth.

When asked, “Did you feel it was wrong?” he answered, “No.”

My question is, when, in the whole process of lies and misinformation and cheating and accusations did he cease to think about right and wrong?

Certainly, somewhere near the beginning, he knew he was being dishonest. Surely, in his heart, his conscience was stirred. Sometime.

The Bible says the devil is the father of lies and a liar from the beginning. (That is sobering to any of us who has ever told a falsehood.) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He . . . abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44).

So, lying and lies began with the devil. But, how can a person lie and lie and lie and seemingly not have a conscience about it? Why, in the many years of living the lie, did he never admit it? Why didn’t he feel shame?

1 Timothy 4:2 gives us a clue. This passage is talking about the end times and how people will act: Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron. Does this sound like the cyclist? Was his conscience cauterized?

Another passage comes to mind: Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20) When did this sportsman begin to switch the terms? When did doping become good and honesty evil? When did cheating become desirable and covering it up okay? When did living a lie become the way to do things and suing those who told the truth acceptable?

There had to have been a turning point, a time when a conscious choice was made.

I believe in choices. I believe that, until one’s last breath, there is always an opportunity to make the right choice. I never rejoice in someone’s wrong choices or in his downfall. It is not for me to be anyone’s judge.

The blessing is that God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) . . . For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-9).

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved (John 3:17).

Oh yes, this guy did wrong, and he seems to show no repentance and little remorse. 

We would do well to pray for him and for others caught in their own webs of self-deception. We would do well to pray for souls, asking God to melt hearts.

The Bible reminds us, And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11). Some of us were liars, too.

My prayer for the cyclist is first, for his salvation. His soul is most important.  

Then, I pray that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good (from Isaiah 7:15). I would love to see him truly “come clean” and openly confess his duplicity, asking forgiveness from all the people he has hurt.

Then, and only then, will he have peace.