It really doesn’t impress me when a person admits to wrong doing after they’ve been caught. Yes, it impresses me more than the person who lies about what they did, but in reality, as Christians, we are held to a higher standard- God’s. What impresses me is when someone confesses guilt and takes appropriate consequences ‘like a man’ even though no one but God (and fellow conspirators) knew what they did. When was the last time you heard a government official or a pastor/ televangelist confess publicly to adultery/ misuse of funds and resign before they were caught? I can’t think of one instance.
Not to say the first thing you should do is go public with your sin, because first you should confess to your family, seek counseling, then talk to those who work with you so that you can arrange to turn over duties, make necessary arrangements, plan the public exposure, etc. Yet, when it comes down to it, either you expose yourself, or you will be exposed. If not in this life, it will happen in the end. The Bible is clear that our sin- when not properly dealt with- will be exposed.
Stealing, lying, cheating, speeding, adultery, pornography, gossip, deceitfulness, fornication, utilizing loopholes*, arrogance, these are just some sins we do, many without remorse. Do we think because we haven’t been caught that God is okay with what we are doing? Do we think because He hasn’t punished us that it’s not a sin? Are we justifying our actions by saying, “Everybody does it…?” Even if everyone else in the world does a particular sin, it is still sin and God expects us to:
Refrain from sin:
Abstain from all appearance of evil. 1Th.
…denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Tt.
…sin not… Eph. 4:26
…abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 1Pt.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us... If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1Jn. 1:8,10
God sees all our iniquities:
For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins… Am. 5:12
Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. Ps. 90:8
For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. Job 32:21
There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. Job 34:22
Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD. Jer. 23:24
God promises us that there will be a day when secret sin will inevitably be unveiled:
…be sure your sin will find you out. Nm. 32:23
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2Cor.
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Rm. 14:12
For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. Lk. 12:2,3
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Ec. 12:14
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 1Cor. 4:5
What to do: don’t wait to be caught, expose yourself! Find mercy at the Lord’s hand.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1Jn. 1:9
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Pr. 28:13
Let's live by a higher standard- God's! Make it right today. Just remember, it’s not only a forgiveness thing, but a turning away and making the situation right for those whom you’ve wronged.
Make it right… or, be exposed!
*A way of escaping a difficulty, especially an omission or ambiguity in the wording of a contract or law that provides a means to evade compliance, avoid a penalty or responsibility.
