Ten Commandments (1972)_b.pdf - Herbert W. Armstrong

128 The Ten Commandments
Apply the Ninth Commandment in YOUR Life
The very root principle of all sin is VANITY. "Vanity of
vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; ALL is
vanity" (Eccl. 1:2).
The real reason most men reject the true God is that
they want to be "gods" in their own eyes and the eyes of
their fellowmen. It is vanity.
Every sin that is committed by man has its ultimate
roots in this one principle. And so it is with every form of
lying.
Men LIE because they are more concerned with their
own self-esteem and sense of importance than they are
with the ultimate good of their fellowman. They speak and
act falsely because they fear the opinions of men much
more than that of Almighty GOD Himself! The daily
actions and words of nearly all men bear eloquent testimony
to the literal truth of this statement.
As John said even of the religious leaders of his day:
"For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of
osa: (John 12:43).
Men and women are often ashamed of what they call
"failure" in a business or social sense. They will cheat,
falsify and LIE in order to avoid this "failure" - or to
cover it up.
But from the point of view of what is intrinsically
"right" - and of eternal values - the thing they should
fear is SIN. For, as the Apostle Paul said, "If God be for us,
who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31.)
Jesus said: "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you,
and persecute you, and shall speak all manner of evil
against you falsely, for my sake" (Matt. 5:11).
We had all better QUIT WORRYING so much about
what puny, mortal men think - and become far more
concerned about what Almighty GODthinks! Then we will
learn to cease from all hypocrisy in business, in social life,
in politics - yes, in our religious and scientific endeavors.
Remember that many whom this deceitful world condemned
have received God's blessing and are heirs of eternal
life. Never forget that it was through the sin of false