Hidden sin

Proverbs 28:13 (NLT)
13 People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

This proverb is for those who in the indulgence of sin, hide, excuse, deny, diminish or place blame on others. People can try to hide the sin, but most often the sin is eventually disclosed. One can find mercy and peace by confession of their sin to God. They must be careful and accountable not to return to the sin or they will once again find themselves trapped by the same snare.

 

 

Most of us have probably heard a joke similar to this one:

Patient - Doctor I broke my arm in two places.
Doctor – I would stay out of them places.

When it comes to sin the joke above holds a lot of truth. When you know you are heading to a place that leads you to sin then don’t go there. We cannot regularly put ourselves in the face of temptation and not be affected. When faced with the problem of temptation, we need to take the good doctor’s advice and "stay out of them places”.

We also need to be willing to seek help when needed. A person who needs medical help and does not seek treatment cannot expect to find a cure. In the same way when we know we are tempted by sin we need to find help. Sometimes that help comes in the form of accountability to another. Sometimes it may be to obtain wise counsel. And it should always include God who can direct us in the right ways.

Lastly we cannot keep a sin covered and expect healing. If not treated properly a covered wound will only become infected making the problem worst. The same is true with hidden sins. When a sin is covered and hidden deep within a person the sin will fester and infect their lives.

Duncan Campbell (1898 - 28 March 1972) was a fiery Scottish preacher, who is best known for being a leader in the Lewis Awakening or Hebrides Revival, a mid-20th century religious revival in the Scottish Hebrides. He once said, “Don’t expect God to cover what you are unwilling to uncover.” If there is covered sin in your life affecting you maybe now is the time to turn to someone you trust for help.