It is Ever Right to Lie?

The more I read Romans, the more I fall in love with it! Right now I am agreeing with Paul when he says he does the things he does not want to do and that which he wants to do, he does not do! It is frustrating. ARGH! Why does the flesh go East when the mind and heart know it's time to go West??? Is there no way to rise above these temptations and wars while we are yet in this mortal body? Sigh! I'm afraid not! I guess we'll always be tempted with foolishness until the day God Himself comes and makes His kingdom here for good.

Anyway, I want to know if it is ever right to lie. And, no, I am not looking for an excuse to tell a lie! LOL! I have a reason for wondering......Most people would say that it is not ever right to lie. The Word states in no uncertain terms: "all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone!" (Trust me, I know that verse because when I told lies at home, I had to find that verse and read it to Mom!) But now let me ask the question a little bit differently. Is it ever okay to lie if it's for an unselfish reason, to protect someone, or for the cause of Christ? It's easy to say "no". But hear me out. Over the time that Moses was a baby, the midwives were told to kill all the boy babies. Boys kept popping up here and there and when the midwives were questioned about it, they said that the Hebrew women were hearty and had their babies before they got there. That was an outright lie! Now we know that God in his almighty power did not need that lie to make things work out. However, they were never reprimanded for that lie, and the Word even says that God blessed them, and gave them families! Wow!

Also, when Rahab hid the "spies" in the flax of her house, she lied to the man that came to the door, telling him that they were not there and pointing to the way she "saw" them go. She was never rebuked for that lie. She was saved, as well as her family, and not only that, she is in the lineage of Jesus! Wow again!

Over the time the Jews were being killed, over Corrie Ten Boom's time, do you think that the people who hid the Jews always told the truth? I sure don't see how they could have, considering how many Jews were kept safe.

The persecuted church today, the whole world over, do you think they always tell the truth to the authorities? I have heard stories of how if they are stopped on the way to house church, they say they are going to read a letter. Technically, the Bible is a letter, but things like that and more........... can lying be blessed wen it's for something like that?

Abraham lied on two different occasions when he said that Sarah was his sister instead of his wife. From what I remember, he was never rebuked by God for that.

Anyway, so is ever for any reason, okay to lie? If it is okay to lie for a good cause, how can we sinful creatures discern when it's okay, and when it's not okay? Is it even possible that we could limit the lies to the true definition of a "good cause"?

I don't know what to think, but I sure would love to hear some other folks ideas on that subject!