Sins Covered Verses Sins Confessed Series

[Look at Achan. Nothing was to be plundered from the city of Jericho, but Achan buried gold and clothing underneath his tent. When his sin was eventually discovered, he and his family died as a result (Joshua 7). The man who covers his sin shall not prosper.]

An Indianapolis patrolman ran into trouble while he was investigating a routine TRAFFIC MISHAP. He had interviewed witnesses, arrested one of the drivers, and had written up the accident report. Then he noticed that the offending motorist was chewing on something that wasn't gum. He was eating the report! Despite the officer's efforts to retrieve the report, it was destroyed. But the delay was only temporary. The patrolman tracked down the witnesses again and recompiled the evidence.

The resistance and coverup that this Indiana officer encountered is similar to what Isaiah saw in the people of Israel centuries ago. The prophet was grieved as he watched his countrymen trying to ignore and conceal the evidence of their sin. They, in effect, stuck their fingers in their ears while the Lord spoke (Isa. 30:9), and they encouraged their prophets to tell them only what they wanted to hear (v.10). They would rather hide from the truth than seek the mercy of God. Consequently, the Lord sent judgment on them (vv. 12-17).

We can learn from Israel's mistakes that an attempt at coverup won't do any good. It's only temporary. At best it only postpones the day of reckoning.

The sins that would entangle us, must never be ignored (Heb. 12:2). For if we try to cover them, they'll rotten us on the inside. The sin we try to cover up will eventually bring us down.

What are we to do then if we would be spiritually mature and healthily? We must confess our sins to God and forsake them. Then we will know the joy of God's forgiveness. Which brings us to our second point in the second part of verse 13.

II. THE WISE CONFESSION OF SINS (13b).

The opposite activity of covering is confessing and forsaking our transgressions. "But he who confesses and forsakes them will find mercy."

Genuine confession stands opposed to the covering of sin (Pss. 32:3-4; 32:5). There is no way to reform a character without the confession and forsaking of sin. Both confession and forsaking are necessary. Neither can stand alone. They are chained to each other. [Confess and forsake are what the Bible means by repentance.]

Confession is to be made to the one against who sin has been committed. All sin is against God. All sin therefore is to confessed to God. Some acts of sin have also been against another person and should be made to him or her also. The circle of confession need be no larger than the circle of offense.

The confessor is to confess fully. If not, he is back to the old trick of covering the sin. We do not do this for God's benefit for He knows all. God demands complete confession for our good. It brings the divine victory over pride and self-deception and initiates our return to God (Lk. 15:17f).

True confession (or agreeing with God) opens the door for actual forsaking of sin. The more complete the confession the more completely it can be rooted out and forsaken. If confession is genuine forsaking will follow. Forsaking ("abandoning," 2:13, 17) is the best proof of genuine confession. To forsake sin is to find the power of Christ's death on the cross not only for our sin but to our sin.