Surprise birthday parties

Status
Not open for further replies.
Scott Bushey

Scott Bushey

Puritanboard Commissioner
Tonight, I had a surprise 50th birthday party for my wife. I am not a birthday type guy, but my wife and her family are BIG b-day party people. I have coined them as 'The cake people'.
It was a week of deception. Tonight after the party, as I was enjoying a nice Nicaraguan smoke, it dawned on me that these things may be a break in the 9th commandment.

My wife and I discussed it on the way home. Rahab came to mind of course. in my opinion, I don't believe God condones any form of lying. I don't believe he condoned Rahabs lie; though, He allowed for it in His decree. Consider most of our feelings toward telling our kids the 'santa' lie. No harm is being done or intended, per se with that and most of us would not believe that that lie is innocent.

Thoughts?
 
Scott Bushey said:
Thoughts?
Click to expand...

A couple thoughts, Scott:

1. You are still a youngster. Happy Birthday!
2. The only two birthday parties mentioned in Scripture didn't end well, at least not for Pharaoh's baker or John the Baptist.

I concur with Alan, enjoy the memory of the cigar, leave the rest behind, and be thankful you won't have another biggie for 10 years.
 
VictorBravo said:
A couple thoughts, Scott:

1. You are still a youngster. Happy Birthday!
2. The only two birthday parties mentioned in Scripture didn't end well, at least not for Pharaoh's baker or John the Baptist.

I concur with Alan, enjoy the memory of the cigar, leave the rest behind, and be thankful you won't have another biggie for 10 years.
Click to expand...

He lied for his wife's birthday and not for himself from what I see.
 
So you lied to your wife that you weren't throwing her a party or you just didn't tell her you were throwing a party?. If you said to your wife, "Hon, I've decided that we will not have a party for you this year." then that's lying and really you wouldn't have to say that to her. If you just planned a party without her knowing what you were doing, I don't see that as lying. When we do things for others or give things (like money), we don't advertise it to the world that it was us who gave it. That's not lying that's just everyone minding their own business. There's lots of things we do for one another and we don't tell the person we did it. Just because we don't tell them doesn't mean we are lying to them. I think lying is founded on deceiving a person in order for you to gain something personally no matter the cost to that person.
 
I find Ames helpful in clarifying lying.

"18. A lie is properly a testimony, whereby one pronounceth otherwise than is in his heart. Acts 5. Whence is that phrase in Scripture of a double heart, of a man that is a liar. Psalm 12:3.

19. But because a thing pronounced, doth not consist only in outward words, but chiefly in their sense; therefore the same words which are true in one sense, in another sense become a lie. Matt. 26:61.

20. Ironies, fables, jests, repeating also of false things, and the like are not lies, because they are not testimonies; and they are not testimonies because they are not confirmed by the credit and authority of the speaker.

21. An intention of deceiving, although it do almost always accompany a false testimony, yet it is not of the essence of it, neither is it necessarily required to a lie; for although one knows that he with whom he hath to do cannot be deceived by his lie; yet if he have an intention in speaking to affirm that which is false, he lies no less than if he had hope of deceiving.

22. An intention of hurting doth indeed increase the mischief of a lie: but it maketh not the nature of it: for if a man out of jesting or a desire to please and be officious, confirm that by his credit which he knows to be false, it is a lie: pernicious of its own nature, if not others, yet to the author himself: as it is in those who are given to flatteries or boastings, or are delighted in confirming monstrous fables or fictions unto others.

23. An intention to speak that which is false, makes a lie, although that which is spoken be most true.

24. The asseveration of a thing uncertain for certain, is accounted with a lie although we think it to be true.

25. Also that secrecy whereby one doth not speak the truth when Justice or Charity requires it, doth partake of the nature of a lie.

26. But when neither Justice nor Charity requires to give testimony, then the truth or part of it may be concealed without sin. Jerermiah 38:27.

