The Bible has a lot to say about keeping secrets. Though the word “secret” is not frequently used, there are many stories and verses that deal with the concept of keeping confidential information private. Overall, the Bible seems to take a balanced approach – there are times when keeping secrets is wise and encouraged, and other times when revealing secrets is presented as the better course of action. As with most areas of life, discerning when to keep confidences and when to make things known requires prayerful wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit.
Times When Keeping Secrets is Encouraged
There are certain situations in which the Bible promotes keeping information private and confidential:
Keeping Private Matters Private
Proverbs 11:13 warns against revealing secrets, saying “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.” And Proverbs 20:19 says “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.” The book of Proverbs repeatedly warns against gossiping and spreading private information about others. There is wisdom in keeping some personal matters confined to small groups or between two individuals.
Not Flaunting Righteous Deeds
In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus instructs his followers not to make a show of their giving, prayer, or fasting, but rather to do these things secretly. The motivation here seems to be to avoid doing righteous acts out of a desire for public praise rather than purely to honor God. Keeping righteous deeds secret can be a way to purify one’s motivations.
Protecting Safety
Rahab hid the Israelite spies and lied about their whereabouts to protect them from harm (Joshua 2). Her actions suggest there are times when keeping secrets or even engaging in deception can serve a greater good. In extreme situations, protecting life and safety should take priority over total transparency.
Avoiding Needless Offense
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1 that when eating food that had been sacrificed to idols, the most important thing was not causing another believer to stumble – so it’s better to keep one’s freedom and insight about the food to oneself. Sometimes keeping our opinions private maintains harmony and avoids offense.
Respecting Civil Authorities
In Romans 13:1-7, Paul instructs Christians to submit to governing authorities, as they have been placed there by God. Obeying just laws would include keeping government secrets when required.
So in certain situations, keeping confidences seems to be the wise and mature thing to do. The overall principle seems to be that secrecy has its place, but should be practiced with care and discernment. Ill-motives like fear, pride or malice should not be the reason for secrecy.
Times When Revealing Secrets is Encouraged or Required
However, there are also times when bringing secrets into the open is presented as the right course of action:
Confessing Sins Openly
James 5:16 encourages believers to “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” Bringing private sins into the light before trusted Christian confidants can bring healing. God desires honesty before Him and men, not secrecy about sin (Numbers 32:23).
Exposing Hidden Wickedness
Ephesians 5:11 says “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” Sometimes keeping the secrets of evildoers enables more evil. Shining light on wrongdoing through truthful exposure can help prevent harm.
Righting Past Wrongs
When Zacchaeus met Jesus, he vowed to repay all he had stolen and make restitution for past sins that he had tried to keep secret (Luke 19:1-10). Bringing restitution and making things right often requires revealing past failings we would rather keep hidden.
Testifying Truthfully
When Peter and other apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin, they fearlessly testified to the truth of the gospel even when threatened (Acts 5:27-42). They valued truth over secrecy. Believers must obey God rather than men when pressed to conceal the truth.
Warning Others of Danger
When Paul learned of a plot to kill him, he reported it to the Roman officials to protect himself and other prisoners (Acts 23:12-22). Revealing the secret plot saved lives in this instance. We have a duty to warn potential victims when we become aware of plans for harm.
So clearly righteousness and protecting others should take priority over undiscerning secrecy. Revealing information is sometimes needed to prevent harm, bring healing and walk in the light.
Principles for Discerning When to Keep or Reveal Secrets
Scripture does not explicitly tell us at exactly what times we should keep confidences or reveal information. Making wise decisions requires prayerfully weighing multiple principles:
- Consider motives – is keeping quiet driven by fear, insecurity, pride?
- Assess potential harm – could secrecy allow damaging behavior to continue?
- Value truth – is concealment distorting truth and enabling deception?
- Think of others – could revealing help the innocent, vulnerable or victimized?
- Ponder higher goods – does the greater good require discretion or disclosure in this case?
- Respect privacy – is it really necessary to divulge this personal information?
- Obey legitimate authorities – unless revelation is clearly right, civil laws should be upheld.
- Seek wisdom – ask God for discernment humbly and sincerely.
There are good reasons for both confidentiality and transparency; wisdom is knowing when each is appropriate. Through prayer and discernment, Christians can honor God and people in their practices related to keeping and revealing secrets. Absolute legalism on secrecy won’t suffice given the nuance required in real-life situations.
Balancing Openness and Discretion
Since the Bible doesn’t explicitly command total secrecy or complete transparency, Christians must seek balance. Here are some ways believers can both be open and keep appropriate confidences:
Be Transparent About Principles and Values
We should be open about our ethical standards and convictions but can keep details about how we live them out private. For example, I may be open about valuing generosity without detailing my giving.
Be Discreet About Purely Personal Matters
My private devotional practices, family relationships, opinions on non-moral issues need not be shared widely. Keeping personal matters personal maintains privacy.
Clarify Boundaries
If someone begins to share inappropriate private information with me, I can say, “Actually this seems too personal to get into right now.” Stating boundaries kindly maintains discretion.
Practice Partial Confidentiality
I can share something without giving details or names. Or I can speak in general terms to get counsel without implicating particular people. Proverbs 11:14 says guidance is found in many counselors. Getting wise input may require cautiously veiled information on occasion.
Focus on What is Most Helpful
Just because something is true does not mean it must be disclosed. I should ask what is most constructive and aim to build others up (Ephesians 4:29). Information that tears down or causes harm can be kept quiet.
With wisdom and discernment, Christians can balance openness with discretion. The Holy Spirit gives insight to know whether hiding or revealing information best serves God’s purposes in each circumstance. But when in doubt, truth and love should guide our choices on secrets.
