Psalm 25:14

KJ21

The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.

ASV

The friendship of Jehovah is with them that fear him; And he will show them his covenant.

The word translated “the secret” in the KJV and “the friendship” in the ASV is; סוֹד çôwd, sode; from H3245; a session, i.e. company of persons (in close deliberation); by implication, intimacy, consultation, a secret:—assembly, consel, inward, secret (counsel).

It is a stretch for the unbelieving reader to get from secret to friendship. Since this is an old testament passage should we who are new covenant believers favor the ASV translation?

John 15:15 English Standard Version

No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

We know the secret because we have placed our faith in Christ.

The lost do not. Should we be sharing secrets with unbelievers?

The “good news” is not a secret and is all that is required of us to share with the lost.

God will reveal His secrets in due season once they believe.

John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

John brought the message of repentance while Jesus brought the message of salvation.

In order for repentance to decrease acts of sinning must decrease.

The message of salvation does not increase, it spreads to reach others.

I think this is obvious but the subtle part in this message is what changes in us as believers. Mercy and grace was poured into our lives to the point it becomes less and less about the old man or woman we were and about how much better our lives are with Christ in it.

People do not need to know how bad I was in order to see how much better my life is now in Christ. All I have to do is let Him do what I cannot do myself.

Love the lost.