BY Tope BANSO.
“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13 New King James Version).
If you commit a sin, hiding it is not the way out. You have to repent and confess that sin to God and forsake it. That is sometimes easier to do, but in certain cases you also have to confess publicly to man – which is the more difficult part to do. Yes, it could be shameful, and that’s why we should run away from sin.
It’s been rightly said, “Sin wouldn’t be so attractive if the wages were paid immediately.” The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). Sin will humiliate you eventually when your hidden sin is exposed. But the public ridicule is nothing compared to the eternal suffering in hell. Even if you outsmart human beings, and get away with your sins, you can’t outsmart God.
1 John 1:8-10 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (New King James Version).
But if God forgives, must we then continue in sin? No. “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31 New King James Version). We can’t continue in sin that grace may abound (Romans 6:1).
After Cain had killed his brother, Abel, the LORD asked him, “Where is Abel your brother?’” (Genesis 4:9 New King James Version). He replied God rudely, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
God told him the voice of Abel’s blood was crying out to Him from the ground (verse 10). Cain’s sin was not hidden from God. Your sins may be hidden from man but they’re ever open to God. That’s why it is useless engaging in cover-up – Satan will always blackmail you with any secret you keep with him!
It is better you open up to God who already knows! “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13 New King James Version). Confess to God; He will cover your sins better than your cover-up! “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are COVERED; blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.” (Romans 4:7-8 New King James Version Emphasis mine).
The record of your sins is before God (Isaiah 59:12). Denial or pretence is a waste of time. It is by the admission of your sins, repentance and confession to God that you access the blood of Jesus that wipes out this record. Your sins shall then be removed as far as the east is from the west – permanently (Psalm 103:12).
PRAYER POINT: Father, I repent of my sins, confess them and receive forgiveness. From today, help me to live victoriously over sin.
This is wisdom for living, and it’s worth sharing.
●●Banso, an Abuja-based minister can be reached via Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria, cedarministryintl@yahoo.com, cedarministryng@gmail.com
Tel No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947