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b'\\u201cYou shall not give false testimony against your neighbor\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d (Exodus 20:16). When most of us hear the ninth commandment, we think, \\u201cOkay, God doesn\\u2019t want me to lie. So I should be good and tell the truth.\\u201d And this is true! The ninth commandment does show that God calls His people to live honest lives. But it goes even deeper than that.\\nAt its heart, the ninth commandment is really about justice. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153False testimony\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d is a legal term that refers to lying in court. Lying in court could lead to an innocent person being punished or a guilty person walking away free. That\\u2019s why, in some cases, giving false testimony could carry the death penalty. God is serious about justice.\\nIn this command, God communicates to His people that He is a just and righteous God, and He wants us to reflect His justice and righteousness. Injustice has no place in the kingdom of God. Therefore, this command is much bigger than \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Tell the truth so you don\\u2019t get in trouble.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nIt calls Israel to execute justice in a way that reflects the justice of God. It commands Israel to dismantle unfair systems of oppression and promote honesty and integrity, recognizing each person as God\\u2019s image-bearer. God\\u2019s love and justice were to flow through every part of their society, turning Israel into a shining witness of God\\u2019s goodness to the whole world.\\nAnd they failed. In fact, we have all sinned against God\\u2019s justice (Romans 3:23). But God never fails. Even though lies and injustice have broken creation, God sent Jesus, the Truth in flesh, to perfectly embody God\\u2019s justice and righteousness. He took on our injustice and brokenness on the cross, bearing our punishment in His death. Then, He rose again, defeating sin and death.\\nWhen we\\u2019re weighed down by the world\\u2019s injustice, we find sure hope that Jesus is returning to one day destroy every lie and set right every wrong so that we as His people can dwell in His Truth forever. \\u2022 Taylor Eising\\n\\u2022 How do justice and truth go together? Can one exist without the other? \\n\\u2022 Because Jesus is the ultimate Truth, we, as Christians, are called to live lives that reflect His truth, the gospel (John 14:6). What are some ways you can pursue gospel-centered justice? \\nThe Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. Psalm 33:5 (NIV)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nExodus 20:15; Leviticus 19:9-10; Acts 4:32-35; Ephesians 4:28'