“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)
Is it a sin not to speak to others about the Lord Jesus Christ, offering to the lost the truths of the way to salvation through Him? Is it a sin to say that you will pray for someone, and then not do so, to be able to see when a brother or sister in Christ is in need of encouragement, yet fear to offer any because it may not be your place, in your mind, to do so?
Is it a sin to hide the words of God in your heart, yet never correct, reprove or rebuke anyone, to never judge with righteous judgment?
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” (Matt. 15:8)
I have met people who know many Scripture verses, who have memorized much of His words, who will not speak of Him whom their lips profess in songs and followed prayers in the assembly out in public, who will speak in private about the wicked, but never to their face. The words of the Almighty are indeed within them, but only in an attempt to keep themselves unspotted from the world, which to them is nothing more or less than being on a path by themselves, believing the Almighty has accepted them, hiding His words in their heart and keeping them there under lock and key.
“I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.” (Psalm 22:22)
They are followers of Christ only in comfortable and secure locations.
Speaking of our Savior to the wicked in an attempt to search from amongst them the lost brings with it opportunities for persecutions, perhaps not where you live in the form of imprisonment, torture and death as some of our brothers and sisters in Christ are suffering through right now as you read this, but in the form of lost friendships, of lost business opportunities or employment, of the loss of something. And without question, those who will not speak of Him in public that their lips will profess in certain company, have decided the reason is because there is something in their life that is more important than the One they say they serve.
I have contemplated this at length, and so far, as much as I can tell, they will not speak of the Lord because they fear to lose something, or they are embarrassed. I can see no third option.
“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” (2nd Tim. 2:19)
Being concerned with what people think of you is the only foundation for embarrassment to rest upon. When you stop being overly concerned with others’ thoughts about you, you will stop being embarrassed.
Losing something, whether it is house and home, acquaintances, friends or family, status and position can only mean that you have placed more attachment to them than to Christ. You are seeking the praise of men above the things of God in the first case, and in the second you are loving the things of this world above the one to come.
And to put it bluntly my friends, if this letter was written for you, that might be a good idea, because where you are going is not where you think you are going, so enjoy it while you can.
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20)
Those who are the righteousness of God in Christ long ago gave up any embarrassment for His name, and if it ever rears its ugly head in their life, they despise it with all their soul. There is nothing on this planet they are trying to hold onto, there is no one they have set above the Lord Jesus Christ.
We have his His word in our heart, and we share it with all who will listen. The sin is keeping it to ourselves.
