Half-Truth

"A half-truth is a deceptive statement that contains some true facts but leaves out crucial context or mixes in falsehoods to mislead people." Webster

I thought what was said was true. I had no reason not to believe what I had heard;

But then I heard the rest of the story.

Disappointment and heartache set in.  A relationship built on trust will now always be questionable.

I reached for my bible to see who else had been hurt by a half-truth.

"Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee."  Words of Abraham to Sarah, his wife because he feared Pharaoh.  

Genesis 12:13

"And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah." Genesis 20:2

Abraham spoke this same half-truth twice.  This lie hurt his wife, Pharaoh, Abimelech and Abraham himself.  His testimony was ruined before worldly leaders, and trust was severed with his wife.

Was Sarah Abraham's sister?

Yes.  But it was a half-truth.  They shared a father but had different mothers.  Abraham's lie put Sarah's life in danger and proved that Abraham feared man more than he trusted that God would take care of them.

"And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD." 1 Samuel 15:13  

Saul failed to completely obey God's command to destroy the Amalekites and all their livestock.  When Samuel confronted Saul concerning Saul's half-hearted obedience, (which really is disobedience) Saul spoke a half-truth.  Yes, Saul did go into battle and destroy most things, but he hid the fact that he intentionally spared King Agag and the best of the sheep and the cattle to keep for himself.

Why did Saul tell Samuel a half-truth?  Because he feared the people.  (1 Samuel 15:24)

Saul was rejected by God to be king, because of his disobedience.

"For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Words of the serpent to Eve in the Garden of Eden.  Genesis 3:5

This is probably the greatest half-truth of them all.  It caused Eve to ignorantly sin against God, and it caused Adam to willfully sin against God.  It was the fall that affected all mankind.

This half-truth revealed that yes, they would gain knowledge of good and evil, but Satan deceived them by not revealing the consequences of their disobedience against God:

Sin, shame and spiritual death.

We have all spoken half-truths.  If we think we haven't, we are just deceiving ourselves, but it was brought to my attention because of the hurt a half-truth caused me.  

Half-truths and secrets hurt; but they won't always be hidden and they won't always be secret.

"For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Ecclesiastes 12:14

"For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad." Words of Jesus, Luke 8:17

"For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops." Words of Jesus, Luke 12:2-3

"A half-truth masquerading as a whole truth becomes a complete untruth." J.I Packer

Charles Spurgeon, "Often warned that doctrinal errors and spiritual compromises rarely enter the church as naked lies; instead, they come dressed in the language of partial biblical truths to deceive believers."  

Friend...

    a half-truth is nothing but a whole lie...

        But that's just me!