Each day the headlines tell us of new ways our privacy has been compromised. There are credible fears of government’s intrusion into private electronic communication. Is privacy an illusion? Should we fear governmental agencies that appear to have gone too far? Can our private words be used against us?
Perhaps.
However, what really should be feared is ignored. Here is the reality that is not being reported:
There is no communication or thought that is not known and recorded by God.
If you want to fear something, fear this. Forget listening in on phone conversations. God knows the words that you will say before you even say them. What’s more, your supposedly private thoughts will be used as evidence to demand a verdict of spending hell in eternity. This is what we should fear.
Yes, governments can bring harm to their citizens. Property can be seized, freedoms can be removed, years can be lost in prisons. But no government can send their citizens to hell.
The irony is that there is great fear expressed about government’s intrusion into private communication. Yet, there appears to be no fear regarding God’s convicting knowledge of our most intimate and secret thoughts and words.
Imagine this headline – God sentences people to hell for private, unspoken thoughts.
Such a headline would be dismissed by most because there is no fear of God in our land. Those who did take the headline seriously would seek to bring charges of intolerance and hate speech against anyone who would believe such antiquated, medieval myths.
We fear the wrong things. We fear man and not God.
It is appropriate to be concerned about the intrusion into private electronic communication. But, if this is the only issue that you and your children take away from these recent events you have missed the most important truth about your personal, private thoughts and communication. Look carefully at Psalm 139:1-4 and Matthew 10:26-28.
The truth that must not be missed is that apart from the saving mercy of Christ our private thoughts condemn us before God. Many, if not most, children are plagued by their private thoughts. They are afraid to share them. Your children need to know that Jesus forgives our thoughts as well as our deeds.
Don’t miss this opportunity to apply the gospel to life. Fear of man should pale in comparison to fear of God. Our private thoughts should drive us to Christ in repentance. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ can rescue us from our thoughts. This is indeed good news!
One thought on “Who is Listening?”
Right on!