29. That dissembling which consists in deeds or signs, and not in words, is not properly a lie: unless the same either of their own nature, or by some certain appointment, have the force and use of speech: as, 1 Sam. 20:20-22, Matt. 26:49. Because such deeds and signs that are not verbal, have no certain and determinate signification, so as they can have the force of a testimony.

30. Therefore such dissembling is sometime lawful, as in warlike stratagems. Josh. 8:31. But it is made unlawful when in respect of the end or manner, it fights with religion, Justice or Charity. (William Ames. The Marrow of Sacred Divinity)"
 
Deception for the purpose of warfare is permitted in the Bible and I think we all know that there is a certain amount of warfare that takes place in any marriage.:cool:
 
Afterthought said:
I find Ames helpful in clarifying lying.

"18. A lie is properly a testimony, whereby one pronounceth otherwise than is in his heart. Acts 5. Whence is that phrase in Scripture of a double heart, of a man that is a liar. Psalm 12:3.

19. But because a thing pronounced, doth not consist only in outward words, but chiefly in their sense; therefore the same words which are true in one sense, in another sense become a lie. Matt. 26:61.

20. Ironies, fables, jests, repeating also of false things, and the like are not lies, because they are not testimonies; and they are not testimonies because they are not confirmed by the credit and authority of the speaker.

21. An intention of deceiving, although it do almost always accompany a false testimony, yet it is not of the essence of it, neither is it necessarily required to a lie; for although one knows that he with whom he hath to do cannot be deceived by his lie; yet if he have an intention in speaking to affirm that which is false, he lies no less than if he had hope of deceiving.

22. An intention of hurting doth indeed increase the mischief of a lie: but it maketh not the nature of it: for if a man out of jesting or a desire to please and be officious, confirm that by his credit which he knows to be false, it is a lie: pernicious of its own nature, if not others, yet to the author himself: as it is in those who are given to flatteries or boastings, or are delighted in confirming monstrous fables or fictions unto others.

23. An intention to speak that which is false, makes a lie, although that which is spoken be most true.

24. The asseveration of a thing uncertain for certain, is accounted with a lie although we think it to be true.

25. Also that secrecy whereby one doth not speak the truth when Justice or Charity requires it, doth partake of the nature of a lie.

26. But when neither Justice nor Charity requires to give testimony, then the truth or part of it may be concealed without sin. Jerermiah 38:27.

29. That dissembling which consists in deeds or signs, and not in words, is not properly a lie: unless the same either of their own nature, or by some certain appointment, have the force and use of speech: as, 1 Sam. 20:20-22, Matt. 26:49. Because such deeds and signs that are not verbal, have no certain and determinate signification, so as they can have the force of a testimony.

30. Therefore such dissembling is sometime lawful, as in warlike stratagems. Josh. 8:31. But it is made unlawful when in respect of the end or manner, it fights with religion, Justice or Charity. (William Ames. The Marrow of Sacred Divinity)"
Click to expand...

Ramon,
Do u have the citation on the Ames quote, please?
 
Last edited:
BG said:
Deception for the purpose of warfare is permitted in the Bible and I think we all know that there is a certain amount of warfare that takes place in any marriage.:cool:
Click to expand...

You're on your own with that line pal. ;)
 
Not a problem, Scott. Your intentions were honorable and not intended to cause harm. You were keeping a secret until it was time for the secret to be exposed.

Since you've told us her age, when is your funeral?
 
^^^ :applause:@Richard Z

She's 9.5 yrs younger than I

I'm short.....
tina_s-bday.jpg
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Von
  • Locked
Parties in the New Covenant.
Replies
4
Views
723
JTB.SDG
JTB.SDG
P
  • Locked
Church birthday?
Replies
1
Views
2K
Preach
P
M
  • Locked
Van Til's Birthday
Replies
7
Views
1K
mvdm
M
D
  • Locked
Surprised that some famous Theologians Agreed with Dr Grudem on the ESS
3 4 5
Replies
128
Views
11K
TheOldCourse
TheOldCourse
heartoflesh
  • Locked
Birthdays?
Replies
7
Views
4K
VirginiaHuguenot
V
Back
Top