He who conceals his sins doesn’t prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13 WEB
In truth, we cannot conceal our sins from God. He already knows our thoughts and misdeeds. It is neither likely that we conceal our sins from ourselves as our conscience intervenes to remind of our own wickedness. Fortunately for the repentant who confesses and renounces his or her sin, God offers his mercy.
When man sins, his tendency is to conceal his behavior from other men. This points to the obvious. We certainly know the difference between right and wrong. By concealing a sin, a person is simply trying to get away without consequences from other people
But there may be more to it than that. Consider the Garden of Eden and the original sin. After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, each realized they were naked which is a sign of shame. Upon hearing the Lord walking in the garden, they hid to conceal themselves from the Lord.
Shifting The Blame
When asked why they hid, each attempted to conceal their guilt in another way by shifting the blame to another. Adam says in Genesis 3:12, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate. WEB” Eve, in turn, blames the serpent for tempting her.
Notice that immediately following their sin, Adam and Eve, the parents of us all, attempted to conceal their nakedness by sewing fig leaves for a covering. Confronted by the Lord and after confessing their sin, God made covering for them with animal skins which must have required animal sacrifice.
The Robe of Righteousness
Confessing our sin, forgiven by the sacrificial blood of Jesus, Christians receive a robe of righteousness to cover ourselves. We receive God’s mercy. Isaiah 61:10 describes the garments of salvation given by God saying, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. KJV”
God already knows our sins. As Jesus says in Luke 8:17, “For nothing is hidden, that will not be revealed; nor anything secret, that will not be known and come to light. WEB” Concealing our sins reinforces a false security that leads to destruction. Confessing our faults and repenting from our sins leads to mercy and forgiveness.
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for your mercy. Search my heart and renew my mind. Make clear any area of my life that is displeasing to you. I confess all sin in my awareness and repent. Give me wisdom and strength to live in obedience to your commandments. In Jesus’ name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: My Duty to God
