I think the main problem is in all of this is that people don't want to see sin for what it really is... SIN... The truth is we all go against Gods principals and rules of His government whether it is lying, or any other of the laws we have been commanded not to do.
I have told many fibs at Christmas time to hide the fact that a good guesser just guessed what they got...or of omission... it does not make it right.
Anything we put before God is considered an idol and it doesn't have to be a graven image. Our husband or wife, kids, sports, TV, Computer, eating, smoking, drinking anything that becomes a full focus of our lives is putting something before God.
I have done my share of all the compromising and trying to rationalize that a wrong could be a right... But the TRUTH IS SIN IS SIN and if God said Thou Shalt Not then we should trust Him and obey.
No we can't earn our way to heaven but we were given the instructions to know how to love God and love our fellow men....It is God's law of love and lying is one of those laws so No there is never a right time to lie.