I distinctly recall that during the 2008 election campaigning that Mr. Obama promised “hope and change,” and emphasized there would be a new era of transparency in government, should he succeed in becoming our next President.
Although the Bible in the King James Version, at least, does not use the term “transparency,” the concept is emphasized under another term, “guile.” I don’t recall hearing that English word bandied about much in daily use now.
By the way, the Obama Presidency has done just the opposite of those early promises.
Remember last month when there was a furor over Romney’s unrevealed tax records? It seems the current president or his campaigners were suggesting a lack of transparency on Romney’s part.
That reflects the deep truth of the playground taunt, “It takes one to know one.”
How about President Obama’s lack of transparency about who he is? We have a fake long-form birth certificate posted on the White House website. Where is the real birth certificate? His school records? Why are these things kept hidden, at great expense?
So far as any verifiable documentation that has been presented so far, President Obama has not been proven to meet the qualifications specified in our Constitution to be President.
What was that about “the rule of law”?
I’ve noted before, “Where there is no penalty, there is no law.”
God’s Law is different. The penalty is guaranteed to be exacted, unless it has been covered by the shed blood of the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible declares, “…be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). Now that’s a verse you can sink your teeth into. Try following out the cross references provided for Numbers 32:23 and you will get a new grasp of just what God is doing.
In case you can’t find those cross references anywhere in your house, here they are as I have them:
23. if ye will. Le 26:14, etc. Dt 28:15, etc. be sure your sin. Note: If the persons concerned prevaricated, and so imposed on men, or if they afterwards refused to fulfill their engagement, God would most certainly detect and expose their wickedness, and inflict condign punishment upon them. Of all the ways, says Dr. South, to be taken for the prevention of that great plague of mankind, Sin, there is none so rational and efficacious as to confute and baffle those motives by which men are induced to embrace it; and among all such motives, the heart of man seems to be chiefly overpowered and prevailed upon by two, viz. secrecy in committing sin and impunity with respect to its consequences. Accordingly, Moses, in this chapter, having to deal with a company of men suspected of a base and fraudulent design, though couched under a very fair pretence, as most such designs are, endeavors to quash it in its very conception, by secretly applying himself to encounter those secret motives and arguments, which he knew were the most likely to encourage them in it. And this he does very briefly, but effectually, by assuring them, that how covertly and artificially soever they might carry on their dark project, yet their sin would infallibly find them out. Though the subject and occasion of these words are indeed particular, yet the design of them is manifestly of an universal import, as reaching the case of all transgressors, in their first entrance on any sinful act or course. will find. T#733. Ge 4:7. +**Ge 6:13 (T#566). **Ge 28:5n. +Ge 29:25. 44:16. +Ex 22:20 (T#362). +1 S 3:13 (T#497). *1 K 13:1-32. +1 Ch 28:9 (T#555). 2 Ch 28:19. Jb 21:17-20. 27:13-17. Ps 1:4-6. *Ps 7:11-16. 9:15, 16. +Ps 34:16 (T#303), Ps 34:21. +Ps 37:9 (T#87). Ps 55:23. 58:8n, +Ps 58:11 (T#630). Ps 73:12, 18, 19. 90:8. 139:11. 140:11. Pr 3:33. 5:22. *Pr 13:5, 15, 21. 15:3. +Pr 16:18 (T#551). +Pr 21:7 (T#489). Pr 26:27. 28:8, 18. *Pr 30:17. Ec 10:8. Is 3:11. 59:1, 2, 12. +*Je 6:19. *Je 17:11. +Je 20:11 (T#513). Je 22:17-19. *Ezk 14:10. *Ezk 22:12-14. 28:15, 16. +Ezk 39:23 (T#486). +Zc 10:11 (T#381). +Mt 15:14 (T#478). +Mt 16:27 (T#556). Ro 1:27. 2:9. **Ro 14:12. 1 Cor 4:5. +*1 Cor 6:9, 10. +*Ga 6:7. +Ep 5:5 (T#138). He 4:12, 13. +Ja 1:20 (T#735). James 5:3, 4. 2 P 2:5, 6.
Follow carefully the cross references for the final keywords given for Numbers 32:23, “will find.” In The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, from which these references are taken, I have used a symbol system to mark the references. The “+” sign indicates “find more here.” The “T#” symbol is a reference to the “Topic Number Index” entry, which can often lead to more references or related topics. The * symbol means very clear verse on the topic. The ** symbol marks critically important verses that should not be missed in your study. The +* symbol marks the location of additional cross references to this subject. The +** symbol marks where critically important, life-changing references are gathered on this theme. In this present case, Genesis 6:13 is marked with the +** symbol here. Those references have to do with the fact that God exacts the penalty for sin in the “here and now” as well as in “the hereafter.” They make for a most informative Bible study.
Back to the subject of “transparency.” A quick concordance search of the New Testament for the term “guile” yields these references: John 1:47. 2 Corinthians 12:16. 1 Thessalonians 2:3. 1 Peter 2:1. 1 Peter 2:22. 1 Peter 3:10. Revelation 14:5.
Note particularly that Jesus spoke no guile:
1Pe_2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
Note our responsibility to do likewise:
1Pe_3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
Note the eternal reward for so doing:
Rev_14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
The subject of “transparency” is found hidden in other places one would ordinarily never happen to think of, such as 1 Corinthians 9:27,
1Co 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
That last word, “castaway,” in Greek αδοκιμος, was a term which referred to a pot that was cracked, but the crack was hidden, perhaps covered over. The pot had to be held up to the light, and the light would reveal the flaw, and the pot would be rejected. Thus, by careful investigation into a single word by means of word study, one of the Bible study methods I’ve listed under the series about Methods of Bible Study, an interesting example of the Biblical teaching about transparency will be found.
hello jerry i was blessed lookin up the cross refs for num 32/23 it says but if you will not do so,behold,you have sinned against the lord,and be sure your sin will find you out. the bible has many examples of the truthfulness of this verse. pro 4/23 .”watch over your heart with all diligence,for from it flow the springs of life”. psm 119/11 helps me start the day on the right foot. “thy word i have treasured in my heart,that i may not sin against thee. num 23/23 cross refs shed alot of light on the meaning of this vs. like rom 3/23 all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of god, gen 4/7 talks about sin crouching at the door. i ch 28/9 as for you, my son solomon,know the god your father, and serve him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of thoughts. we need to claim daily psm 139/23-24 search me, o god, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; vs 24 and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. psm 66/18 if i regard wickedness in my heart,the lord will not hear; we have the promise of i jn 1/7 written to believers , but we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship wit h one another, and the blood of jesus his son cleanses us from all sin. i jn 1/9 if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrightousness. this tells me i need to keep short accounts with the lord!
hello jerry the cross refs were very helpful in shedding light on num 32/23 if i may share some more that were very helpful in my study of the word. psm 1/6 for the lord knoweth the way of the righteous; but the way of the ungodly shall perish, psm 34/16 the face of the lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth, psm 90/8 thou has set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance, prov 16/18 pride goeth before destruction,and an haughty spirit before a fall, isa 59/1-2 behold, the lords hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear,vs 2 but your iniquities have separated between you and your god, and your sins have hidden his face from you, that he will not hear,rom 14/12 so,then, every one of us shall give account of himself to god, i co 4/5 therefore judge nothing before the time, until the lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise of god, gal 6/7 be not deceived, god is not mocked, for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap, eph 5/5 for this you know, that no fornicator,nor unclean person,nor covetous man [ who is an idolater] hath any inheritance in the kingdom of christ and of god. heb 4/12-13 for the word of god is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.vs 13 neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight,but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. comparing scripture with scripture what a blessing!
The most direct statement in the Bible reffering to transparency is in Luk 12: 2 and 3.
Dear Robert,
Thank you for stopping here and for your comment. Indeed, Luke 12:2, 3 lets us know everything is and will be transparent to God.