“Every man is a liar.”

(Romans 3:4, KJV)

This short statement in the Bible is of great significance. “The Bible itself tells us that its contents of sixty-six smaller books were written by men.” (Holy Spirit – The Force Behind the Coming New Order!, page 57) “Jesus was a man” too (“Come Be My Follower”, page 152) And we must not forget that “even … the ‘faithful and discreet slave’ [is] made up of imperfect fleshly men.” – The Watchtower, August 15, 1981, page 28.

But were the Bible writers not inspired by God? The apostle Peter wrote that “men spoke from God.” (2 Peter 1:21) The “faithful and discreet slave has also been called God’s channel of communication,” at least by himself. (The Watchtower, September 1, 1991, page 19) However, although God “cannot lie,” it is still possible that his delegates do so. In the days of King Ahab “Jehovah allowed a spirit creature to become ‘a deceptive spirit’ in the mouth of Ahab’s prophets. That is to say, this spirit creature exercised his power upon them so that they spoke, not truth.” (Insight on the Scriptures, volume II, page 245) God made his prophets lie, and he might have influenced the Bible writers or the “faithful and discreet slave” the same way.

The Bible writers, Jesus Christ, the “faithful and discreet slave” – they all are men, and “all men are liars,” whether they are lying on behalf of God or on their own accord. (Psalm 116:11, NASB; 1 Kings 22:23) So it is completely out of the question “that it is folly to trust in imperfect humans,” because “trusting in man leads to disaster.” (The Watchtower, March 15, 1988, page 10; May 15, 1979, page 3) Furthermore, we cannot be saved anyway, since “all people are liars,” and “all the liars … will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.” – Psalm 116:11, ISV; Revelation 21:8.