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The Truth Will Set You Free

The Melbourne Storm Rugby League scandal has shocked and upset many of the public, along with league fans – of which I am one. The Storm are being penalised by the National Rugby League for having broken the Salary Cap on paying their players and having lied and covered up the truth for five years. This scandal has raised many questions about lying, deception, trust, what was known by whom, and how the Storm and Rugby League move on from here.

An obvious moral point from this could be: ‘We should always tell the truth’. However, the reality is that it is not so easy for us to do. For each of us has told lies and even maintained lies for lengths of time. We know all too well that lies can protect us from harm, punishment, loss or rejection and give us advantages or benefits.

What can motivate us to tell the truth and abandon lies is when we see the greater benefits of the truth and the destructiveness of lies, where both affect relationship with God and each other. Jesus explains this in encouraging us to trust in Him, in John 8:31–36:31

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” 34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (NIV)

Jesus gives us the shocking truth that we are slaves to sin, because each of us sins. We are not free from its control, evident from the fact that we can believe something is wrong, such as lying, and yet we still do it. We are accountable to God and to human authorities for our wrongdoing. We can only be set free from sin and judgment by God’s own kindness and mercy, freely offered to us through Jesus who is able to rescue and release us. We are thus made children of God through faith that is humble trust.

With the security of being children of God, forgiven despite our sin, we are free to live for Him – free from guilt and shame, embracing Christ’s honesty and truthfulness. We realize that lies displease God, alienate us from others, and destroy trust. So we entrust ourselves to God’s providential care in being truthful, knowing that often the consequences of being honest can be costly for us.

So let us point to the truth in Jesus, and emulate His truthfulness.

In Christ,
Jon Phua

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