You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

-John 8:44, NIV

It is a sanitized image that serves those who would rather not face difficult matters. And it is an inaccurate image. Jesus judged the religious people rather bluntly as seen in this verse from John 8.

Sadly, those sort of religious people are still alive and well today in the 21st Century. They eschew the truth and cling to lies. Cheaters are classic examples of this.

Cheaters and their apologists would like you to overlook this aspect of their infidelity. However, truth believers do not trade the truth for lies.

Plus, labeling people accurately helps in dealing with their deceit. If you understand that they speak in lies, you are less likely to be taken in by those lies. You will be better equipped to discount what they say as coming from a dark place as opposed to your Heavenly Father.

Truth only sets you free if you believe it.

Judgment is a tool to finding such freedom. Proper, truthful labels are important in both protecting your heart and healing from the trauma such lies inflict. So, judgment is helpful in this scenario as it brings freedom to the person who is the target of said lies.

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*A version of this post ran previously.