The Lord continues to speak to us about His soon return and coming judgment. As I’ve been praying the past several weeks about whether to post this note from years ago, He’s surrounded me with confirmations about Him seeing all that is done in secret and that all will give an account for their lives. In the past months, He’s also been repeatedly emphasizing that He wants His people to hear, understand, and act on the truth that we must “crucify” the flesh in order to be led by and live by His Spirit (Gal 5:16-26). We need to Live Ready.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Are You Ready for Your Secret Life to be Exposed?

And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus,
will judge everyone’s secret life. Romans 2:16 NLT

What are you doing in secret? Do you have a hidden life others don’t know about?

God has promised that one day every hidden thing we’ve said or done will be brought out in the open.

There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. Luke 12:2-3

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Verses like these may cause some to break out in a cold sweat. Truly God sees everything and the things that are done in secret WILL eventually be brought into the light. This doesn’t refer only to what some consider “big” sins; Jesus revealed we will even give account for every idle word spoken (Matthew 12:33-37) and that our thoughts, motives, attitudes, and desires are not hidden from God (Matthew 5-7; 15:17-20). For many these truths may primarily evoke shame and fear… but they don’t have to.

If we’ve received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, repented (turned) from willful sin and are now living for Him, these promises can be a comfort and encouragement rather than a cause for fear. By the new heart and Spirit He gives us, we can live in such a way that when God turns our secret lives inside out for all to see, the result will be reward rather than reproach.

Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.  II Corinthians 4:2

I have fought the good (worthy, honorable, and noble) fight, I have finished the race, I have kept (firmly held) the faith. [As to what remains] henceforth there is laid up for me the [victor’s] crown of righteousness [for being right with God and doing right], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me and recompense me on that [great] day—and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and yearned for and welcomed His appearing (His return). II Timothy 4:7-8

In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us a few facets of the secret lives God desires us to have:

… when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:3-4

… when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:6

… when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:17-18

We should understand these verses in balance with Matthew 5:13-16, which reveals that there are also many aspects of our Christian faith that are not meant to be exclusively hidden in secret, but lived out as a light in a dark world for others to see ~ the critical issue being the motives with which our public (or private) deeds are done, knowing even these hidden motives will be revealed (I Corinthians 4:1-5). Though we understand that no amount of good works could ever be sufficient to save us (only grace through faith in who Jesus is and what He’s done to redeem us), true faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior will produce a life of loving, following, and living for Him. The Bible makes clear that where this fruit is not present, neither is true (saving) faith (Matthew 25:31-46, James 2:14-26 , II Corinthians 13:5).

Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it {some translations say “to see whether you are in the faith”}. Test and prove yourselves [not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected? II Corinthians 13:5

In the book of I John, John laid out in vital detail what we need to know in order to examine and determine whether we’re really remaining in the faith – “in Christ”/”in Him” – and whether we really know Him. While it’s important to read the book in its entirety, here are a few highlights:

By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴ The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; ⁵ but whoever follows His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: ⁶ the one who says that he remains in Him ought, himself also, walk just as He walked. I John 2:3-6

Now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not draw back from Him in shame at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness also has been born of Him. I John 2:28-29

No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. ⁷ Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. ⁸ Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. ¹⁰ By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. I John 3:6-10

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. ¹⁹ By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; ²⁰ for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. ²¹ Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; ²² and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. ²³ And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. ²⁴ Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. I John 3:18-24

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷ By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. I John 4:16-18

John tells us we can have confidence in the day of judgment when secrets are revealed (4:17) and not have to draw back in shame (2:28-29), if we are those who have truly been born of God, know Him, and remain in Him and His love. This will be evidenced by His love continuing to be perfected in us – the fruit of which is seen in following His Word, keeping His commandments, practicing righteousness rather than sin, learning to live a life of love, even living/”walking” as Jesus did.

We often hear people quote the verse “perfect love casts out fear“, implying that GOD’S perfect love for US should cast all fear out of our lives, leaving no fear of punishment. This misunderstanding has unfortunately led some to conclusions that completely contradict Scripture. The revelation of God’s love for us was never intended to cast out “the fear of the Lord” or the revelation of His coming judgment. Though God loves everyone perfectly, we know from His Word that most will unfortunately still face judgment in the end for rejecting His love, because they wanted their own version of love void of His Truth. A closer look at the immediate context, and the context of John’s entire letter, reveals that rather, John was telling us that the way to live free from the fear of punishment is to allow OUR LOVE for God and others to be perfected in the ways he described in his letter. When we are in this world AS JESUS IS (4:17), in context meaning walking/living as Jesus (2:6) in obedience to the Father’s Word and will – this is the “perfected love” (2:5; 4:17) for God and others that will cast out fear and enable us to have confidence in the day of judgment.    

