Private Actions—Public Accounting

A Reasonable View of Privacy


“THE EYES OF JEHOVAH ARE IN EVERY PLACE, KEEPING WATCH UPON THE BAD ONES AND THE GOOD ONES.”—Proverbs 15:3.

FEW people would be comfortable with the idea of another human monitoring their every move, scrutinizing their secret thoughts, detecting their deepest desires. Even so, this is exactly what the Bible says God can do. At Hebrews 4:13, the Bible states: “There is not a creation that is not manifest to his sight, but all things are naked and openly exposed to the eyes of him with whom we have an accounting.” Is this not an invasion of privacy? Not at all. Why is that?

To illustrate: While swimming at the beach, you may be under the ever watchful eye of a lifeguard. You do not view this as an invasion of privacy. In fact, his presence gives you a sense of security. You know that if you get in trouble, he will quickly be there to help you. Likewise, a mother constantly monitors her baby’s every move. If she did not, she would be viewed as negligent.

Similarly, Jehovah God monitors our thoughts and actions because he has our best interests at heart. A Bible prophet stated: “As regards Jehovah, his eyes are roving about through all the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9) But to what extent does Jehovah actually see our private thoughts and actions? Several incidents involving Jesus, the Son of God, provide some insight.

The Ability to Read Hearts and Minds

While Jesus was dining at the house of a Pharisee, a woman known as a sinner came and knelt at Jesus’ feet. She started weeping and then wiped her tears off Jesus’ feet with her hair. The account states: “At the sight the Pharisee that invited him said within himself: ‘This man, if he were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman it is that is touching him.’” Jesus’ response shows that he not only knew the woman’s background but also knew what the Pharisee had just said “within himself.”—Luke 7:36-50.

On another occasion Jesus was confronted by a group opposed to his performing miracles. The account recorded at Matthew 9:4 says: “Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said: ‘Why are you thinking wicked things in your hearts?’” Jesus’ ability to know the thoughts of others was more than just shrewd guesswork.

Reasoning on the account of the resurrection of Lazarus reveals that much more is involved. Jesus’ close friend Lazarus had been dead four days. His thoughts had perished, and he had started to decay. (Psalm 146:3, 4) When Jesus instructed that the entrance to Lazarus’ grave be opened, Lazarus’ sister Martha protested: “Lord, by now he must smell.” Yet, with the aid of God’s power, Jesus resurrected Lazarus, including all the intimate and private memories necessary to make Lazarus the person he had been before he died.—John 11:38-44; 12:1, 2.

Jehovah God’s ability to know our innermost thoughts is confirmed by Jesus’ comments regarding prayer. Before teaching his disciples the model prayer, Jesus said: “God your Father knows what things you are needing before ever you ask him.” Jesus also said: “When you pray, go into your private room and, after shutting your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you.”—Matthew 6:6, 8.

Benefits of Knowing That We Are Being Watched by God

Does knowing that God is searching all hearts and is discerning “every inclination of the thoughts” cramp our movements or limit our freedom? (1 Chronicles 28:9) On the contrary, recognizing that nothing can be kept private from God can be a powerful force for good.

Elizabeth, mentioned in the opening article, says that her main reason for remaining honest is not that surveillance cameras are watching her at work. Rather, she says: “The fact that I know that Jehovah is observing my conduct motivates me to be honest in all my dealings, even when I am not at work.”

Jim makes a similar observation. He works in a factory where employee theft is a common problem. Jim, though, refuses to steal from his employer. He states: “It is true that I could likely get away with stealing from my company, but I value my relationship with God and know that he sees everything I do.”

The knowledge that God is aware of all our actions, coupled with the desire to have a good relationship with him, can motivate a person to make big changes in his life. For example, Doug was brought up in a Christian family but never really took seriously the fact that God could see his actions. As a result, he lived a double life. He attended Christian meetings with his family but afterward took drugs with his friends. His love of motorcycles led him to join a notoriously violent motorcycle gang. To gain acceptance, Doug committed serious crimes.

Some years later Doug again started studying the Bible. He began to see Jehovah as a real person who is aware of and affected by people’s actions. Doug was motivated to start living his life in harmony with God’s high moral standards. Although it was the gang’s custom to beat severely anyone who quit, Doug attended a gang meeting and formally resigned in front of all the gang members. He recalls: “When I stood up to speak, my heart was pounding. I felt like Daniel in the lions’ den. But I prayed silently to Jehovah and then calmly explained my reasons for quitting. When I left, all but one shook my hand and wished me well. I experienced the truth of Isaiah 41:13: ‘I, Jehovah your God, am grasping your right hand, the One saying to you, “Do not be afraid, I myself will help you.”’” Doug feels that Jehovah provided the strength he needed to change his life.

