The Ninth Commandment
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Exodus 20:16
Rushdoony's Institutes of Biblical Law
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(links coming in y2k!) |
- Tempting God
- Sanctification and the Law
- The False Prophet
- The Witness of the False Prophet [Conspiracies]
- Corroboration
- Perjury
- Jesus Christ as the Witness
- False Witness
- False Freedom
- The Lying Tongue
- Slander Within Marriage
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- Slander
- Slander as Theft
- "Every Idle Word"
- Trials by Ordeal and the Law of Nature
- Judges
- The Responsibility of Judges and Rulers
- The Court
- The Procedure of the Court
- The Judgment of the Court
- Perfection
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The Westminster Larger Catechism (1648)
Question 143: Which is the ninth commandment?
Answer: The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbor.
Question 144: What are the duties required in the ninth
commandment?
Answer: The duties required in the ninth commandment are,
- the preserving
- and promoting
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- of truth between man and man,
- and the good name
- of our neighbor,
- as well as our own;
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- appearing and
- standing for the truth; and
- from the heart,
- sincerely,
- freely,
- clearly,
- and fully,
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- speaking
- the truth,
- and only the truth
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- in matters of judgment and justice,
- and in all other things whatsoever;
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a charitable esteem of our neighbors;
- loving,
- desiring, and
- rejoicing
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in their good name; |
- sorrowing for, and
- covering of
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their infirmities; |
| freely acknowledging of |
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- defending their innocency;
- a ready receiving of a good report,
- and unwillingness to admit of an evil report,
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concerning them; |
- discouraging
- talebearers,
- flatterers, and
- slanderers;
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our own good name |
and defending it when need requires; |
- keeping of lawful promises;
- studying and
- practicing of
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whatsoever things are |
- true,
- honest,
- lovely, and
- of good report.
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Question 145: What are the sins forbidden in the ninth
commandment?
Answer: The sins forbidden in the ninth commandment are,
all prejudicing
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- the truth, and
- the good name
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- of our neighbors,
- as well as our own
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especially in public
judicature; |
- giving false evidence,
- suborning false witnesses,
- wittingly appearing and pleading for an evil cause,
- outfacing and overbearing the truth;
- passing unjust sentence,
- calling
- evil good,
- and good evil;
- rewarding
- the wicked according to the work of the righteous,
- and the righteous according to the work of the wicked;
- forgery,
- concealing the truth,
- undue silence in a just cause, and
- holding our peace when iniquity calls for either
- a reproof from ourselves, or
- complaint to others;
speaking the truth
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- unseasonably, or
- maliciously to a wrong end, or
- perverting it to a wrong meaning,
- or in doubtful and equivocal expressions,
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- to the prejudice of truth or justice;
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- speaking untruth,
- lying,
- slandering,
- backbiting,
- detracting,
- tale bearing,
- whispering,
- scoffing,
- reviling,
- misconstructing
- intentions,
- words, and
- actions;
- flattering,
- vainglorious boasting,
- denying the gifts and graces of God;
- aggravating smaller faults;
| hiding, excusing, or extenuating |
of sins, when called to a free confession; |
- unnecessary discovering of infirmities;
- raising false rumors,
- receiving and countenancing evil reports, and
- stopping our ears against just defense;
- evil suspicion;
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at the deserved credit of any
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- endeavoring or desiring to impair it,
- rejoicing in their disgrace and infamy;
- scornful contempt,
- fond admiration;
- breach of lawful promises;
- neglecting such things as are of good report,
- and practicing, or
- not avoiding ourselves,
- or not hindering what we can in others,
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such things as procure an ill name.
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- The Westminster Larger Catechism (1648) explains our duties under the Ninth Commandment.
You will notice that the brilliant Puritan Theologians who compiled the Catechism
discerned duties in passages of Scripture which do not begin with the words "Thou
shalt" or "Thou shalt not."
- Every word of God is a command for us.
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- But even the "thou shalts" and the "thou shalt nots" demand more
from us than we might first think:
- How to Study the Ten Commandments
How to use the Catechism for a Moral Inventory
First, you must agree that the Catechism has correctly explained the implications of
the Commandment. Assuming it has, you must
agree with God that you are obligated to carry out those principles in your life.
Second you must ask yourself if you have
violated each aspect of the command.
Third, you must take steps to develop the
Character of Christ, and eliminate "character defects" from your life.
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