I have always told my kids that if you don’t want your friends or family to know what you are doing, then you most likely shouldn’t be doing it! That includes anything and everything that we think we must ‘hide’ from others. We are called to walk in the Light, as Jesus is the Light, and hidden things are done in the dark, in secret. “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:5-7).
Hiding our sins is unhealthy spiritually, emotionally, and physically. It leads to more sin, destroys trust in relationships, keeps us separated from God and in bondage to that sin, and comes with severe consequences. It’s best to live in the open, in truth, in the light. “People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).
"People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy" (Proverbs 28:13).
A great example of hidden sin and its consequences is found in a story in the life of David in 2 Samuel 11-12. David can’t sleep, takes a walk on the roof, and sees Bathsheba bathing. He sleeps with her, and when he finds out she is pregnant, he tries to get out of the trouble he caused by first sending for Bathsheba’s husband, who was on the battlefield. He tries two times to get Uriah to sleep with his wife, and when that doesn’t work, David sends Uriah to the deadliest area of the battle, where he is killed. David takes Bathsheba as his wife, and their child is born. But God isn’t pleased. God sends the prophet Nathan to confront David for these sins and as a punishment, the child dies!
There are several lessons to learn from this:
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We can never hide our sins from God! Hebrews 4:13 says, Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. (See also Proverbs 15:3; Jeremiah 16:17; Psalm 139.)
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We will be held accountable for our hidden sins. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad (Ecclesiastes 12:14)
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Our choices have severe consequences for others. Bathsheba had no choice about being called to the king. She lost her husband and child, and there were problems between her other children because of David’s sins.
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We may think we can hide things from our spouses, children, coworkers, etc., but the Bible tells us that eventually, all things will be made known. Jesus said, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. What you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops” (Luke 12:2-3).
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There is forgiveness for those who genuinely repent and turn back to God! David still had to live with the consequences of his choices, but his relationship with God was restored when he confessed and asked for forgiveness. (See Psalm 32 & 51.)
The bottom line is that nothing good comes from hiding sin. If there is sin that you have been hiding, bring it into the Light! Confess it to God and those whom it has affected. We have the power of the Holy Spirit in us to help us live in freedom from sin, to guide us, and to give us life and peace (Romans 8:1-17).
