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Pharaoh's Belief and Abraham's Lie - Page 2

[quote]If a lie is a sin now then it is always a sin... no exceptions... if the intentions are the sin then a lie is not a sin... Does that make sense? [/quote]

I know what you mean Wanlorn and analyzing it more deeply I have to agree with you (specially when you put the example of the people who were hiding jews) but my point here is...yes...they lied, now are they justify or not by God?, I think He does. Did Abraham lied? yes he did, did Oscar Schindler lied? yes he did and save 1,200 jews from the Holocaust! so has a lot to do with situations and intentions of our hearts.

Lie Abrahams Belief Pharaohs

I feel that there is a strong difference between principle issued to mankind and decision-making in individual cases. For example, the Lord issued a commandment not to kill and then sent those whom he had commanded to wipe out entire peoples. He commanded Nephi to slay Laban by his own sword, to the intial dismay of Nephi.

So I'd say that lying would be against Celestial principles and we would be better equipped for God's Kingdom if we worked lying out of our nature. However, the Book of Abraham also tells us that the Lord will prove us herewith to see if we will do all the things which the Lord our God shall command us.

I'll refer you to Nibley again: "Abraham in Egypt." He discusses this as the Lord's test of Sarah's faith, as Abraham and Isaac were tested, both being layed on an altar and having the knife raised to slay them, Sarah's faith would be tested in Egypt, showing that she trusted the Lord to save her.

Pharaoh's Belief and Abraham's Lie Studies Doctrine Mormon

Name: Jose

Comments: It's beyond me how some of you actually consider that it's okay to lie during certain circumstances. What Abraham did was wrong, period. It wasn't Abraham's lie that saved him. To suggest that Abraham's lie is what saved him, is to suggest that God would not have been willing to intervene and save his life if he hadn't lied. Yet, God was willing to intervene even after Abraham lied in order to keep the pharao from committing a sin against God!

If you look at Genesis chapter 20 you'll see that Abraham lies a second time. This time God came to Abimelech king of Gerar in a dream and warned him, and Abimelech said to God "Lord, will you slay a righteous nation also? Did he (Abraham) say to me,'She is my sister'? "And she (Sarah), even she herself said, 'He is my brother.' Then Abimelech said "In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this."

God replied to Abimelech and said "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her." So God didn't allow Abimeleck to touch her because of his innocence in the matter.

Now look at what Abimeleck said to Abraham, "What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done."

While God did not rebuke Abraham for what he did, neither did He rebuke Abimeleck when he accused Abraham of wronging him. So you can't assume that just because Abraham wasn't rebuked by God that it implies he didn't do anything wrong.

Actually, Abraham tells us why he lied to both the pharaoh of Egypt and the king of Gerar (Genesis 12:11,12 & 20:11). It wasn't because God told him to, but because he was afraid that he would be killed over his wife! So he did it out of fear!

If you look at 2Timothy 1:7 it says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." So then if fear is not of God then who is it of? Satan! It was Abrahams lack of faith in God that led him to lie as he did. Just as God was willing to intervene, and save the Pharaoh of Egypt and the King of Gerar from committing a sin against God, God would have been willing to save Abraham from the hand of the Pharaoh and the king, if he would have been willing to trust God with all his heart and all his mind.