IT is well for every person to be acquainted with what is coming with regard to God and mankind. God has forewarned us of a day when He will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ (Rom. 11:1616For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. (Romans 11:16)).
When persons think of judgment they generally suppose it refers only to the public actions of wicked men, but we read that it also applies to the secrets of men. What is meant by the secrets of men? Another scripture will explain the force of this expression. “If all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth” (1 Cor. 14:24, 2524But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: 25And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. (1 Corinthians 14:24‑25)).
This supposed a case of either a Jew or Gentile coming into a Christian meeting and so affected by what he heard that he was both convicted and converted. The secrets of his false religion, and his hostility to Christ and the gospel, were brought to light. This was real conviction, for his fig-leaf garment fell off, his self-righteousness deserted him, and he was conscious that he was naked before God.
The light of the ways of God in the gospel for the blessing of man completely overpowered him, and effected an entrance to his heart so that his secrets came out, and he fell down and worshipped God. This was the result of true conversion. He was turned from what was false to what was true, from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.
Men’s secrets must come out either during the day of grace or in the day of judgment. So which shall it be? Oh, friend, consider which!
The true gospel preacher seeks to set forth the testimony of God so clearly that men may have their secrets discovered in this day of peculiar favor, which has already lasted nineteen hundred years, and no one knows how near we may be to its close.
Naturally there is nothing a man of the world more seeks to keep to himself than how he stands with regard to God. He resents any inquiry into his spiritual state. You may ask him about his family, his bodily health, or his business, and these inquiries generally please him; but ask him about his soul, and you offend him, because you touch his secret.
When some light of the gospel has dawned upon him, he is at first most anxious that no one shall know it. He may even pretend to oppose the gospel, while all the time he desires it.
Now inexperienced believers are too anxious to get at the secrets of unconverted persons, and this annoys them, and they only seek to hide it more effectually. God only can bring men’s secrets to light, so we have to be careful in speaking to men lest in our undue haste we delay the work of God.
Men may have led outwardly blameless lives and then the secrets lie very deep, as in the case of Saul of Tarsus, who tells us he had lived in all good conscience before God (Acts 23:11And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. (Acts 23:1)).
But when the light from heaven entered his soul his secrets were discovered, for lie was persecuting Jesus (Acts 9:55And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. (Acts 9:5)), and was really the chief of sinners (1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)). This exposure of his real state was so dreadful that he was three days without sight and neither did eat nor drink (Acts 11:99But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. (Acts 11:9)). His secret enmity to Christ and the gospel, when it came out, so completely humbled him that it marked his subsequent life.
Men have often confessed crimes which were previously secret and it has brought them to punishment, but what crime in the sight of God is so serious as rejecting His testimony concerning His Son? Now, as soon as any one confesses his enmity to God he is not brought to judgment, but receives immediate forgiveness. Thus God’s ways are above man’s ways as the heavens are above the earth (Isa. 55:99For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9)). If Christian meetings had more spiritual power to give out the mind of God, more persons would be affected by them, and the secrets of their hearts would be manifested by the power of the Word. This would be real work, and would not wither away, like that which springs up quickly, as seen in the parable of the sower (Mark 4:66But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. (Mark 4:6)).
In every real case of conviction and conversion the Holy Spirit has acted on the person, although the person was unconscious of what power it was acting on him. This is important for those who seek souls to recognize, so that they may not use any means which the apostles did not use lest they should hinder the work of God.
In a country where there is freedom to read the Holy Scriptures many children get some light from their parents or Sunday-school teachers, which impresses their minds to various extents with the fear of the Lord; and although afterward as they grow up they may have thrown off as far as they were able all remembrance of these things, yet when God begins to work, He revives and deepens what was early begun. If inquiry is made of persons who have been converted when they were grown up, they generally remember having been anxious about their souls when they were in their teens. This shows that God’s work is never lost, although-many years may have been wasted in carelessness about divine things, and even wickedness indulged in. This loss of precious time and acquaintance with wickedness may be a source of sorrow to the grave.
Now, secrets must come out, and so long as any one keeps them, they are afraid of being spoken to about their souls, and actually find fault with those who are seeking their blessing.
But if the secrets come out under the warm influence of the gospel, then all is changed; what before was avoided is then sought after and becomes increasingly attractive.
Thus, bowing to the Lord becomes the test for each one, and in proportion to our subjection to Him we realize true liberty of soul. We have nothing to hide because our secrets have been brought to light. This desire for the light should grow upon believers, so that we may have no part dark regarding the claims of God.
“All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:1313Neither 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. (Hebrews 4:13)). Now it is one thing to own that this is in Scripture, but quite another to act upon it, so that we have nothing that we wish to hide from God, but can confess everything to Him. This gives holy boldness to believers. “If our heart condemn us not,” we read, “then have we confidence toward God” (1 John 3:2121Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. (1 John 3:21)). May both writer and reader enjoy the confidence.
G. W. GY