Top Secret
A common response to sin is secrecy. Adam and Eve “hid themselves” after biting into the forbidden fruit, trying to hide what God already knew (Genesis 3:8). Achan tried to hide the loot he stole from Jericho under his tent involving his family in his disobedience. Yet, God delivered a search warrant to Joshua for all of Israel and Achan was found (Joshua 7).
Even David did his best to cover up his adultery with Bathsheba, but Nathan the prophet knew and David’s sin was revealed (2 Samuel 11-12). In the New Testament, Ananias and Sapphira tried to mislead the people concerning their donation to the Lord’s work, but the Holy Spirit knew of their lie (Acts 5:1-11).
Notice a pattern? Nobody ever got away with a secret sin, even if all involved kept their lips sealed.
May this be a lesson to us all—what you think is a secret among friends on earth is fully known to God!
Ecclesiastes 12:14 says, “For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”
Paul warned of the day when “...God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel” (Romans 2:16).
We may keep our secrets until the day we die. However, the apostle again writes, “Some men’s sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later” (1 Timothy 5:24).
Your secret sin may be safe on earth, but it will not be safe as you sit before the omniscient judge.
Think about it.
July 2007