SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1280

“Cover Up”

Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known. – Luke 12:2

It is in our nature to sin and to cover it up. We see this innate behavior from the very beginning with Adam and Eve in the Garden.

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. – Genesis 3:8

As it is impossible to run away from our shadow, or hide behind a skinny tree, we also cannot hide our sin from God. David attempted to hide his sin and cover it up with another sin.

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah… “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting… that he may be struck down and die.” … But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord. – 2 Samuel 11:14-27

David thought he had gotten away with adultery and murder, and he took Uriah’s widow, Bathsheba, as his own. Then the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to confront David about his ‘hidden’ sin by telling him a parable.

He (David) said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die… Nathan said to David, “You are the man! – 2 Samuel 12:5, 7

We fool ourselves when we deny our sin. We are even greater fools when we know we have sinned and try to cover it up and hide it from others and God.

…Behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out. – Numbers 32:23

O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you. – Psalm 69:5

You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins, in the light of your presence. – Psalm 90:8

We are like an open book before God. We can cover things up and hide them from our fellow man, but nothing is hidden from God.

For my eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed from my eyes. – Jeremiah 16:17

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. – Psalm 139:1-2

And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. – Hebrews 4:13

The good news of the Gospel is that, knowing us as He does, God still loves us. He loves us enough to bear the punishment for our sins. He died in our place in the person of Jesus so that we can receive forgiveness and salvation.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. – Psalm 103:10-14

What secret sin are you in denial about?

What behavior or habit does the Holy Spirit give you a ‘gut check’ when you do it? You know God is showing you that it is an obstacle and hindrance in your relationship with Him, yet you ‘cover it up’ and rationalize the behavior as acceptable.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. – 1 John 1:8

It is well past due time to come out of the shadows and into the light of Christ. Call on Him. Confess to Him. Repent and turn away from your secret sin and God is faithful to forgive you.

David confessed and repented, and God forgave his adultery and murder. None of us are steeped too deeply in sin that God cannot reach us and restore us to Him through Jesus.

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Romans 10:13

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out. – Acts 3:19

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9

May you be set free through Jesus, our Lord and Savior from the chains and burdens of harbored, covered up secret sin.

So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. – John 8:36