Is It Biblical to Lie to Protect Yourself or Others?
As Christians, we are commanded to tell the truth. Our words are to reflect the perfect character of Christ, who is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Yet, the world is often dangerous, and sometimes a lie seems like the only way to save an innocent person from harm.
For a new believer facing this "crisis of conscience," the question is: When the moral obligation to tell the truth conflicts with the moral obligation to protect life, which one takes precedence?
The Bible’s teaching is nuanced: Lying is fundamentally wrong, but saving an innocent life is the higher, overriding moral duty.
1. The General Rule: Why Lying is Always Sinful
The foundation of the Christian life is truth. God hates dishonesty because it breaks trust, distorts reality, and imitates the devil, whom Jesus called the "father of lies" (John 8:44).
The Ninth Commandment: One of the Ten Commandments is clear: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16). This commandment exists to protect justice and community trust.
A Habit of the Flesh: Lying is consistently listed in the New Testament as something Christians must abandon after conversion.
Colossians 3:9: “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices…”
Therefore, lying out of convenience, to avoid embarrassment, or to gain a small advantage is always sin.
2. The Exception: Protecting Innocent Life
The Bible offers compelling examples where God blesses or uses individuals who chose to deceive authorities to protect the innocent. This suggests that the command to protect the vulnerable is a higher moral law than the command to speak truthfully to an oppressor.
The Hebrew Midwives: Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives to kill all newborn Hebrew boys. The midwives lied to Pharaoh, claiming the Hebrew women delivered their babies too quickly.
Exodus 1:20-21: “So God dealt well with the midwives… And because the midwives feared God, he established households for them.” God did not punish the midwives for their deception; He rewarded them because their intent was to fear God (by protecting life) rather than obey the wicked authority.
Rahab the Harlot: When the spies of Israel came to Jericho, Rahab hid them and lied to the king's men about where they had gone. She did this to save their lives.
Hebrews 11:31 and James 2:25 both praise Rahab for her faith and works, which included saving the spies. The Bible focuses on the righteous action of saving God’s people, not the sin of the lie itself.
These examples teach that when an authority demands a lie that enables them to commit a greater evil (like murder), the protection of human life is the higher moral good that overrides the duty to tell the truth to a wicked authority.
3. Conclusion: The Principle of the Greater Good
The Bible does not provide a blanket excuse for lying. Instead, it offers a moral hierarchy:
Truth is the absolute standard in normal life.
Protection of innocent life is a higher duty than telling the truth to an unjust person or evil authority who intends to commit violence.
Therefore, for the Christian, if a lie is the only possible means to stop a direct act of violence against yourself or an innocent person, the Scriptures suggest that you act to preserve life, trusting in God’s grace for the difficult choice you were forced to make. This is a rare, desperate exception, not a rule for daily living.
