September 3, 2020
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A friend of mine was commenting on what was then some recent news stories, and there was something very shocking and very violent and seemingly unexplainable that had happened within a family. It was an ugly story really. He concluded with a comment that was based on an old country song he knew, "No one knows what goes on behind closed doors." Actually, that's not true.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "No Such Thing As a Secret."
It's a fact that there are plenty of secrets behind closed doors. No one on earth probably knows the real you like the people you live with. They see you unmasked and unedited. There's some ugly stuff behind some of our closed doors. Then there are the things we do when no one seems to be watching or hearing; our secrets. I'm reminded of old commercials that advertised a resort city that said, "What you do here stays here."
Well, I've got some bad news for anyone who thinks their secrets are safe behind closed doors. Actually, I'll let the Bible give you the news. It's recorded in Romans 2:16. It's our word for today from the Word of God. The Bible talks about "...the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ." Guess what? Someone has been watching; someone has been listening. Someone knows everything that happens behind your closed doors. What you do there won't stay there. You'll meet it on Judgment Day - standing before the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He will, the Bible says, "bring to light what is hidden in darkness" (1 Corinthians 4:5).
Maybe you feel relieved that you haven't been caught. Wrong. If God knows, you're caught, and He does know. The Bible says, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is...laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." All the dark secrets of our life will be "outed" and we will face the penalty for them. The Bible makes that penalty clear: "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). That's death as in eternal separation from God and from His love.
Without a way to remove all the sins of my life from God's records, I have no hope of ever knowing God, of avoiding hell, and of ever living in His heaven. The Bible makes it clear there's no religion, no human goodness that can erase our sins. Amazingly, it was the very God we rebelled against who reached out to give us a way to belong to Him. A way that cost Him the most precious thing He had - His one and only Son. In God's own words, "He loved us and sent His son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 4:10). In other words, Jesus had all the guilt and all the hell of our sin and shame dumped on Him when He died on the cross; including the darkest secrets of your life and mine.
When He hung on that cross, He said, "Father, forgive them." I think He was thinking of us. God says, "Everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sin through His name" (Acts 10:43). That could be you today if you'll acknowledge your sin - even the hidden sin - and grab Jesus like He's the only One who can rescue you spiritually.
Boy, I'll tell you, if you do that, imagine going to bed tonight knowing that you are clean and forgiven, knowing every sin has been erased from God's book forever. Knowing you're right with God. Knowing you're ready to meet Him whenever that time comes. You want this? You want to begin your relationship with Jesus that changes everything? Tell Him that. This is a faith transaction between you and the man who literally died for your sin.
I think our website might help you at a point like this, because we've loaded it up with the information you need in order to be sure you belong to Jesus Christ. A lot of people have found some help and encouragement there. I think you could too. Here's the address: ANewStory.com. Just go there today. I hope you check it out.
You're on the edge of something that you may have thought could never happen - a clean slate and a brand new beginning.