"For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid that shall not be known and come abroad." Luke 8:17
In this era of technology this verse takes on a new meaning. Jesus said this after explaining the meaning of the parable of the sower to his disciples. In context, this verse is about receiving the word of God and sharing it. Interesting though, the manifesting of that 'secret' and that 'hidden thing' is not directly connected to the disciples...it implies the hand of God.
Years ago, the media raise the question of Mitt Romney's faith. His life made known to all.
Donald Trump’s life has also been laid bare before the media. And even what was hidden in Biden’s family has been made known. How much more will be made known to us about those we rub shoulders with on the Day of Judgment (Revelations 20:12)?
We must understand that God is in control. "...the powers that be are ordained of God." Romans 13:1b. God does have a plan.
Throughout history we can see the rise and fall of empires. In those empires existed people of faith. In the western world in particular, we can find born again believers. Not a century has passed that true Christians have not experienced some persecution. So it has been and will be in the 21st century.
I confess that as a parent I tend to worry whether my children (who are now adults) are ready to suffer. We do so much to protect them when they are young, shelter them from the world and from harm, with the intent of grounding them in a Biblical worldview.
We often talk about their faith being what will take them through those times. Yet, I’ve known people who made a profession of faith at one time and later encountered great difficulty. Then these people walked away from God, or created a new god based on what they want to believe. My heart mourns for them.
How then, should we walk in times of testing? What will the world see when we are stripped of all that we’ve thought of ourselves and perhaps even of God?
At the moments of deepest hurt, of greatest fear, of tremendous loss, we make choices. Those choices reveal (are “made manifest”) the depth (or lack thereof) of our love and faith in God. Do we love Him more than ‘these’? Do we love Him more than our comfort, more than our sense of justice, more than our pride, more than are need to be seen as worth something?
In times of testing, we may fail. But God promises to pick us up. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand." Psalm 37:23-24.
That is a promise we can cling to…but again, we must choose to do so.
On one hand, I want to keep 'bad' from touching my family. On the other hand, I realize that during the 'bad' God reveals Himself like no other time. Enduring hardship has far greater rewards than creating a false sense of security in riches and government or any of man's devices to make a perfect world free from suffering. But the choice is ours. Are we willing to see past the pain to the God who works through the pain?
I am so grateful for the value God has placed on me - value enough to sacrifice Himself for me. Does my life ‘manifest’ this to others? Is it ‘come abroad’?
A few faithful believe in the One True God, as He presents Himself in Scripture. Many people who claim to be Christians have developed their own god (just as the Mormon religion has - and please understand Mormonism is NOT Christianity) and those people pick and chose what they want to believe from the Bible. In essence, they have left God for a god of their own choosing--they've chosen lies instead of truth.
So what does this mean? The opportunity to be counted worthy to suffer for Christ is increasing. Acts 5:41 "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name."
Some day each one of us will be faced with making a stand either for or against what we profess to believe. In that day, our secret doubts or secret faith will be made manifest. We will either be ready to face death (literally or figuratively) for our faith in Christ, or our lack of faith will be revealed.
Paul encouraged the Corinthians to watch, stand fast in the faith, be a man (be brave), and be strong. (I Corinthians 16:13).
How then, do we strengthen our faith?
- Choose to believe that the Bible is the final authority on all of life and search it for the answers to our questions (II Timothy 3:16-17).
- Choose to believe that the Bible is God speaking to us, and read and study it for the purpose of knowing Him better (John 5:39).
- Choose to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17).
- Choose to serve God by serving others (Galatians 5:13; Colossians 3:24).
- Choose to attend church - do not forsake the assembling of yourselves with other believers (Hebrews 10:25).
- Choose to stand fast against all opposition, whether from within or from without, setting your mind on things above and not on the things of this earth (I Thessalonians 3:8; Colossians 3:2).
We will be known by our words and actions and steadfast faith, and by how willing we are to suffer for the truth.
Is your faith manifested before others?
”Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” James 2:18
