Whether One Can, Without a Mortal Sin, Deny the Truth Which Would
Lead to One's Condemnation?
Objection 1: It would seem one can, without a mortal sin, deny the
truth which would lead to one's condemnation. For Chrysostom says
(Hom. xxxi super Ep. ad Heb.): "I do not say that you should lay bare
your guilt publicly, nor accuse yourself before others." Now if the
accused were to confess the truth in court, he would lay bare his
guilt and be his own accuser. Therefore he is not bound to tell the
truth: and so he does not sin mortally if he tell a lie in court.
Obj. 2: Further, just as it is an officious lie when one tells a lie
in order to rescue another man from death, so is it an officious lie
when one tells a lie in order to free oneself from death, since one
is more bound towards oneself than towards another. Now an officious
lie is considered not a mortal but a venial sin. Therefore if the
accused denies the truth in court, in order to escape death, he does
not sin mortally.
Obj. 3: Further, every mortal sin is contrary to charity, as stated
above (Q. 24, A. 12). But that the accused lie by denying himself to
be guilty of the crime laid to his charge is not contrary to charity,
neither as regards the love we owe God, nor as to the love due to our
neighbor. Therefore such a lie is not a mortal sin.
_On the contrary,_ Whatever is opposed to the glory of God is a
mortal sin, because we are bound by precept to "do all to the glory
of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). Now it is to the glory of God that the
accused confess that which is alleged against him, as appears from
the words of Josue to Achan, "My son, give glory to the Lord God of
Israel, and confess and tell me what thou hast done, hide it not"
(Joshua 7:19). Therefore it is a mortal sin to lie in order to cover
one's guilt.
_I answer that,_ Whoever acts against the due order of justice, sins
mortally, as stated above (Q. 59, A. 4). Now it belongs to the order
of justice that a man should obey his superior in those matters to
which the rights of his authority extend. Again, the judge, as stated
above (Q. 67, A. 1), is the superior in relation to the person whom
he judges. Therefore the accused is in duty bound to tell the judge
the truth which the latter exacts from him according to the form of
law. Hence if he refuse to tell the truth which he is under
obligation to tell, or if he mendaciously deny it, he sins mortally.
If, on the other hand, the judge asks of him that which he cannot ask
in accordance with the order of justice, the accused is not bound to
satisfy him, and he may lawfully escape by appealing or otherwise:
but it is not lawful for him to lie.
Reply Obj. 1: When a man is examined by the judge according to the
order of justice, he does not lay bare his own guilt, but his guilt
is unmasked by another, since the obligation of answering is imposed
on him by one whom he is bound to obey.
Reply Obj. 2: To lie, with injury to another person, in order to
rescue a man from death is not a purely officious lie, for it has an
admixture of the pernicious lie: and when a man lies in court in
order to exculpate himself, he does an injury to one whom he is bound
to obey, since he refuses him his due, namely an avowal of the truth.
Reply Obj. 3: He who lies in court by denying his guilt, acts both
against the love of God to whom judgment belongs, and against the
love of his neighbor, and this not only as regards the judge, to whom
he refuses his due, but also as regards his accuser, who is punished
if he fail to prove his accusation. Hence it is written (Ps. 140:4):
"Incline not my heart to evil words, to make excuses in sins": on
which words a gloss says: "Shameless men are wont by lying to deny
their guilt when they have been found out." And Gregory in expounding
Job 31:33, "If as a man I have hid my sin," says (Moral. xxii, 15):
"It is a common vice of mankind to sin in secret, by lying to hide
the sin that has been committed, and when convicted to aggravate the
sin by defending oneself."
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