What does the Bible say about keeping secrets?

Next, we are told where silence is golden, both by contrast and directly: "He that despises his neighbour is void of heart." Where is his sense, where is propriety, to say nothing of the love and fear of God? It is certain that the Highest despises not any. What can a creature's state be who forgets either the body made of dust, or the soul from the inbreathing of Jehovah Elohim? Least of all does it suit Him who died to save the lost. "A man of understanding holds his peace" in such a case, unless there be a divine obligation to speak out. "He that is of a faithful spirit conceals the matter; whereas he that goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets." To receive nothing so said, and to reprove the talebearer, will soon check and put such to shame; to repeat slanderous tales is to share the guilt and the mischief.

On the other hand there are those whom God sets as watchmen, and who are therefore bound to warn; as again the humble rejoice to be helped in their difficulties, instead of decrying those who have more discernment than themselves. "Where no advice is, the people fall; but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety." Whatever the haughty spirit of independence may aspire to, there are chief men, or guides, among God's people; and none can ignore or slight them but to their own loss. The Holy Spirit does not lead to self-conceit, but to unfeigned humility and to cordial value for fellowship.

If one despises his neighbor, this exposes him as being devoid of wisdom. For God has created his neighbor as well as himself, but a man of understanding knows how to control is tongue. If he cannot rightly speak well of his neighbor, at least he can keep quiet! (v. 2). A talebearer is foolish enough to blab anything that comes to his ears, though often matters of a personal kind (secrets) that he has no right to repeat. If there should be anything harmful to someone in what we may hear, how much better to conceal this, and thus evidence a faithful spirit (v. 13).

"Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself; and discover not a secret to another; lest he that hears it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away." How guarded must be the doors of our lips! Now that disagreement, discord, ill-feeling has come between neighbors, is it to be settled by spreading it elsewhere? Let us have grace and honest courage of heart to face our neighbor in a spirit of meekness and true concern, that a proper understanding may be obtained. How painful the innumerable cases of offense that have never been settled, but only aggravated, by selfish, thoughtless gossip, when a word of simple apology might have dismissed it forever!

But if I carry it to another, how many things might happen! It may lead to others so repeating it, as from me that I myself am shown in the most shameful light. This area of things is extremely delicate and requires real energy of communion with God to have wisdom to act rightly; for in certain cases, there may be facts that others should know, and where to draw the line is a matter for serious exercise; but I must be careful not to be guilty of putting my neighbor in a wrong or bad light, and always before speaking, to judge in myself any feeling of personal grievance.

"He who covers a transgression seeks love" (v. 9). This does not refer to one's covering his own transgression, which we ought to confess honestly to the Lord, but we should not expose another's transgression unless is a matter that affects others. But there are matters of lesser importance that we may hear, but ought not to repeat, for such indiscretion may lead to separating friends.

The first instance of guilt concerns one who, forgetting that there is a "time to be silent," forgets also that there is a "time to speak," and has failed to divulge that which he was responsible to make known. It is not unknown among the people of God that those who could have borne witness have maintained a reprehensible silence so as to shelter an evildoer. This is a serious matter, especially in relation to the things of God, for it is said of such, "If he do not give information, then he shall bear his iniquity."

The Blessed Lord is in this matter, as in all others, the great Exemplar. When before the High Priest, He heard the voice of adjuration, and witnessed a good confession (Matt. 26:63). It is not merely a great privilege, it is our bounden duty to be confessors of the truth, witnesses to Christ in every sphere and in every circumstance. Alas! how often we fail to speak well and worthily of Him who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate (1 Tim. 6:13). We shrink from the reproach attaching to His precious Name.

To possess and keep a secret proves intimacy with a friend. But the secret of God, the possession of His confidence, is the highest of all privileges. To betray it to a stranger, be he who he may, is to despise the precious position in which His grace has placed us; it is to lose it. What have the enemies of God to do with the secret of God? It was thus that Samson gave himself up to his enemies. All attempts were powerless against him so long as he maintained his Nazariteship. This separation once lost, although Samson was apparently as strong, and his exterior as goodly as before, yet Jehovah was no longer with him. "I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that Jehovah was departed from him."

Moreover, to put the younger widows on the list would only encourage them in idleness and thus become a snare, for their idleness would lead them to wander from house to house as “gossipers and meddlers” (N.T.). A gossiper repeats tales and tittle-tattle to the disadvantage of others; a meddler interferes in the affairs of others, freely expressing opinions about matters which are not his concern. In neither case is there any thought of helping the needy, or seeking to put right any wrong, but rather the indulgence of the flesh in its love of slander. Gossipers and meddlers, whether repeating what is false or true, are in either case “speaking things which they ought not.” The preacher says, “He that goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets (Proverbs 20:19); and, again, “Every fool will be meddling” (Proverbs 20:3). The law says, “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people” (Leviticus 19:16). Christianity warns us against “wandering about from house to house” as “gossipers and meddlers”.

The worse a thing is in another the more lovely an opportunity it gives you for covering it up. "Love covers a multitude of sins." Not one or two, but a multitude — a thousand little things that the devil would like to tell in every quarter, in order to upset the saints, and thus introduce a dead fly into the ointment, and produce a stinking savour. What is the cure? says Peter. Oh, this divine love; you cover it up. Peter says, God has His eye on you, and if you are keeping up another's fault, you are keeping it up for God to see, and He cannot like that.

But supposing you cover with a mantle of love my naughtiness, what does God see? The reproduction in you of the same love and grace there was in Christ. Peter says, I expect you to get on smoothly with the saints, no matter what other people are doing.

And now, one word as to the general principle of publishing such documents. I can understand that an honourable mind may shrink from the detection and exposure of evil and dishonourable means employed by evil men for propagating error. It is hard to touch pitch and not be defiled: I am glad to be spared it. But, for my part, I judge that the courage which is bold enough to do it is more to be respected than silence. A man manufactures poison and distributes it without avowing his name, and disseminates it assiduously in secret to destroy and ruin. It comes to the very house and family of those able to detect it. Is it evil, if the proof is clear of its character and origin, to shew what it is, and whence it comes? Is it not to be labelled because the poisoner, in order to facilitate his mischief, will not do it? Is not the character of what he produces to be made known, that people may be on their guard? Because he acts secretly and subtilly, am I to keep his secret, if, without any art or even seeking it, I have discovered it by the providence of God? No; I publish plainly what it is, and who it is.

"He that covereth a transgression seeketh love, but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends" (verse 9). To cover a transgression does not mean to ignore sin. How he who has sinned and is in transgression is to be dealt with is given to us in Galatians 6:1-5. To act in the spirit of love towards one who has sinned is Christ-like. To repeat the matter, gossip about it, harp on the shortcomings and failure, is Satan-like, for he is the accuser of the brethren.