For a man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all your paths. (Proverbs 5:21)
Ah, Las Vegas. “Lost Wages.” Sin City. That legally and morally wide open city in the desert of Nevada that prides itself in living by the maxim “Anything goes.” Someone has observed, “If God doesn’t destroy Las Vegas, He owes an apology to Sodom and Gomorrah.” Perhaps.
In recent years, Vegas’s city promoters have adopted the slogan, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” It’s a powerful marketing idea—a place where you can sin with the stops out, and nobody outside Vegas will ever find out or hold you accountable for your behavior. I have news for everyone who believes this: you could not be more wrong.
One of the myths the enemy foists on unsuspecting humans is that there is a place where you can hide your sin…in the dark, in secret, where “nobody knows,” in Las Vegas. A boast of the wicked recorded in Psalm 94:7-11 is “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice.” To this, the response is
Take heed, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise? Does He who implanted the ear not hear? Does He who formed the eye not see? Does He who disciplines nations not punish? Does He who teaches mankind lack knowledge? The Lord knows all thoughts of man; He knows that they are futile.
Principle: An omniscient God surely knows what is done in secret and in the dark. His “night vision and X-ray goggles” make hiding ourselves or our sins from Him an exercise in futility—hiding in plain sight.
Isn’t it fascinating that the Proverbs 5 reminder that all our ways, deeds, pathways, and behaviors are known to the Lord follows directly the warnings against being involved in sexual immorality? Is not moral impurity the area of life commonly pursued in secret?
But God’s knowledge of human secrets is not just passive awareness. His observations are recorded for future accountability and discipline. The phrase in this verse “He examines all your paths” is a weighty concept. One translation of the Hebrew is “All His paths He marks out.” It’s the cosmic Attorney General collecting evidence for His case against the evildoer. It’s the hidden video camera recording every move of the thief or criminal for use in a future trial.
Principle: Hiding anything from God doesn’t work. He “takes notes” on all human behavior and keeps good books for eternal reference.
The bad news is that the record God keeps is used for the ultimate judgment of mankind. Those records show up at the White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20:12 as “the books of the deeds of men”—the testimonial evidence used as the basis for God’s ultimate sentencing.
The good news is that there is another record in that passage called the Book of Life containing the names of all who believe in Jesus and have been forgiven of even their not-so-secret sins.
Principle: It is folly to try to hide in full view of God. It is far better to acknowledge and confess what He already knows, so you can receive His gracious forgiveness.
Try it. You’ll like it.
[from “Wisdom for the Trenches” by Dr. Larry W. Poland]