Every All people in this world at one time or another has had to admit that there are things they cannot do because they do not have the ability to do them, or because to do them would be a violation of their conscience.  Likewise, there are times when people are asked to do things they do not want to do because it would not be in their best interest.  In such cases, it may be common for people to respond to what they are asked to do by saying, “NO CAN DO”.

        “Words from Above” in the Bible tell us that it is true of God that there is certainly one thing that He cannot do, and that is to LIE.  Moses wrote in Numbers 23 that God is not like people in that He does not LIE, and that if He says He is going to do something He will do it and make good on His promise.  Moses did convince God to not destroy the people of Israel when they sinned against Him, but God still punished them for their sin.  Moses was even willing for his name to be blotted out of God’s Book of Life if God would not be willing to forgive the people of their sin.  God informed him that it would be their names that would be blotted out of his book. Paul agreed in Hebrews 6 and Titus 1 that it was not possible for God to lie whenever He swore by an oath to fulfill His promise of giving people the gift of eternal life.

        The Bible also tells us that when it came to God’s Son, He could not and did not sin, despite the fact that He underwent the same trials and temptations that all other people experience.  The apostle Paul makes the extremely important point that it was because Jesus did not sin that God  can take away our sins through His death on the Cross.  In the days of the Old Testament, God required a lamb or certain other animals to be sacrificed to seek the forgiveness of sins, but the sacrifice was to be without defects, and to be as perfect as possible.  Likewise, Jesus, who was without sin, was the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all the people of the world.  The big difference was that the sacrifice that Jesus made was good for all times.  He did not need to give His life as a sacrifice over and over again, but He died once and for all. 

        It now remains for God’s people to forsake lying and sinning with the help and grace of God.

Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville.  Everyone is welcome to attend.  For information, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.