Your Secret Thoughts aren’t Secret to God

© 2020 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

Years ago, a well respected Bible teacher preached in various Christian gatherings.  One of the gatherings he frequented, was the one where my family and Kathy’s family gathered.  This was long before Kathy or I were old enough to be interested in marriage.  Years later, after Kathy and I were married and raising a family, he once wrote to a mutual friend.  He requested that friend to ask our little group to pray that he “not die a wicked old man.”  Many of us were surprised by this request.  However, this man had constantly desired the Lord to increasingly purify his thoughts and actions.  When this happens, more and more spiritual light renders the hidden thoughts of the heart more visible.  In a similar manner, King David of old prayed,

“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.”  (Psalm 139:23-24)

With passing years, I’ve felt an increasing remorse over many of my specific thoughts, words, and actions of the past.  However, I’m so thankful that the Lord is shining increasing light into my heart.

Though I knew better, I felt like thinking about evil wasn’t too bad unless you did it.  But that’s not what God says.  Instead, He is very interested in those secret thoughts of our hearts.  Consider the following statement God made about this.

“… for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Most of us appear pretty good to each other.  However, we’d probably be horrified if those with whom we rub shoulders could read our secret thoughts as God can!

I sometimes consider some of my sinful secret thoughts of the past.  I’m vividly aware that I could never be righteous enough to pay the penalty for even one of them.  Since even one sin is a sin against an infinitely holy God, the penalty for that sin is infinite.  That’s why Jesus Christ, the infinite Son of God, came to pay that infinite price for all of my sins.  He, alone, is “… the author and finisher of our faith …” (Hebrews 12:2).  Without His work in my heart, I would be eternally without hope.

I shudder to hear people say “I think I’ll end up in Heaven because I’ve lived a pretty good life.”  This is the road to eternal disaster!  No church, nor good works, can buy your way into God’s favor.  Only those with repentant faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, alone, are saved.

Are you?

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See Christ:  The Only Savior  for other articles on this subject

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