Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Confession vs. Concealment


You’ve probably heard comments and jokes about Patraeus rhyming with "Betray us." I’m not here to talk about the General’s problem but rather the general problem of covering up sin.

The first thing Adam and Eve did, after sinning, was to cover up and hide, and we have been doing it ever since.

The problem is that sin has a way of calling attention to itself and exposing us in the process.

Along time ago, the people of God were warned, ". . . Be sure that your sin will find you out." Exposure. Embarrassment. Condemnation.

Writing young Timothy, Paul, the mentor, said, "The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them."

Either way, your sins will be discovered.

What are we to do? We all have sin. Honest confession and transparency are the best way to go. It’s quite liberating and leads to healing of all kinds.

James, the brother of Jesus, says, " . . . Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."

Confess to trusted others. Do not conceal. Ultimately confess to a loving, forgiving God, receiving peace and joy.

Proverbs 28:13 — He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

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