“For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? And why not say, ‘Let us do evil that good may come’?–as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just” (Romans 3:7-8).
It has often been said that “the ends justify the means” in life. Those who embrace that philosophy believe that the methods we use to achieve a specific goal are less important than the goal itself, as long as the results are “good.” However, the Scriptures do not endorse that philosophy, and the passage quoted above helps us understand why.
Here in Romans 3:7, the “means” are represented by a lie. The “ends” represent the truth of God and His glory. Thus, we have a proposition that seeks to highlight the truth of God by means of a lie. Since lying involves an attempt to deceive by falsehood, and God is a God of truth, that approach can never bring “…honor to God by showing how truthful he is” (CEV).
One paraphrase of Romans 3:8 highlights the irrational nature of this argument: “If you follow through with that idea you come to this: the worse we are, the better God likes it!” (TLB). God’s glory does not require enhancement, and He certainly has no need of “enhancements” that find their origin in a lie. Our text from Romans 3:7-8 serves to illuminate that façade and expose it for what it is: an effort to rationalize or legitimize ungodly behavior by framing it in a manner that appears to bring glory to God.
Such attempts amount to sophistry, a word that describes a plausible, but misleading or fallacious argument. (1) Sophistry involves the use of cleverly deceptive arguments that seem reasonable, but exhibit logical inconsistencies when examined more closely. This type of argument does not aim for truth or accuracy; instead, it is often used to mislead or deceive someone while engaged in a discussion or debate.
Of course, this approach is hardly limited to questions of a spiritual nature. For instance…
- A trial lawyer might use a seemingly plausible (but untruthful) legal argument to win acquittal for a guilty client.
- A salesperson with questionable ethics might exaggerate the benefits of a product or service with a clever, but misleading presentation.
- A politician might twist and manipulate an opponent’s statement to create a false but convincing narrative that harms the opposition candidate.
While these techniques are commonly used today, Paul the Apostle repudiated such methods and set the standard for us to follow in representing Biblical truths to others…
“Instead, we reject secrecy and shameful actions. We don’t use deception, and we don’t tamper with God’s word. Instead, we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God by the public announcement of the truth” (2 Corinthians 4:2 CEB).
(1) sophistry. (n.d.) American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. (2011). Retrieved December 15 2025 from https://www.thefreedictionary.com/sophistry