“Yes, I chopped down the cherry tree.”

One of the most enduring myths about George Washington involves his chopping down his father’s cherry tree and, when asked about it, using the famous line “I cannot tell a lie, I did it with my little hatchet.”¹

Honesty is a well-desired, noble attribute of character. I can be honest all I want, but it won’t set me free. Only revelation of the truth that is in Jesus will and can set me free. Being honest will not make me righteous. His faith in me by grace can only make me truly righteous. Honesty should manifest because of truth. If I place my righteousness on how honest I am then my focus is not on Christ, but on self. This has a potential to create self-righteousness apart from righteousness by faith and grace.

So, does this condone dishonesty? No, it does not. If I truly have been immersed or drowned into Christ then the old man with his nature is dead. The attribute and tendency towards dishonesty is dead in Christ, Gal. 2:20, Col. 3:3.

I believe the Lord manifests and reveals himself when we hear and hear His Word. Christ revealing Himself is contrary to being vulnerable. Being vulnerable is making oneself open to hurt and pain. Christ does not show Himself vulnerable in me, but REVEALS Himself in me. In Him, ALL the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, Col. 2:9. If I have ALL fullness in me then what do I lack? If I do not have all fullness in me then I do lack and will be vulnerable. In Col. 1:24, Paul says, “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church…”