All Christians have their secret sins. Secret not only from other men - but from himself! It is but natural for every man to err, and then to be ignorant of his errors. Every man's sins are beyond his understanding. There is not the best, the wisest, nor the holiest man in the world - who can give a full and entire list of his sins.
"Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults." Psalm 19:12
Who can understand his errors? This interrogation has the force of an affirmation: Who can? No man! No, not the most perfect and innocent man in the world!
O friends! who can reckon up...
the secret sinful imaginations,
the secret sinful inclinations,
the secret pride,
the secret blasphemies,
the secret hypocrisies,
the secret atheistical risings,
the secret murmurings,
the secret repinings,
the secret discontents,
the secret insolencies,
the secret filthinesses,
the secret unbelievings,
which God might every day charge upon his soul?
Should the best and holiest man on earth have but his secret sins written on his forehead, it would not only put him to a crimson blush - but it would make him pull his hat over his eyes, or cover his face with a double scarf!
"Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults." Psalm 19:12
(Thomas Brooks, The Privy Key to Heaven)
No comments:
Post a Comment