A Reasonable View

It is unreasonable to think that we can keep things private from God. The Bible frankly states: “The senseless one has said in his heart: ‘There is no Jehovah.’” (Psalm 14:1) As the preceding articles highlighted, humans have produced surveillance cameras capable of recognizing one specific face in a crowd. They have developed eavesdropping devices capable of sifting out one particular voice from the many thousands using the telephone system. Surely, then, the Creator of the human brain has the ability to tap into the thought processes of any individual, whenever He sees fit.

While our Creator has the right to know all of a person’s private dealings, humans do not. The apostle Peter admonishes all who are interested in gaining God’s favor: “Let none of you suffer as . . . an evildoer or as a busybody in other people’s matters.” (1 Peter 4:15) The apostle Paul also warns against meddling “in other people’s affairs.”—1 Timothy 5:13.

An extreme example of being “a busybody” and meddling “in other people’s affairs” is the growing trend in some countries for private citizens to use miniature audio or video recording devices to spy on others. In Japan, for example, marathon runner Naoko Takahashi, who won a gold medal at the Sydney Olympic Games, recently discovered that a miniature camera had been hidden in her bathroom and had filmed her without her knowledge. A video was produced, and thousands of copies of it have been sold illegally.

Also widespread is identity theft or fraud, the practice of using advanced technology to steal personal details. It is only reasonable to take steps to protect your privacy from unauthorized scrutiny. The Bible states: “Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself, but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty.”—Proverbs 22:3.


As crime, violence, and terrorism increase, governments will likely keep an ever closer eye on their citizens. Soon, though, there will be no need for surveillance cameras and wiretaps. The Bible promises that in the near future, Jehovah God will call all of mankind to account for their actions, both public and private.—Job 34:21, 22.

From that time forward, the earth will be free from the violence, hatred, and criminal activity that have plagued mankind for so long. How will this be possible? Because at that time not only will Jehovah know intimately all those alive but all those alive will intimately know Jehovah. The words of the prophet Isaiah will prove true: “They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.”—Isaiah 11:9.
“Everybody knows cheating is wrong, but it’s easy.”—Jimmy, aged 17.

HAVE you ever been tempted to sneak a peek at a classmate’s paper while taking a test? If so, you are not alone. Jenna, who is in the 12th grade, notes the brazen attitude with which many of her classmates cheat: “They brag about how they do it,” she says. “They look at you as odd if you don’t cheat!”

In one U.S. survey, 80 percent of teens at the top of their class admitted to cheating, and 95 percent of these “high achievers” were never caught. After conducting a survey of more than 20,000 middle and high school students, the Josephson Institute of Ethics concluded: “In terms of honesty and integrity, things are going from very bad to worse.” Educators are astounded at how pervasive the practice of cheating has become! School director Gary J. Niels went so far as to claim: “It is the non-cheater who is in the minority.”

Most parents expect their children to behave honorably when it comes to their schoolwork. Unfortunately, though, many young ones compromise their honesty by cheating. What new methods are they using? Why do some youths resort to cheating? Why should you avoid the practice?

High-Tech Cheating

Any number of devious methods are used by the modern cheater. In fact, cheating by copying homework or using crib sheets pales into insignificance when compared with today’s high-tech tactics. These include the use of pagers that receive answers to test questions from remote callers; calculators preprogrammed with “extra” information; miniature cameras hidden in clothing, which are used to relay questions to a helper elsewhere; devices that transmit infrared messages to nearby classmates; and even Internet sites that contain completed term papers on virtually any subject!

Educators are trying to reverse the alarming trend toward cheating, but the task is not easy. After all, not every student—or teacher—agrees on what constitutes cheating. For example, when teams of students work together on a project, the line between fair collaboration and dishonest collusion may not be so clear. Then there are those who might take advantage of a group effort to let others do all the work. “Some of these students are very lazy—they don’t do anything!” exclaims Yuji, who is attending a community college. “Then they get the same grade. I think that’s cheating too!”

Why Do They Cheat?

In one survey, lack of preparation was found to be the number one reason why many students choose to cheat. Other students, compelled by a competitive climate at school or by the high expectations of their parents, conclude that they have no other choice. “Grades are everything to my parents,” says Sam, aged 13. “They ask me: ‘What mark did you get on your math test? What mark did you get on your English paper?’ I hate that!”

