Just think of all the ways we cover up our flaws in this world:
-We dye our gray hair.
-Use cover-up on our blemishes.
-Conceal our bad complexions under foundation.
-Use sprays, perfumes and colognes to conceal our stench.
- Use deodorant to hide our underarm wetness.
-Cover our cuts with band-aids.
-Hide our floppy parts under clothes.
-Cover our typing mistakes with white out.
-Hide our emotional pain, struggles behind a smile.
Man has been covering up his flaws since his beginning. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden sinned, and then sewed fig leaves to cover their nakedness and later tried to hide their sin from God. (Gen. 3:7-10) We often make our own plans to hide our sins. I’ll just go to church, smile, praise God, lift my hands in worship, quote the Bible, and no one will know that I spend my nights looking at pornography, or gossiping about fellow Christians. David planned a cover up after his sin with Bathsheba was about to be exposed. (2 Sam. 11:4-17) His plans culminated with the execution of an innocent man!
It really doesn’t matter if man sees our sin, for it is already exposed to God. He sees ALL our sins as there is nothing hidden from Him. (Jer. 16:17, Jer. 23:24, Heb. 4:13, Ps. 69:5) We hide our sin in the darkness hoping no one will see (John ), but God sees. We need to stop covering our faults and sins and bring them to the light (v. 21). Eventually God will reveal our sins either here or in the end:
1 Cor. 4:5- … the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the motives of our hearts…
Luke - For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and there is nothing secret that will not become known and come to light. ISV
We are not to hide in the darkness, but expose works of darkness (Eph. - and have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness. Instead, expose them for what they are. ISV). We are to (Jas. 5:16- Confess your faults (errors, transgressions, sins) one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.) so that we may receive God’s healing and mercy (Pr. 28:13- He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. NKJV)
I always wonder what would have happened if Adam and Eve had not covered up but rather confessed and repented of their sin. We may never know. But, we can know what happens when we stop covering up our sin, confess and repent. As the Bible says:
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) Remember, healing and mercy will follow.