Some time back, I caught an episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show. (No. I don’t usually watch it. So, don’t start with me!) Jess must have had it on when I came home from work. I don’t think I intentionally plopped down in front of the television in order to watch it. But at some point, as I moved throughout the room, the topic caught my attention. (To be real honest, if I was in the same room very often, I think the topic would almost always catch my attention. And I’m way too manly and proud to say that I watch Oprah. So I try to avoid being in the same room when Jess has it on.)

Anyway, Oprah was talking about this book called The Secret by Rhonda Byrne which has taken the nation by storm. At the time, I didn’t know much about the book, but I was intrigued by its language. The people on the show were claiming that after reading it, it changed their lives. It changed their marriages, finances, careers, relationship, everything! They claimed that life had become more fulfilling after reading it. And all the while, I’m thinking, It sounds like they found Jesus! In fact, their testimonies sounded like the testimonies I have heard of people who have surrendered their lives to Christ and seen things turn around for the better.

These testimonies reminded me of something Jesus said that is recorded in John’s gospel. In chapter 10, verse 10, Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full” (NIV). In another translation, Jesus says, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (NLT).

Early on in the show and during the teasers, the people would hint that this “Secret” had changed their lives. But they wouldn’t say what The Secret was. To be real honest, I don’t remember what The Secret was after watching the whole show. Perhaps they just hinted at it and then said, “If you want to know The Secret, go out and buy the book.” In effect, leaving everyone hanging.

But the one thing I remember about this episode was that The Secret – according to the book – was something other than Jesus. And that struck me.

In John 10:10, in the sentence before Jesus’ comment about His purpose, He comments about the purpose of The Enemy (aka. Lucifer, the Devil, Beelzebub, Satan, etc.). He says, “The thief’s [devil's] purspose is to steal, kill, and destroy” (NLT). In John 8:44, Jesus says about the Devil, “There is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character. For he is a liar and the father of lies” (NLT).

One of the main ways the “father of lies” deceives is to take the Truth of God and change it slightly to where it is no longer true, but it has the feeling of truth. (Romans 1:25). In this case, the promise of The Secret is what Jesus promised (fulfilling life), but it is devoid of the source (Jesus Himself).

In Colossians 1:26-29, Paul writes about The Secret. He says that The Secret had been hidden from people for generations, but that God is now revealing this Secret to people everywhere of all backgrounds. He says in verse 27, “This is the secret: Christ lives in you, and this is your assurance that you will share in His glory” (NLT). The Secret is Christ. When I put my faith in Him, He lives in me and through me and I have that fulfilling, satisfying life that is a byproduct of this faith. The Secret without Christ may feel like the answer for a while, but eventually that, too, is going to fail. Because our own human efforts are not easily sustained over time. In a natural sense, what goes up, always comes crashing down.

But when we surrender our lives to Christ, we find that He lives His life through us (Galatians 2:20). And as Colossians 1:27 goes on to say, “Christ lives in you, and this is your assurance that you will share in His glory.” His glory isn’t a reference to the afterlife only. But it refers to this fulfilling life that begins now.

The introduction and back cover of the book The Secret by Byrne, makes this claim: “As you learn The Secret, you will come to know how you can have, be, or do anything you want. You will come to know who you really are. You will come to know the true magnificence that awaits you in life.” I completely agree with that. The Secret that Christ lives in me and assures me that I will share in His glory makes these claims true. Thank God that The Secret is as simple as putting my faith in Christ and living in surrender to Him.