The other day I was riding along in our car thinking. Not about anything in particular, just thinking over the events of the past few weeks: Changing jobs, friendships (both fading and blossoming) and an assortment of other stray thoughts and ideas. At some point in my mental analog I came to my senses long enough to read a huge sticker boldly plastered on the back of an old Chevrolet S10. It read simply, "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ" (Rom. 2:16). What a profound verse, I reasoned within myself. A verse I had doubtless read before, but somehow it seemed to hold deeper meaning, or perhaps, no definitely, I had ears to hear. God's word is always truth, it always reveals the depths of knowledge, heights of liberty. When it seems like we are getting nothing out of reading it, the fault is not with the word, but with our willingness to believe and except what it is saying. That is why Christ said "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear." (Mark 4:23) On that day, thank God, my ears were open.
Now we all have some secrets; secrets that we hope no one ever finds out. Things that embarrass, things that hurt, and things that bring guilt and shame. But there is something else that we find we hide, something else we try to keep secret, and that is our sins. Now some sins are done in the open, brandished for all to see and hear, but there are those that we have done so cleverly that we assume none could possibly know. However, when it comes down to it, when the last bit of life has been lived, we shall not be judged by those we have kept it from, but as the verse above states - we shall be judged by Jesus Christ. Paul exhorted Timothy that he remember that "Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after." (I Tim. 5:24) After all it is written: "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." (Heb. 4:13).
Psalmist David knew all too well the depth of the pit dug by secret sins. Yet, greater was his understanding in the fact that God knew of these sins and so he could sing "cleanse thou me from secret faults" (Ps. 19:12). David did not try to hide his secret sins from God as Adam his father did, but instead he prayed that God would cleanse him of them. Christians today have suffered from the sins of their hearts. Many lead good lives, doing good things, spreading the gospel around the world, but often they fall short of attaining the true heights, depths, and lengths of God. Why? Because the prophecy of Isaiah rings true, "your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." (Isa. 59:2) It is time that we lift up our voice and cry, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Ps. 139:23) |
