THE DEVIL IS A LIAR “The devil is a liar.” This is a term I have heard used a great deal. The other evening, after hearing it again, I decided to research it in the Word of God. When I typed it into blueletterbible.com’s search, it pulled up one single verse. That verse is John 8:44, Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. Now that I had found this verse, I began to break it down word by word from the Greek. Please allow me to share my findings. Let’s start with the definition of a liar from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, “1. A person who knowingly utters falsehood; one who declares to another as a fact what he knows to be not true, and with an intention to deceive him. The uttering of falsehood by mistake, and without an intention to deceive, does not constitute one a liar. 2. one who denies Christ, I John 2” I like to use Noah Webster’s 1828 definitions because he based this dictionary on the Word of God. So, what does I John 2:22 tell us? Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. So, some people want to believe anyone with a “good” heart and who does “good” things is going to heaven. These people want to believe one does not have to believe in Jesus to get to heaven. This verse shows us otherwise. To deny Christ makes one not only a liar, but an antichrist! Let’s reverse this; to lie is to deny Christ! Think about it, Christ is the Truth (John 14:6). Well when one lies, that lie is devoid of Truth. Thus, it denies Truth who is Christ. It is spooky how easy it is to lie. Now, we are ready to break down John 8:44. What I am going to do is quote a portion of the verse, then follow it with the translated meaning based on my study of the Greek. Ye are of [your] father could read, “ye are of the one whom you resemble in disposition and actions (father).” In other words, you are acting and looking like your father the devil. The devil means, the one prone to slander and accusing falsely (devil). We are going to unveil many characteristics of the devil. However, this one is probably one that is the most evident among those of us who are Christians. We do slander and accuse the brethren. Whenever we do so, we are displaying ourselves to resemble the devil rather than God. And the lusts...lust is a word we tend to relate to sexual thoughts. This is only a small portion of its meaning. Lusts here are,” and the craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lusts.” Forbidden things are all things which God does not allow for us as individuals. God may forbid something for me, but not for another. If I long for or desire that thing in spite of what God says, I have lusted. The devil lusted to be a god. That was forbidden. That lust got him cast from heaven. I am afraid we may be seeing too many characteristics in us revealing we are children of the devil. Of your father again means to be “of the one whom you resemble in disposition and actions (father).” Ye will do is quite interesting in it translation, “ye have in mind, intend to be resolved or determined, to will, to purpose, to desire, to wish, to love, to take delight in, have pleasure (will) do.” Let’s take this term in its setting again for clarity. Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. Not only do we display characteristics of the devil; we are resolved and delight in craving those things which are forbidden by God. Our wills are turned toward it. It is definitely time to mediate on whether Jesus is speaking of us in this verse. He (the devil) was a murderer from the beginning. Murderer is “manslayer.” The serpent in the garden had one goal in mind, to slay man. That is why he tempted Eve. That is why he did not want her to believe she would die for eating the “forbidden” fruit. He knew God’s spoken Word was true. He knew they would die if they ate. Thus, he slew them with his “lies.” Remember, Webster’s definition, “A person who knowingly utters falsehood; one who declares to another as a fact what he knows to be not true, and with an intention to deceive him?” How does this relate to me? Let’s look at what Jesus said in Matt. 5:21, You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Jesus is teaching us anger with our brother or sister is subject to the same judgment as murder. I don’t know about you, but I have been a manslayer a few times in my life. And abode not is just as it sounds “and did not remain, abide or continue (abode not).” Sometimes we are in the truth, and other times...not so much. It is during these times, we are not “remaining” in the truth. In the truth is to be “in what is true in things appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth, moral integrity (the truth).” Sometimes we hear facts called “truth.” That is inaccurate. Facts are just that...facts. Real Truth is only that which pertains or is a part of God. He has passed Truth on to man to take on as lifestyle. It is moral incorruptibility and honesty. So here, Jesus is telling us that the devil did not remain in moral integrity and that which pertains to God. Do we ever show this characteristic? Is the devil our father during these times? Why is the devil this way? This verse tells us it is because there is no truth in him. This is best explained to be “because there is nothing of what is true in things appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth, moral integrity (no truth) in him. “ The devil is devoid of truth. Why? Because he is devoid of Jesus who is Truth. Now, we as Christians should never carry this characteristic. If we have Jesus, we have Truth living within us. Sometimes we ignore what is in us, and choose to walk off track temporarily. But, that does not change the Truth that the Holy Spirit abides within our beings. When he speaketh a lie, could read, “When he speaketh a lie, conscious and intentional falsehood, perverse, impious, deceitful precepts.” Remember again, Webster’s definition involves telling a falsehood with the intention of deceiving. Or as it says here, a “conscious and intentional falsehood.” Speaking a lie is serious. It is denying Christ, because to lie is to deny the Truth. It is an antichrist act. See why lying labels one to be the child of the devil? Lying is an abomination to the Lord (Prov 12:22). It is punishable in lake of fire, But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Liars in this verse in Rev. 21:8 means, “lying, deceitful, false.” Back to John 8:44, he speaketh of his own. This means, “he speaketh out of pertaining to himself (his own).” In other words, his motives are selfish; and he has nothing else within himself from which to draw. Since he is devoid of Christ, he cannot go beyond what he is. We as Christians tend to be selfish whenever we step out into the ways of the devil or even flesh. However, we do have Someone beyond ourselves to point us toward the Light on the correct path. Hallelujah! Here it is, the statement that started all of this... for he is a liar. Let’s read it in context of the sentence. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar. This means he speaketh lies “because, since he is a liar, and one who breaks faith, a false and faithless man.” This intrigued me. A liar is not just one who speaks falsehoods. He is also one who breaks faith. To break faith, one had to have had faith in the past, and then pulled away from it. Wow! When we lie, we are breaking from our faith in Christ. This also stood out to me where it reads “faithless man.” That is one who is devoid of faith in Christ. The devil was once a part of God’s entourage of angels in heaven. He broke with faith. Now, he is devoid of faith. Whenever we find ourselves to be liars, we are faithless. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). So, whenever a person says, “the devil is a liar”; he/she is declaring he is devoid of faith, he is antichrist, and his sole intention is to deceive and slay man. He is not just a liar he is also (and) the father of it. The word and means, “as well as.” Anytime you read that word in the Bible, try substituting this ... See KING’S HWY- Page GLAD TIDINGS 7 JUNE 2026 Signs of Life from The King's Highway Evangelistic Ministries SARA GOLDSTEIN
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