A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one perfected shall be as his teacher. Luke 6:40 YLT

A pupil is not superior to his teacher, but everyone [when he is] completely trained (readjusted, restored, set to rights, and perfected) will be like his teacher. Luke 6:40 AMPC

For those who have been born again and remain in Christ, who pursue this perfected love for Him and others ~ the fact that what we do in secret is seen and heard by the Lord and will be brought out in the open can be a source of comfort and joy, rather than a source of fear (Malachi 3:16-17). Though none of us will ever reach perfection this side of Heaven, when our hearts are perfect toward Him, our aim will be to continually press toward the mark of this kind of perfected love. As we stay in close relationship with Him, His light exposes any shade of darkness we need to repent from, so we can turn away from wrong thoughts, attitudes, words, or actions back to Him and His will. And as we do, thank God His blood continually cleanses us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:5-10).

Clearly, we shouldn’t follow the Lord solely for the rewards. We should follow Him regardless of the cost because He is our Lord; we belong to and love Him. But what a comfort it is to know He desires to reward us. Though surely some of the rewards for the kind of secret life He calls us to live will only be given in the coming age, I don’t believe we have to wait for judgment day for every reward He’s promised (Mark 10:29-30). Just as secret sins eventually produce a visible harvest of destruction in the lives of those who continually commit them, I believe our secret acts of love, obedience, and faithfulness also eventually produce a visible harvest of reward in this life, as well as the next (Galatians 6:7-10, I Timothy 5:24-25). The greatest reward we can receive from developing the secret lives God calls us to is the priceless treasure of intimate relationship with Him (Philippians 3:7-21) ~ coming to know Him as our ALL in ALL.

If we knew Jesus was returning tomorrow, is there anything about our lives we would suddenly find the desire and strength to change today? If so, may we examine ourselves to see if we’re truly still in the faith, “in Christ”, according to God’s definitions (John 15, II Corinthians 12:19-13:11 , Matthew 7:13-27; 24:36-51, Hebrews 10:19-39, I John, Ephesians 5:1-17, II Timothy 2:19, I Thessalonians 4:1-8).

May we live in constant awareness that the things we do in secret are on display in full view of the Lord, and will eventually be exposed openly as well. May we live transparently before Him, knowing He already knows all and is willing and able to help us overcome in any area of struggle if we’ll run to His throne of mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:12-16). He never allows us to be tempted beyond what we can bear (I Corinthians 9:24-10:13) and never calls us to do anything He doesn’t give us the grace/power to do by His Spirit in and through us (Titus 2:11-15). He’s our Ever-Present Help with and in us to empower us to choose the way of escape, to crucify our flesh, and to yield to and live by His Spirit (in addition to previous psgs – Psalm 46:1, Galatians 5:16-25 ). May we all return to the Lord in any way needed, make sure we’re truly born of Him and abiding in Him – and pursue private and public lives marked by a “perfected love” that will cast out fear and instead bring comfort, hope, and anticipation of reward.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also]. For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting]. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life {his soul} [his blessed life in the kingdom of God]? Or what would a man give as an exchange for his {soul} [blessed] life [in the kingdom of God]? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory (majesty, splendor) of His Father with His angels, and then He will render account and reward {recompense either good or bad} every man in accordance with what he has done. Matthew 16:24-27 

So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. II Corinthians 5:9-11 

So brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert); set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed. [Live] as children of obedience [to God]; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires [that governed you] in your former ignorance [when you did not know the requirements of the Gospel]. But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living. For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. And if you call upon Him as [your] Father Who judges each one impartially according to what he does, [then] you should conduct yourselves with true reverence {reverent fear} throughout the time of your temporary residence [on the earth, whether long or short]. You must know (recognize) that you were redeemed (ransomed) from the useless (fruitless) way of living inherited by tradition from [your] forefathers, not with corruptible things [such as] silver and gold, But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot. I Peter 1:13-19 

Behold, I am coming soon, and I shall bring My wages and rewards with Me, to repay and render to each one just what his own actions and his own work merit. Revelation 22:12

like & share: