“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever…” Deuteronomy 29:29
An archaeologist digs with careful purpose, layer by layer, brushing away the debris of centuries to find what lies beneath. They know that not everything beneath is a treasure; some of it is only rubble, best left undisturbed. We also need that discernment in our spiritual lives. There is a kind of digging that draws the soul nearer to the Lord and spiritually enriches ourselves and others; there is a kind of digging that only stirs up rubble, hindering and even damaging spiritual growth.
Leaving the Soil Undisturbed
Sometimes new believers and even mature believers can be disturbed by past sins. This is unprofitable and hinders our peace. In short, God does not want us to excavate our forgiven past; He wants us to mine His eternal Word so we can walk confidently and victoriously in our Christian lives. In the Mosaic Law, sins were temporarily covered, but there was always an annual reminder of them. They were never taken away (Heb. 10:3). Today, the Lord accomplishes something far greater than the old atonement under the Law. He has forgiven the sins of the believer, completely removing them, and chooses to remember their sins no longer
(Ps. 103:12; Heb. 10:17-18). Attempting to unearth what God has removed is like an archaeologist digging in a site they know is empty. Equal care is also needed against digging up the forgiven sins of other believers. Doing so can harm the Name of Christ, seriously discourage other believers, and stunt their spiritual growth.
Likewise it is essential to guard against digging up old offenses. Continually sifting through wrongs others have done to us runs counter to love, which “keeps no record of wrongs” (1
Cor. 13:5, NIV). Even if that person has never confessed their offense to us, no root of bitterness or resentment toward that person should be allowed to take hold within us (Heb. 12:15).
Speculating about secret things God has not revealed is likewise forbidden ground, for “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever…” (Deut. 29:29). His revealed Word offers more than enough for us to enjoy and to prosper spiritually (2 Pet. 1:3).
Finally, when Paul says, “one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,” he means not only our failures but also our spiritual mountain-top victories (Phil. 3:13). Past victories should not be dug up and turned into monuments. Doing so can make us complacent. Living in the present and moving to the next task in the will of the Lord is what faithfulness requires.
Digging For Treasure
It is by digging into God’s Word that we grow. There is always something new to learn and we can never exhaust its rich resources. A passage read a hundred times can still yield treasure that we missed before. Spiritual riches are not found casually. Just as an archaeologist spends weeks sifting through soil, so we must patiently seek the Lord, trusting Him to reveal what He wills. The Lord rewards those who tirelessly dig into His Word, rightly dividing the Word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15), for He wants us to know Him more. With the same zeal with which the world seeks riches, we should dig for the spiritual riches found in God’s Word (Prov. 2:4). It is also encouraging to dig into all the promises the Lord has given to the individual believer and the Church. Likewise, digging up remembrances of all the times God has answered our prayers strengthens our faith and encourages our hearts.
The Wisdom to Know the Difference
The wise archaeologist knows what they are looking for. So too, the believer must pursue spiritually profitable things with discernment, while leaving unprofitable things buried. Someday, the Lord will reveal our acts of service and love for Him that we have long forgotten, and reward us for them (1 Cor. 4:5; Heb. 6:10).