a view through annie's eyes

Entrusted with the Secret Things of God

After reading the week’s readings in one sitting, I am embarrassed to tell you, I have either an inordinate amount that lingers or one generalized thought. I think I’ll go with the thought and expound. There are many things that rust and moths destroy, but the eternal treasures of Christ are so very rich and personal and ours to claim. According to 1 Cor. 4:1, we have been entrusted with the secret things of God. And those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. We have a responsibility to Him to be faithful with those secret treasures we’ve been given. Just what are the secret things of God? Let’s take a look at what we can know about the secret treasures from our Scripture this week.

1. The secret things of God are eternal. “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love…love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:8, 13) God is love and love is eternal. Faith, hope and love are treasures that remain after they are offered and interjected into the world. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. (1 Corinthians 8:1)Love lingers long after someone dies. That person’s faith and hope and most of all, love, live on in the lives of those they touched. Their legacy of faith, hope and love continues to bless, to influence, to thrive. The secret things of God remain infused into minds, emblazed into souls, hidden in hearts forever.
2. The secret things of God involve a responsible freedom. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom!” Since we are entrusted with these secret things, we have a responsibility to prove faithful by our actions toward others. We must not destroy Christ to the unbeliever, or drag his Name through the mud, as I call it. Paul says “Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. (1 Corinthians 6:12) He then warns us to “be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” It is for freedom that Christ has set us free, and we are no longer slaves to this world, but tethered to Christ in love-the most glorious freedom we can have is to be found in Christ. Yet if we cause a brother to sin, then we are not to exercise that freedom. We must be careful not to tarnish the Name of Christ by our daily living testimonies.
3. The secret things of God are revealed in increments. Paul tells us in the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians, “When I was a child, I talked like a child. I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully even as I am fully known.” And one of my favorite of all Scriptures, 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” From glory to ever-increasing glory, we are being transformed one step at a time closer to His likeness. And one glorious day, we shall behold Him, face to Face.

The secret things of God are ours as believers to claim, to treasure, to respect, to enjoy as part of our great inheritance through Christ Jesus as sons of God. We can enjoy them today and can expect them to increase in increasingly glorious amounts through His revelation and transformation. He has so much yet to do in me and through me. I so want to be a blessing and not the pain-in-the-neck child to Him. I pray that I don’t squander any more time or opportunities for Him to equip me to serve Him in pleasing ways. Let us treasure the secret things that He has entrusted us with that we may prove faithful in every way.

 What lingers for you this week as we read? I can’t wait to see His mighty workings in each of you. Join Bev and others at Cover to Cover this week as some beautiful hearts for Christ come together. You all bless me so.