The trap of hidden sin

“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” -Proverbs 28:13 

In the 4th grade, I failed a geology test in Science which meant I had to get it signed by a parent. I knew getting a score of 40 on my test wouldn't go over well with my parents, so I resolved on the way home that day that I would never tell my mom or dad about it. Instead, I forged my dad's signature on it, brought it to school the next day, and gave it back to the teacher, thinking I had dodged a bullet. 

But then the guilt set in. I was one of those kids with a very guilty conscience, and it ate away at me at school that day. Later that night, my dad came to talk to me and told me my teacher called to tell them about the 40 I got on the test, and I was terrified, thinking, "I'm caught!" I cried and apologized for lying to them. Of course, my dad was upset, but to my surprise, he reminded me I could have just come to them to talk about it instead of lying. I felt immediate relief at that moment and couldn't believe my dad's response. Even though it's been over 20 years since that incident, the lesson it taught me is etched in my mind. 

There is no real success that comes when we hide our sins. That's what the writer of Proverbs 28 is getting at when he says, "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper." It might feel easier to sweep bitterness, pride, or whatever sin we've committed under the rug and pretend like everything's fine, but the Holy Spirit comes and convicts us, and we feel the guilt start eating away at us. It may look like outwardly, we're prospering, but usually, we're a mess inside if we are hiding sin. Like children, we're often afraid to come to the Lord or share our struggles with a trusted friend because we're scared of being met with judgment and condemnation. 

“There is no real success that comes when we hide our sins.”

The following verse further illustrates this: "Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity" (Proverbs 28:14). The more you conceal and hide sin, the harder your heart gets. No one can hide in sin for long without it blowing up in their face. Sin eventually surfaces, bringing calamity with it. Instead of hiding, we ought to fear the Lord by confessing our sins and turning away from them, and as a result, we receive mercy, and we're blessed. 

“The more you conceal and hide sin, the harder your heart gets.”

I'm so thankful that's how the Lord operates; when we think we'd get punishment and condemnation for coming clean with our sin, God shows us compassion. God grants us mercy when we confess, forsake sin, and return to the Lord. And this is how we ought to react when a brother or sister comes to admit and share hidden sin with us. Rather than judgment, we can offer mercy and help and point them back to Jesus.

“God grants us mercy when we confess, forsake sin, and return to the Lord.”

So whenever you're tempted to hide your sin, remember that you can come to Christ and confess it. You can go to a trusted friend and find help. You don't have to bear the weight of your sin alone, and you certainly don't have to lie about it, hide it, minimize it, or sweep it under the rug. The author of Hebrews says in Hebrews 4:16, "Let us draw near to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

We can approach the throne of grace and bring our sin to the light, and we'll receive the mercy purchased for us by the blood of Jesus, not judgment. Praise God that His mercy triumphs over judgment!

Renee Ghobrial serves as the communications director of the Baptist Churches of New England.