Can you advise me on the subject of lying? Am I wrong to believe any lie is a sin? If I lie to avoid hurting someone’s feelings or more severe things, is it still a lie and as such should be confessed? Thank you.

It’s true that any lying is a sin.  The Bible says, “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” – James 3:8

It’s better to think prudently and speak tactfully in a situation where you don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings. It is easier and faster to think of a lie, but it can also lead to further consequences down the road. Like you said, you just have to confess it.

There’s a lesson from the Bible about lying. It’s found in the book of Genesis concerning Abraham (Genesis 20). Abraham was afraid for his life when he was in Gerar. He thought he would be killed because his wife Sarah was beautiful and the King of Gerar would kill him for her. So he lied and said she was his sister. The King however was warned by God in a dream that Sarah was a married woman and that he would die if he kept her. The King summoned Abraham and scolded him for telling the lie. Abraham gave the excuse that she was his “half-sister” and so it wasn’t an outright lie. However, even the King recognized it was clearly a lie. The King returned Abraham’s wife to him and his life was spared. However, we can see that even this “half lie” or lying “for a good reason” is still a lie. Abraham had to learn to always tell the truth and trust in God.