Canadian hackers have rocked the world of millions of men and women, as they hacked into the database of Ashley Madison, a website that promotes adultery, and released the information of the people who signed up for their services. Not only have many married men and women been exposed for their infidelity, but tragically, some have chosen to take their own lives to avoid the scandal their exposure has caused. While I would never support hacking personal and financial information from any establishment, as condoning it in this instance would encourage people in any instance, the situation brings to mind the exhortation of Peter the Apostle: Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; (2 Peter 3:14).
We are to be found blameless and spotless, before the world and before the Lord, which means we should never fear having our personal lives exposed to the public, because we live our lives exposed to the Lord every day. No matter what the world sees in your life, God sees everything. Nothing is hidden from Him, so we need to be found blameless by the One who sees and knows everything about us, inside and out.
The people who signed up for membership on this site thought they could be anonymous, and no one would know their little secret. However, with their personal information released from this hack, many are reeling from the repercussions. They went to this site, thinking they could violate their marriage vows and their lives would go on without a bump.
This is the state of our society today. People believe they can act immorally with impunity, but there are always consequences for our actions. In the Bible, it is the law of reaping and sowing: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap (Galatians 6:7), but it is not just a biblical law. The world refers to it as the law of actions and reactions. Newton explained it this way: “To every action there is always opposed an equal reaction …”
There are consequences to everything we do or say, especially in our technologically advanced world today, but we were warned long before the advent of computers, the internet and social media. God warned us to be blameless. He told us the things we do in secret will be revealed. He could see everything we said and did in the dark, as nothing is hidden from Him, and in time, it would all be brought to the light:
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God (1 Corinthians 4:5).
For many, there is no fear of the Lord. They do not believe in Him, so they do not believe He sees and hears everything they do or say. They believe they can conceal their sin in the dark and it will never be revealed. However, with technology today, it is sheer foolishness to think anything done in the dark will not be brought to the light. If you watch or read any news, you have seen the sins of one politician or celebrity after another splashed across the headlines. Accounts are hacked, computers are confiscated and secrets are revealed. Anything you post or store lives forever and is accessible to people who seek to expose.
For this reason, we should heed the exhortation from Peter:
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:13-16).
For Christians, this exhortation is essential to our walks with the Lord. We are to be holy, because we serve a holy God. We should not presume upon the grace of God and sin more, but seek to be conformed to the image of Christ. We should live our lives openly, in the light, concealing nothing in darkness. As we walk with the Lord, we should have no fear of revelation before man, because we live our lives openly before the Lord, knowing He sees everything.
In light of the obvious inability for any business or government to maintain completely secure files, it would be wise for every person, Christian or not, to heed the warnings God has given us. We need to live our lives as if every action or word is on display for all to see and hear, because, essentially, they are on display or will be revealed in time. In other words, we should live our lives in such a way to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.
~Staff Writer