I read a story about a young man who was a Christian, who was confronted with temptation. He continued to resist. Some of his fellow-students pressured him to yield. One of them said: “Come on and do it! Who will know the difference?” His answer is classic. He said: “I will know, God will know, my Christian friends will know, and when Christ comes, everyone will know. Sorry fellows, but you will have to count me out.” Think about his answer.

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“I will know.” We need to always conduct ourselves in such a way that we can lay down at night with a clear conscience, and be able to look ourselves in the mirror in the morning without shame.

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“God will know.” When faced with the seductive advances of Potiphar’s wife, Joseph looked temptation square in the face and refused to yield. He said: “How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen. 39: 9). We cannot escape God’s all-seeing Eye. (Heb. 4: 13).

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“My Christian friends will know.” Sin inevitably hurts our influence. Christians are a part of the Lord’s church, the greatest institution in the world, and we should never do anything to bring shame and reproach upon His blood bought body. (Acts 20: 28).

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“When Christ comes everyone will know.” When He comes, He “will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the heart.” (1 Cor. 4: 5). Secret sins will no longer be secret. In this life we may succeed in hiding our sin, but not so on the Day of Judgment. On that day we will look the Lord in the eye and will be rendered defenseless before His scrutinizing gaze. Nothing escapes the scrutiny of God. Before Him everything lies exposed, and it is with Him, not our fellow man, or our conscience, before whom our final reckoning has to be made. Please remember, the record you are writing in this life, is the record you will see when you stand before Christ, the great Judge, at the bar on high. Think on these things.

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Dennis Abernathy