The Most Broken Commandment of Our Day: Post-Truth and the Law of the Malicious Witness
In recent years, the term post-truth has entered the cultural lexicon, particularly after being added to the Oxford English Dictionary. It’s defined as “circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” In essence, it describes a world where people have created their own versions of truth, often shaped more by feelings than by facts. But what happens when truth becomes subjective, and when facts no longer hold sway over our opinions and actions?
The reality is, we live in a time where truth has become increasingly malleable—and in doing so, we’ve lost touch with one of the most essential commandments that has sustained societies throughout history: the law of the faithful witness.
The Forgotten Commandment
There’s a commandment, found in both the Old and New Testaments, that is perhaps the most violated and least understood in our day: the law against bearing false witness. While most people are familiar with the commandment “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor” (Exodus 20:16), its implications have been largely neglected. This neglected command is not only the root cause of widespread moral decay, but it’s also the driving force behind the cultural anarchy, spiritual apostasy, and personal suffering that plague our world today.
The more we stray from this Biblical standard, the more we see spiritual decay and deception take hold. Falsehoods become the foundation for political chaos, social unrest, and even religious apostasy. The erosion of truth breeds fear, anxiety, hatred, and the growing acceptance of perversions in both thought and action. The very fabric of society begins to unravel when people no longer care for the truth.
The Power of the Malicious Witness
So, what exactly is a malicious witness? A malicious witness is someone who intentionally distorts or fabricates the truth to harm others. This idea, central to Biblical teachings, is one of the most destructive forces in today’s world.
At its core, the law of the malicious witness is the antithesis of integrity. It is the law of deception, rooted in the very beginning of humanity’s story. The first act of malicious bearing of false witness can be traced back to Satan himself in the Garden of Eden. When Satan approached Eve, he didn’t outright lie. Instead, he subtly distorted the truth, asking, “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1). This was the first malicious attempt to twist the truth and mislead humanity.
It’s significant that the Bible frames Satan as the “accuser” of mankind, the one who constantly distorts the truth and sows confusion. In the end, the book of Revelation describes Satan’s final defeat as the accuser of the brethren is cast down: “…for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10).
Satan’s role as an accuser and deceiver is not a minor aspect of his nature; it is foundational to his character and his ongoing campaign to derail humanity’s relationship with truth. His actions in the Garden were the first steps in the spread of falsehood, which have since permeated all of human history.
The True Witness Versus the False Witness
In stark contrast to the malicious witness is the true witness. In the Bible, the standard for truth is clear: “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1). “One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses” (Deuteronomy 19:15). For a witness to be a true witness, there must be two or three eyewitnesses. They must vouch for a claim based on honest, unbiased testimony. In other words, a true witness doesn’t distort the truth for personal gain or out of malice, but instead conveys the truth as it is.
False witnesses, or those who distort truth without proper evidence or testimony, are those who cause division and harm. They claim to know what is true, but without the weight of multiple, unbiased witnesses, their words cannot be trusted. This is the root of false teachings, misleading narratives, and the spread of lies within both secular and religious contexts. False prophets, for example, are those who speak on behalf of truth, yet do so without any valid or honest evidence. Their words are often accepted because they play to emotions, not to facts.
The Crisis of Truth Today
We live in a world where truth has become a commodity, and often, one that is molded to fit personal or political agendas. The rise of post-truth culture and the popularity of emotional appeals over logical argumentation are symptoms of a much deeper problem. When truth becomes subjective, when it’s no longer rooted in fact and established evidence, the consequences are far-reaching.
In a society where truth is fluid and where accusations fly unchecked, the very foundation of justice and morality begins to erode. This is why the law against bearing false witness is so crucial. It’s not just a matter of avoiding lies in our personal lives; it’s about upholding truth in every area of life—from our relationships with others to our approach to politics, justice, and even theology.
A Call to Integrity
To combat the rising tide of deception, we must return to a standard of truth that transcends our personal beliefs or emotional impulses. We must remember the importance of a true witness—someone who upholds integrity, is committed to the facts, and doesn’t distort the truth for personal gain or to manipulate others. Only then can we begin to rebuild trust in society, restore hope in the hearts of individuals, and address the moral and spiritual crises that threaten to tear us apart.
The law of the malicious witness remains as relevant today as it was in ancient times. It’s a law that speaks to the heart of our current cultural struggles, urging us to pursue truth and integrity above all else. In doing so, we can begin to heal the deep wounds that have been inflicted by a world increasingly obsessed with its own version of truth.