ST. CATHARINES CONCORDIA - Brock University

lohn R. Wkh: ABKAM 1.U EGYPT. SINNLK OK SAINT" 21
take his beautiful wife and his possessions (see Gen. 12: 12). Indeed, because Pharaoh
regarded himself as god, he could neither know or rear Ihe true God, nor receive word
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fro111 Him; only plagues could impress him (12:17). Thcrcforc, Abram had to takc
whalever measures were necessary to save his earthly life, since God's Promise for
all peoples was bound up with his body. Rut good may come out of evil (see 50:20),
SO he could hope that, although both he and Sarai could be in danger. the Lord would
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so be able to influence the Egyptians that they would not come to har~n.
Of course, thc Clxistian is not to bear false witness against his neighbour, and one
is under obligation to God to tell the truth at all times where normal communication
exists. However, our neighbour may not be enlilled to the truth if it does not concern
him. Scripture warrants the conccalmcnt of tnlth from those who havc no claim upon
it (Prov. 11:13).~' As Bonhoeffer puts it, "'truthfulness' does not mean the disclosure
of everything that exists."42 Thus, it is correct for civil law to prevent the compelling
of a witness to testify against himself. No enemy or criminal has any right to knowled e
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which can be used to do evil; no one seeking to do evil is entitled to the truth.
Therefore, if a govcrnmcntal authority would use thc tnrth to do cvil, onc is not
obligated to disclose it; disobedience is then justified. It was in this sense that some
Christians disobeyed orders of the Nazi government in order to protecl hunted Jewish
persons.44 Robert Dabney argued that, as it is justifiable for a human government to
kill a murderer through capital punishment because his crime has forfeited his rights,
so an unjust and malignant aggressor forfeits his rights to the truth.45 A Christian is
obligated to God not to tell the truth if evil persons would usc it to steal, murder or
rape (PS. W1 X). Indeed, to so aid evil persons is to make oneself an accessory to their
offencc. 46
When Abraham sojouined later in Gerar, he again passed Sarah off as his sister
for rhe same reason as earlier in Egypt: "There is surely no rear ol' God in this place,
and they will kill me beca~lse of my wifc" (Gcn. 20:2, 11). Indeed, he was afraid that
wherever he would go, he could expect to be confronted with wicked evildoers who
lacoh 134.
Ahram's danger In Egypt and Ihc plagucs on Pharaoh and his court wcrc an went prophecy of thc suffei-ing of
the Israehtes in Egypt and the 'I'm Plagues (Jacoh YO; (lassuto 336; Wcnharn 291; Flamilton 386).
Rushdoony 543, 545. Thus, ~t is light for one's prrvate matters to be respected. inclnding mail and the
cunSesaional. If a person \~oultl inipropr~ly handle an Itern of tiuth so that it is falsified or misused, the11 one
should nor say it to that peraon at all (Trillhaas 301-302).
Bonhoeffer 372. A family has the right lo preserve its own secrets from others, so that the betrayal of a secret
ttuth may bc worse than the lie to preserve it (367-368).
Rushdoony 543-544; Trillhaas 302; Bonhoeffer 372.
[chard von We17sackcr. thc prcscnt Prccidcnt of Germany, In a spccch on thc occaslon of thc thousandth
;umiversary of the City of Potsdam In a hich hc cxtollcd tllc l~ad~tional I'1.ussian virtucs ot rcspcct for thc law.
loyally LO 111s Sellow citizen, and conscientio~~sness (whlch were taken advantage of by the Nazis?, expla~ned
Iivw such virtues rrlay lcad LU the cunacisnlioua denial oT obed~ei~ce lo authority; tl~~s
was actually p~actised
against Icing Fried~ich the Great, as well as ~gainst Hitler- by office~a oT the Ninth Potsdam Infantiy Regiment
(Dcirache Pi.cssc, I4 July 1993, Toronto).
Cited by Rushdoony 548.
Rushdnony 544.