Pseudo: not genuine; spurious or sham. That’s an English word and its definition. Pseudos: a falsehood. That’s a Greek word and its definition.
In Ephesians 4:25, the NIV translates pseudos as falsehood. “Therefore [since you are a new creation] each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” [NIV]
The King James is blunter, it translates pseudos as lying. “Therefore, putting away lying….” [NKJV]
We are surrounded by falsehoods. Lies fly at us from all directions. Most of the time the lies are merely annoying, but occasionally falsehoods are extremely dangerous. I recently read an article by a nationally known physician who said it is often difficult to get his patients to follow established, and well-documented, medical protocols because they’ve read something on the internet that contradicts them.
I have grown to expect politicians to lie to me. I don’t much trust the news media (any of them). I will usually investigate a claim on social media before I pass it on. I don’t trust ads for products either. And I’m certain that not everything I read on the internet is true.
The one place I do expect truth, however, is in the body of Christ. I expect pastors to speak the truth in love. I expect my own messages to be based on the truth of the Word of God to the best of my ability. I also expect other believers to put off the falsehood we often bring with us from the world and speak truthfully.
Let’s remember how often Jesus began His teachings with “I tell you the truth….” Let’s also remember His words,
“I am the way and the truth and the life.” [emphasis mine John 14:6]
If we want to be like our Savior and LORD, we need to “put off falsehood and speak truthfully to our neighbor.”