Biblical Examples About Keeping or Exposing Secrets
Looking at specific examples in Scripture provides more insight into God’s perspective on discretion and openness:
Rahab Hides the Spies
When Joshua sent two men to spy out the land of Canaan, they stayed at Rahab’s house. When the king ordered Rahab to bring out the men, she hid them and lied about their whereabouts (Joshua 2:1-7). Most scholars believe she acted rightly given the life-threatening urgency of the situation. Truth-telling is not an absolute value that trumps protecting lives.
Jesus Conceals His Messiahship
After performing miracles, Jesus often instructed people not to tell others about him (Matthew 8:4, Matthew 12:16). He did not want to stir up misguided Jewish messianic expectations or provoke premature opposition from authorities. There was wisdom in these moments of secrecy.
Jesus Exposes the Pharisees
Jesus openly exposed the hypocrisy and false practices of the Pharisees through his teaching (Matthew 23). He also pointed out the sins of the woman at the well and the Samaritan woman in adultery (John 4, John 8). Letting deceit go unchallenged would have caused even greater harm to them and others.
Peter Lies About Knowing Jesus
During Jesus’s trial, Peter denied three times that he knew Christ (Matthew 26:69-75). Most scholars agree this secrecy was an act of fear and weakness, not a display of wisdom. Letting our own weakness or fear cause deception is cautioned against.
Ananias and Sapphira Lie
This couple lied about how much money they donated to the church (Acts 5:1-11). Judgment fell on them for this deception. Financial integrity and truthfulness with fellow believers should be upheld.
These examples provide principles for discernment. Examining context helps us know when secrecy or openness best honors God in each circumstance. Through study and prayer, may God give us wisdom!
Tough Issues to Ponder Regarding Secrets
In addition to relatively clear biblical examples about secrecy, modern life raises many hard questions for Christians to think through:
Whistleblowing
Is it right to violate non-disclosure agreements and reveal a company’s illegal, unethical or dangerous practices to the public? This is an area requiring much wisdom. One consideration is whether internal reporting channels have been exhausted. Christians in business should push for ethical policies and be ready to speak truth boldly.
Investigative Journalism
To what extent is it justified for reporters to go undercover, use hidden cameras, or access private data to uncover wrongdoing? This practice has exposed many abuses. Yet motives of pride, greed and deception can also taint these methods. Wisdom is needed to expose evil well.
Digital Privacy
What rights to secrecy should citizens have in an age of mass surveillance and data mining by governments and corporations? No easy answers here, but perhaps principles of reasonable oversight and transparency should apply to all parties involved. Wisdom and ethics are urgently needed.
Private Confession
Should ministers report crimes or serious sins confessed privately to them? Generally confidentiality is ethically expected, yet cases of abuse and danger may warrant discretely involving authorities. Each case needs individual discernment.
Transparency vs Tact
How blunt or unfiltered should Christians be in the name of truth-telling? Discernment and restraint are needed, yet undue secrecy can enable sin. Wisdom should guide transparency, directness and tact.
These are complex issues without simple answers. They require deep prayer, sound ethics and counsel from the godly. But God promises wisdom to those who seek it (James 1:5).
Practical Tips for Keeping Secrets Wisely
So how can Christians become better at discerning when to keep confidences and when openness is required? Here are some practical tips:
1. Check motives
Why am I keeping this secret? Is it to protect others or avoid embarrassment? Fear, shame and selfishness often drive unnecessary secrecy. Healthy secrets are kept for good purposes.
2. Clarify if needed
If someone shares a secret that becomes a burden, it’s okay to say, “I’m not sure I can keep this confidence. Let’s discuss.” It may be freeing for both people to clarify appropriate boundaries.
3. Seek counsel if uncertain
Get wise advice if you are unsure about keeping significant information private. Godly counselors can assess motives and consequences more objectively. But be discreet in consultations.
4. Anticipate consequences
Think ahead about possible outcomes if secrecy is maintained or broken. Which outcome prevents greater harm? Which upholds greater good? Ask God for discernment.
5. Err on side of wisdom and love
When facing difficult judgment calls, lean toward acting in wisdom and love. Is silence wise and loving or cowardly and selfish? Let grace guide tough grey areas.
6. Don’t betray trust hastily
Guard confidences carefully. Only break trust when keeping a secret clearly causes harm or enables wrongdoing to continue unchecked. Even then, disclose discreetly.
7. Value truth appropriately
Truth is important, but must be balanced with other virtues. Kindness, dignity, privacy and protecting the vulnerable also matter. All good values should guide secret-keeping.
May God grant us wisdom and integrity in handling information entrusted to us. With the Spirit’s help, we can keep confidences or expose secrets in ways that honor Christ and serve others.
Warnings Against Hypocrisy
In discussing secrecy, we must also note Christ’s warnings against hypocrisy – pretending outwardly to be someone we are not inwardly. Jesus strongly cautioned against this duplicity:
Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 6:1)
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. (Matthew 23:25)
You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. (Matthew 23:26)
Our private morality and inner life before God is the foundation for righteous public behavior. Secrecy shouldn’t be used to hide sin but rather to avoid flaunting good deeds.
Authenticity and sincerity should mark Christians above all other virtues. Our lives should be open books before a holy God, even when certain details remain reasonably private before men.
Conclusion
The Bible presents a nuanced view on keeping confidences versus transparent living. In different situations, both secrecy and openness are encouraged. Prayerful wisdom is required to balance multiple principles and determine righteous action amid complexity.
By focusing on how best to love others and honor God in each unique scenario, Christians can become discerning about handling sensitive information. With God’s help, we can avoid the extremes of naivety and paranoia in order to keep secrets with integrity when needed – and shine light to expose evil when appropriate.
Through God’s wisdom and the Spirit’s guidance, may we walk in truth, love and light.
