February 29, 2004

THE SECRETS OF MEN

Romans 2:16

   "The judgment of God is according to truth," (Romans 2:2), and when He judges, it will be "righteous judgment" (2:5). He will show no favoritism for "there is no respect of persons with God...in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my [Paul's] gospel" (2:11, 16).

What are these "secrets of men"? Secrets are things opposite of things manifest to all. They are "hidden things of the heart," "the thoughts and intents of the heart," and "the inner man." These are things which God alone sees which will form His basis of judgment.

   That God is no respecter of persons robbed the Jew of any idea or hope of favoritism. That God will judge "the secrets of men" opens up possibilities that were revolutionary. Did not the Lord say "if the mighty works which were done in you [Chorazin & Bethsaida] had been done in Tyre and Sidon , they would have repented long ago..." (Matt. 11;21-22)? How could He say such things unless He knew "the secrets of those men"? And when God told of the impending judgment of Sodom , Abraham asked, "Wilt Thou destroy the righteous with the wicked?" Abraham's consolation was, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Gen. 18:23-25). God always judges righteously.

   This same theme is expanded by Paul, for "if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfill the law, judge you who by the letter and circumcision transgress the law? For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, in spirit, and not in letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God" (Rom. 2:26-29). Might these principles apply when Peter met Cornelius?

   Peter, "a man that is a Jew," visited the house of Cornelius, "one of another nation." He confessed, "that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that fears God and works righteousness, is accepted with Him" (Acts 10:28-35). God knows "the secrets of men."

Ivan L. Burgener