There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed
Luke 12:2 - Confession and repentance have dominance over sin and hypocrisy.
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“There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.”
Luke 12:2 NIV
Today’s verse is from the Gospel of Luke, and Jesus has just finished warning the disciples about the “yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy”. He follows that warning with this verse, and emphasizes the problem of being a hypocrite and a gossip with Luke 12:3: “What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.”
If you’re familiar with the excellent streaming series about the ministry of Jesus — The Chosen — then you have seen the accurate portrayal of the hypocrisy of the religious power elite of His time. The scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees of the Sanhedrin were concerned about keeping their well-paying and powerful positions, and saw Jesus and His followers as a potential threat. Never mind that He was performing miracles and giving hope to a wide spectrum of people; the Sanhedrin wanted to keep their cushy jobs and they’d conspire to have Jesus crucified to do so.
One of the more pernicious forms of hypocrisy is hiding sin, and Jesus was pointing this out to His followers. Precept Austin has some excellent commentary on this verse that deserves repeating here.
First, from David Guzik (Enduring Word):
The art of being a hypocrite depends on concealment, but one day all will be revealed. We can only be hypocrites before men, but never before God. He sees through the actor’s mask. In 1985, a nationally known evangelist and preacher (Jimmy Swaggart) wrote a book condemning sin in America, especially sexual sin and pornography. Just a short time later, he tearfully confessed years of involvement in these very sins, and promised repentance—but was arrested for similar crimes again a few years down the road. His hypocrisy may have surprised many people, but not God. God knew all along.
Dr. Rod Mattoon, cited in the same Precept Austin articles:
Jesus warns that what the hypocrite has concealed, the true condition of his heart, would eventually be exposed for all to see. Whatever corruption was hidden would be brought out into the open. What is on the inside of the hypocrite would eventually come to light. Jesus is repeating a warning that was written in the Pentateuch of the Old Testament. Numbers 32:23—“But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out." Since one's spiritual life is an inner condition of the soul that no one can see, hypocrisy is always a spiritual danger. Hypocrites say and do different things in public than they do in private. Jesus warned that hypocrisy eventually gets exposed. People are not good enough at living a double life to fool everyone all the time, and they never fool God. Nothing can be hidden from the Lord. The lies of the hypocrite will be revealed one day whether it is here in this life or on Judgment Day....Concerning hypocrisy or deception, Abraham Lincoln put it this way, "You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." May we also add, "You cannot fool God any of the time!"
Put plainly, God sees everything. No matter how much humans may try to hide their actions and intentions, they are completely visible to God. Jesus — and probably most of Jewish society at the time of His ministry — was familiar with the secrecy and hidden motives of the religious elite, and this verse was a reminder to the disciples that as much as they may try hide their less-than-perfect actions, all will be revealed at the final judgement. It’s better just to live our lives with honesty and transparency, since God knows our thoughts and actions.
What else can we learn from this verse?
When we see hypocrisy openly practiced in society by leaders (both secular and religious) and by others we know personally, we should take heed to look at our own lives and make sure our outward actions are in line with our inner beliefs and values.
Followers of Christ are to live lives of integrity. Remembering that any motive or action that we attempt to hide from others will eventually be revealed should give us encouragement to live righteously.
We should prepare for our judgement by seeking God’s forgiveness and grace now. When the Holy Spirit makes you are aware of your sin, recognize that sin, try your hardest to never repeat it, and immediately ask for the Lord’s forgiveness. Confession and repentance have dominance over sin and hypocrisy.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Lord, I thank You for this promise from Jesus that nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is covered up that will not be known. I trust fully in Your divine power and wisdom to illuminate all hidden things and reveal all truths. I ask that You guide me and other believers in our journeys through life so that we may walk in the light of Your truth. Thank You for Your faithfulness, Your forgiveness, and Your grace. AMEN.