Can a Lie Serve unto Salvation?

Russian source: Православная Русь, No. 15 (1347), August 1/14, 1987, p. 12.

 

Our Lord Jesus Christ said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), whereas the devil “is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44). “See,” says Venerable Dorotheos, “from Whom we separate ourselves and with whom we unite ourselves through falsehood? Clearly, with the evil one. Therefore, if we truly desire to be saved, we must with all our strength and with all diligence love the truth and guard ourselves against every falsehood, lest it separate us from the Truth and the Life.”

In the book The Lausiac History there is the following account: “We came to St John of Lycopolis and asked him to pray for us. He asked whether there was anyone among us from the clergy. When we answered that there was not, he looked over everyone and, pointing with his hand to one man, said: ‘Here is a deacon.’ And when the man, wishing to conceal his rank, continued to deny it, the Saint took him by the hand, kissed him, and said: ‘Child, do not reject the grace of God and do not lie: falsehood is alien to Christ and to Christians. Even if a lie is told for a good purpose, it is still not praiseworthy, for falsehood, according to the word of the Saviour, is of the devil.’”

This is why Venerable Dorotheos says that even if, through extreme necessity and in an exceptional circumstance, it should become necessary somehow to conceal the truth, even then a person suffers harm and must repent and reproach himself, for God has no need of our falsehood and can always enlighten us if we humbly ask Him for enlightenment.