HC 112

Q112. What is required in the ninth commandment?

I must not give false testimony against anyone, twist no one's words, not gossip or slander, nor condemn or join in condemning anyone rashly and unheard. Rather, I must avoid all lying and deceit as the devil's own works, under penalty of God's heavy wrath. In court and everywhere else, I must love the truth, speak and confess it honestly, and do what I can to defend and promote my neighbour's honour and reputation.

Proof texts

• Ps. 15 — [1] O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? [2] He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; [3] who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; [4] in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; [5] who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.
• Prov. 19:5 — [5] A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.
• Prov. 19:9 — [9] A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.
• Prov. 21:28 — [28] A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears will endure.
• Matt. 7:1 — [1] “Judge not, that you be not judged.
• Luke 6:37 — [37] “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
• Rom. 1:28-32 — [28] And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. [29] They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, [30] slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, [31] foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. [32] Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
• Lev. 19:11-12 — [11] “You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another. [12] You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.
• Prov. 12:22 — [22] Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
• Prov. 13:5 — [5] The righteous hates falsehood, but the wicked brings shame and disgrace.
• John 8:44 — [44] You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
• Rev. 21:8 — [8] But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
• 1 Cor. 13:6 — [6] it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
• Eph. 4:25 — [25] Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
• 1 Pet. 3:8-9 — [8] Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. [9] Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
• 1 Pet. 4:8 — [8] Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Ps. 15 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 16 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q39 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WSC Q45 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q39 · WSC Q45 · WLC Q91 · WLC Q100 · WCF 19.1 · 1689 19.1