There is no secret sin

Future Men Chapter Six: Secret Sin, Tolerated Sin

But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out. (Num. 32:23)

LAST TIME - the disposition of a man - taking the log out of your eye.

TODAY - actually doing it.

God is:

omniscient - all knowing (he possesses all knowledge)

it isn’t just that he knows everything, as if some knowledge existed outside of him. But rather that all knowledge belongs to him.

omnipresent - everywhere

omnipotent - all powerful (he possesses all power)

HOLY - perfect. no sin. and can tolerate no sin.

Future Men Chapter Six: Secret Sin, Tolerated Sin

“And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:13)

You can’t hide things from him. Why try?

and not only can you not hide things from him, but neither can you remain undiscovered. “be sure your sin will find you out” Num 32:23 “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.”

Jesus confirms:

Luke 12:1-3 “In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.”

So, any sin that is in secret is only temporarily secret.

think for a moment - the back seat parking session that leads to pregnancy.

the late night joy ride that ends in a fatality.

the “I promise I’ll put this money back later” that leads to embezzlement.

“I just want to forget today” that leads to a life of addiction

a small step into pornography that leads to an affair or divorce

And we know that sin is always cumulative if left unchecked.

A question of the authority of scripture leads to a host of issues, and culminates in apostasy.

remember the garden? “did God really say...”

Which brings us to another point.

Sin accumulates, isn’t private, and doesn’t only affect the sinner.

When someone sins, the family now contains it. The church as well. The secret sins will be found out. We see this throughout the Bible as God judges covenentatlly, even requiring sacrifices for unsolved murders.

the sacrifice doesn’t forgive the murderer, but the people as a whole for having a murderer amongst them and being unable to discover them and fulfill God’s righteous requirements.

So FATHERS - you have a responsibility to not be surprised by sin in your households. You’re on the offensive. IE - You know your kids, their friends, their habits, their temptations. And you labor to create a culture of confession in yoru home.

Gospel centered - that relies on Jesus and his righteousness.

and fights against sin so that we do not “go on sinning deliberately after receiving a knowledge of the truth.

because then “there remains no sacrifice for our sins”

Heb 10:26 “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,”

SO PASTORS / CHURCH LEADERS - you don’t sit passive over your flock. YOU ARE ACTIVE in the same way

that means a pastor gets in your business, and you want him to!

the alternative could be death.

SO WHAT ARE WE TO DO with our secret sins?

Three different choices - hint - the first two are wrong.

#1 - continue to hide the sin. - duh - God already sees it, and your unconfessed sin WILL find you out.

#2 - WELL I CONFESSED IT TO GOD - so what else is there to do!?!? - well..... there could be a lot - restitution? confession to those you’ve hurt?

#3 - Lean in to everything that the Lord requires of you. This is what people did when they came to Jesus. They gave up everything, tossed their entire lives aside, and followed him.

Zachaeus - the fishermen - all of them

Paul - counted everything as loss for what he gained in Christ.

When you really see Jesus for who he is, the one who died for literally ALL your wrongs and short-comings, the confession of your sins (and potential loss of your reputation) IS NOTHING in comparison.

for some, confession might cost a lot.

might mean jailtime. might mean that you have to liquidate your assets to pay off a sin-debt. might mean you lose your fiance or spouse.

but if you see who Jesus is, and the life he’s really offering you. The losses you MIGHT experience are nothing compared to the GLORY you WILL receive.

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