This is one of the most searching verses in the Bible. When the Lord comes He will usher in the day, and the beams of its light will have X-ray properties. This verse is written, not in view of the enormous evils of the world without, but of the actions that take place within the Christian circle.

Oh! What painful episodes, in their uncountable thousands, have taken place among the saints of God—many of them more or less private in nature; some of them public and ecclesiastical. We may form our judgments and all the while there may be dark corners hidden from our eyes in which hidden things are covered. There may be secret motives in hearts, altogether veiled from us. All is coming out in the light of the day. The final court of appeal lies in the presence of the Lord. His verdict may irrevocably upset all the verdicts of the courts below. So, if we feel ourselves wronged, let us have patience. If inclined to take some drastic action, let us take great care. Search well the dark corners lest there be some hidden things which should see the light. Search your own heart lest a wrong motive lurk there. Think twice and thrice before launching the thunderbolt that may affect many.

“Each one’s praise will come from God.” That is to say, the point is not that every man is going to be praised, but that each who is praised will have his praise from God, and not from some few of his fellow-creatures. The Corinthians had their party leaders. They praised this one extravagantly, and these they condemned, and vice versa. God give us grace to avoid this kind of thing. The only praise worth having is praise from God.