The Ninth Commandment
“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour”
Question: What makes people falsely accuse others or themselves?
Answer: We learn from the Bible that the “accuser” is always the devil:
“In the Greek devil is named serpent — liar — the god of this world; and St. Paul defines this world’s god as dishonesty, craftiness, handling the word of God deceitfully. The original text defines devil as accuser, calumniator; therefore, according to Holy Writ these qualities are objectionable, and ought not to proceed from the individual, the pulpit, or the press.” (‘01 16)
Even though it is the devil (in the form of what Mary Baker Eddy terms aggressive mental
suggestion) that is the source of all lies, we are responsible for our actions. If we are
listening to malicious suggestions and acting upon them, it is our fault. Have you read in
the Bible, the story of Daniel? He was falsely accused, and cast into a den of lions. When the king learned the accusation was false, he later threw the liars into the den of lions, too!
Daniel was protected by God’s angels, but the false accusers were not. Unless we wish to be punished the same as the people we accuse, we must learn not to accuse or judge falsely:
“The Christianly scientific man reflects the divine law, thus becoming a law unto himself. He does
violence to no man. Neither is he a false accuser.” (S&H 458)
Further Study: Today, read the story of Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel 6). What command- ments were broken by the false accusers, and why? Why was Daniel protected?
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(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume One: The Ten Commandments”
Copyright 2001)
Next: The Ninth Commandment – Q&A #8
List of all the pages and lessons in Volume One: The Ten Commandments
First Lessons in Christian Science 