Our Response To Sin

by Chris Simmons

We read in Romans 3:23 that, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” David acknowledged to God that, “in Thy sight no man living is righteous” (Psalms 143:2). Solomon likewise recognized in Ecclesiastes 7:20 that, “Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.” God’s word is for those who recognize that fact and who earnestly desire to do something about their sin. Solomon not only recognized that all sin, but he also understood from God what we need to do about our sin. We read of his understanding of God’s will regarding sin in Proverbs 28:13-14 where it says, “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. How blessed is the man who fears always, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.” What are we to do about our sin?

Don’t conceal it. Literally to put a covering over or to hide under clothes. It’s the idea of getting dressed up, putting a smile on our face, pretending that our sin doesn’t exist, and that everything is fine. “Conceal” is what Achan did in Joshua 7:21-22 when he said that “I saw” the gold and the silver, “I coveted” it and then I “concealed” it. He had literally hidden it in the earth underneath his tent. Whatever we do to try and hide our sin, it will never work in God’s sight. Jeremiah 16:17-18, “For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes.” There is no hiding as we read in Job 34:21-23, “For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps. There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. For He does not need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.” John wrote of the person in I John 1:8 who would conceal his sin by denying its existence and said that the only one who is deceived is the one denying it. There’s no point in trying to hide it as Adam and Eve certainly found out (Genesis 3:8-10).

Confess it. Don’t keep silent about it! Rather than concealing, the Hebrew word means to cast it or throw it down. It’s interesting that the Hebrew word is also used in regards to the casting down of praise and thanksgiving. When we confess, we are really giving praise to God by acknowledging what He already knows is causing us to be separated from Him (Isaiah 59:1-2). God knows of our sin and it’s up to us to lay it out there and recognize it before others. There is relief to be found when we admit and confess our sins. Note David’s words in Psalms 32:3, “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.” It’s not good for our health either physically or certainly spiritually to keep silent about our sin. Rather, David realized the need in Psalms 32:5 to “acknowledge,” no longer “hide,” and “confess” his sin. For those who are children of God, we need to always remember I John 1:9 where John writes that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins.” The Greek word for “confess” means to say the “same thing as another, agree with, assent … concede” (Vine) – God has already recognized our sin so will we say the same thing, agree with God, and confess our sins to Him?

Forsake it. Our sincerity in confession is found in our forsaking of our sin. This Hebrew word means to abandon or leave behind. It means we go on our way and “from now on, sin no more” (John 8:11). The expression, repeatedly used by the apostle Paul in his letters regarding the need to forsake our sin, is to “lay aside.” This expression, used in Romans 13:12; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:8; and Hebrews 12:1, comes from one Greek word which means essentially the same thing as the Hebrew word for “forsake” – that is, to put off or cast aside. Our reaction to sin has to be “no more! I won’t do that again!” which is what we read of Job in Job 34:31-32, “For has anyone said to God, ‘I have borne chastisement; I will not offend anymore; teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will not do it again’?” Our response to sin has to include casting it aside and leaving it behind.

Fear. Solomon wrote that God’s blessings are upon those who fear God and the consequences of unrepented sin. God will indeed bless the one who, out of reverence and awe for our Creator and righteous Judge, confesses and forsakes his sin. Paul calls upon us to reflect upon our God as our judge and fear Him in II Corinthians 5:9-11, “Therefore also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.” Have we become so callous that standing before God as our righteous judge no longer stirs any fear in our hearts? The Hebrew writer said in Hebrews 10:31, “it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Do we believe that?

Keep a tender heart. In contrast to the idea of a calloused heart (Ephesians 4:19) is the person who has a tender and receptive heart. We read in Acts 2:37 that some in the audience that Peter preached to on the day of Pentecost, had hearts that could be “pierced,” “pricked” (ASV), or “cut” (ESV). Spiritual “calamity” is reserved for the person who hardens his heart against God regarding his sin. For this reason we read in Hebrews 3:12-15, “Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end; while it is said, ‘Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me.’”

Either we deal with our sin today as God’s will teaches by no longer concealing it, but in godly fear and with a tender heart, confessing and forsaking it, or we will acknowledge later in the day of judgment when “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). Which will it be?