Expert: Mrs. Priscilla Lyons - 6/5/2008

Question
Hi Priscilla

I was watching a reality TV show recently that dealt with police action.

In one of the incidents filmed, a known sex offender broke into a woman's apartment and demanded sex. It would appear that he also planned the kill the woman afterwards, in order to leave no witnesses.

However, the victim in this incident, had amazing presence of mind. She kept calm and pretended to cooperate with the offender.

Feigning an attitude of wanting to protect the interests of her attacker, she told him that if she did not turn up for work shortly, someone would probably call around looking for her and that it would be best if she called in sick.

The offender was persuaded to let her use the phone, but he kept his finger on the hook so as to be able to cut her off immediately, if she tried to raise the alarm.

Using slight of hand, the woman did not dial the number of her employer however. Instead, she dialed the number of the police.

While she had to fake a conversation with her employer, the police on the other end were able to extract enough clues from what she said, in order to rush around and make an arrest within minutes, which is the bit that was filmed.

My question has to do with the degree to which it is legitimate in Scripture, to use lies and deceit in self-defense.

Personally, I doubt that the victim in this case, had any time with which to formulate alternative survival strategies, evaluate them with respect to their synchrony with moral imperatives as contained in the Ten Commandments, and then choose one which was not in conflict with any of them.

It seems to me the she was suddenly thrust unprepared, into a life-threatening situation and probably had little choice but to enact the first viable survival strategy that came to mind.

Nevertheless, I have been told by a number of Christian authorities that God's laws are not flexible at all, and that this woman should have submitted to rape and murder, if she could not think of a survival strategy that did not involve the need to sin.

As I understand it however, the Bible does permit the use of necessary violence in cases of self-defense.

Apparently I am told, if she could have laid her hands on a loaded shotgun and her attacker refused to be intimidated by it, she would have been justified in spreading his brains over the walls of her apartment, if that is what it took to stop him.

It seems bizarre to me, that it can be considered OK to maim or kill in self-defense, but that it is not OK to use one's wits in self defense, on the grounds that the commandment against deceitfulness would be contravened.

Is lying and deceiving 'worse' than killing and maiming in the self-defense situation?

Is the commandment not to lie, 'more important' than the commandment not to kill?

Can you help me understand the apparent incongruity here?

Many thanks

Richard

How would you analyze this case in light of the Biblical injunctions against the use of deceit?

Many thanks

Richard


Answer
Dear Richard,
   It seems if the situation you describe is considered lies and deceit, then any acting, even in a Christian movie, might be considered lies and deceit.  
   I am not at all imaginative, so it would be easier for me, if I were in that situation, to talk to the offender and try to convince him of his need to entrust himself to God to forgive his sins and be his Lord, or else face a terrible eternity separated from the Source of life, love, and everything else good.  No matter what happens to me in this short, temporary life, God has given me an eternity of joy beyond comprehension, but all who do not turn from their own way to trust God's Way of salvation, have an eternal horror to face.
   I doubt that an offender listening to hear "if she tried to raise the alarm" would have missed when the police answered the phone.  Police don't just answer the phone with, "hello."
   While Judges 4:17 to 5:31, and the situation of Rahab, may indicate deceit being used for good, it might just be God's patience and mercy with well-meaning, but less than perfect people.  
   The Ten Commandments, including the one to not bear false witness against your neighbor, are a schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24.  It should show us how we need Christ to live in and through us, instead of living through our own efforts.  
   Legalism means trying to earn salvation through your own efforts--you want to legally pay your debt through your own efforts (which is impossible to do).  
   Wanting God to transform us by the renewing of our mind to better reflect His image of perfection (keeping away from deceit), is allowing God to fulfill the purpose of His creation of us. Genesis 1:26  
   Read His Word every day so He can shine through you.
   Priscilla