Sin in whichever form is so great, embarrassing, hurtful, or shameful and if not repented can bring great destruction. Lent is a season to open up to the Lord and one another and receive assurance and forgiveness from Christ.
Hidden sin hinders communication with God. The Psalmist states if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me (Psalm 66:18). Isaiah 59:1-2 ,makes it clear that God’s hand is not too short to save but our sin hinders Him. Many of our marital problems are as a result of sin and this
hinders prayer, 1 Peter 3:7.
Hidden sin rots our souls: When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer (Psalm 32:3-4). David wrote this verse referring to his adultery with Bathsheba. He thought his sin was all hidden until the prophet Nathan pointed his finger at him and said, “You are the man.” David paid the consequences. His child was doomed to die and his family was plunged into rape, lying, and rebellion. Adultery once hidden keeps ones heart burning until they come to terms with it.
Hidden sin inflicts pain upon those around us: The story of Achan describes the taking of Jericho by the Israelites. God told Israel that all of the articles and people of Jericho were to be destroyed. Achan hid some gold and some beautiful Babylonian garments in the back of his tent. God told Joshua that the defeat had nothing to do with military issues like strategy, number of soldiers, or resources. The defeat had everything to do with Achan hiding that he stole the Babylonian riches. Achan’s hidden sin destroyed his whole family. Sometimes it extends beyond family to neighbors and friends.
With hidden sin one reaps what they sow. One theologian describes three laws of reaping what we sow. He says, The three laws of sowing and reaping give an insight into the dramatic trauma of holding on to unconfessed sins; We always reap what we sow, We always reap more than we sow. We always reap in a different season than we sow. Concealed sin must be repented to avoid consequences. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, John 1:29. He is able to deal with our sin and set us free.
May God bless you.
The Very Rev. Canon. Dr. Rebecca Nyegenye,
Provost, ASCK.