“I said in my alarm, all men are liars,” lamented the Psalmist in Psalm 116:11. This is not a revelation to me or anyone who studies politics. Veracity is not a virtue. Possessing a cunning double-tongue is.

The father of lies set the pattern early on, showing how it’s done in the Garden (Genesis 3:1). His deceptions were brought to an art form in the wilderness as he tempted Jesus (Matthew 4:1). Weaving in scripture, what he said sounded plausible and compelling, but was nothing more than sugar-coated venom. Jesus did not fall for it—literally.

Paul’s words (in Romans 3:4) would have been an adequate commentary on that standoff: “Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written (of the Lord), ‘That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.’” He will be found true!

David did the calculation in Psalm 119:160 and came up with this result, that “the sum of your word is truth.” If the Bible says it, we have in our possession , as it were, “the oracles of God.”

But are we to accept what it says blindly? “May it never be,” as Paul was fond of saying. Like the Bereans (Acts 17:11) we are to study the word to be sure. But our efforts, even then, will be in vain without illumination from the Spirit within us.

Listen to this (John 16:13): “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” So the spirit sheds the necessary light.

Again, we default to this principle, all men are liars, but God will be found true.