For some, constant pressure to get good grades leads to cheating. Says the book The Private Life of the American Teenager: “There is something out of balance in a system in which pressure is so intense that the satisfactions of learning are often superseded by the pressure to achieve, sometimes at the expense of honesty.” Many students agree. After all, no one wants to flunk a test, much less a whole course. “Some people are just real scared that they’re going to fail,” observes Jimmy, a high school student. “Even if they know the answers, they’ll cheat just to make sure.”

The sheer number of people who are willing to sacrifice standards of honesty can make cheating appear harmless. And sometimes it might seem downright advantageous. “Yesterday I spotted a kid cheating on a test in one of my classes,” says 17-year-old Greg. “Today when we got the test back, he got a higher score than I did.” Many are swayed by the prevalence of cheating among their peers. “Some students feel that ‘if others are doing it, I have to do it,’” says Yuji. But is that true?

A Deceptive Addiction

Compare cheating to stealing. Does the fact that many people resort to thievery make it acceptable? ‘Of course not,’ you might say—especially if it’s your money that is being stolen! By cheating, we are taking credit for something we do not deserve—perhaps even taking advantage of those who act fairly. (Ephesians 4:28) “It’s just not right,” says Tommy, who recently finished high school. “You’re saying, ‘I know this stuff,’ when you really don’t. So you’re lying.” The Bible’s viewpoint on this is clearly indicated at Colossians 3:9: “Do not be lying to one another.”

Cheating can become like an addiction that is difficult to break. “Cheaters learn that they don’t even have to study to pass,” says Jenna, “so they just rely on cheating. And then once they’re out on their own, they don’t know how to function.”

The principle recorded at Galatians 6:7 is sobering: “Whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap.” The consequences of cheating in school can include the pain of a troubled conscience, the loss of your friends’ trust, and stunted academic growth because of your avoiding the learning process. Like a cancer that turns malignant, this pattern of deception can spread to affect other areas of life and can poison your most valued relationships. Most certainly, it will affect your relationship with God, who is displeased by deception.—Proverbs 11:1.

Those who rely on cheating are only fooling themselves. (Proverbs 12:19) By their actions they take a position similar to the corrupt rulers in the ancient city of Jerusalem: “We have made a lie our refuge and in falsehood we have concealed ourselves.” (Isaiah 28:15) In reality, however, the cheater cannot conceal his actions from God.—Hebrews 4:13.

Do Not Cheat!

In many cases youths put a lot of effort and ingenuity into cheating—which they would be better off channeling into obtaining an honest education. As 18-year-old Abby puts it, “if they applied themselves to learning as well as they apply themselves to cheating, they’d probably do very well.”

Granted, the temptation to cheat may be strong. But you must avoid this moral pitfall! (Proverbs 2:10-15) How can you do so? First, remember why you are at school—to learn. True, there might seem to be little benefit in accumulating facts you may never use. But by circumventing this process through cheating, a person hinders his ability to learn new things and make practical use of knowledge. Real understanding is never obtained without effort; it costs something. The Bible states: “Buy truth itself and do not sell it—wisdom and discipline and understanding.” (Proverbs 23:23) Yes, you need to take a serious view of study and preparation. “You have to do your work,” recommends Jimmy. “It will make you confident that you know the answers.”

True, at times you may not know all the answers, and this may result in a lower score. Still, if you do not compromise your principles, you may see what you need to do in order to improve.—Proverbs 21:5.

Yuji, quoted earlier, is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He explains what he does when other classmates put pressure on him to help them cheat: “First thing—I just let them know I’m a Witness,” he says. “That’s helped me a lot because they know Jehovah’s Witnesses are honest people. If someone asks me to give him an answer during a test, I just say no. Then later on I can explain why I don’t do that.”

Yuji agrees with the apostle Paul’s statement to the Hebrews: “We wish to conduct ourselves honestly in all things.” (Hebrews 13:18) Your holding to high standards of honesty and refusing to compromise by cheating imparts real value to the good grades you obtain. You bring home from school one of the best gifts you can give your parents—a record of Christian integrity. (3 John 4) Moreover, you preserve a clean conscience and have the joy of knowing that you are making Jehovah God’s heart rejoice.—Proverbs 27:11.

No matter how common it may be, therefore, avoid cheating! By doing so, you will preserve your good relationship with others and, most important, with the God of truth, Jehovah.—Psalm 11:7; 31:5.