Living Like a Christian – Lesson 5: Concealment Always Leads to Exposure

Scripture Reading: Genesis 3:1-13

Memory Verse: “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

Introduction:

Have you ever sinned or done something you were ashamed of and quickly wanted to sweep it under the rug? Too often we are led to believe that we can hide these things from others, sometimes even from God. Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” God is all knowing and nothing can be hidden from His eyes.

What are we therefore to do? Ask God to give us strength and depend on Him to help us out. 1 John 1:9 gives assurance that we can confidently confess our faults and failures and be forgiven: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

In this lesson, we will discover that it is truly impossible to hide our sins. All the people herein discussed believed that their faults, failures, and sins could be hidden from God and others. Knowing that we can’t hide our sins we should always own up to all our wrongs and make amends.

Jesus taught His disciples in Luke 12:2-3: “For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.” One day all unrepentant sins and all idle words will be openly revealed. Oh, how Jesus wants to cleanse us now!

Lesson Questions:

  1. What may happen when we try to hide a sin? Proverbs 20:17; Isaiah 30:1.
  2. Share some thoughts on the exposure of sin in these verses: 1 Chronicles 28:9; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Luke 12:1-3; 1 Corinthians 4:5.
  3. Share some thoughts on the motivations and results of the following persons who attempted to hide their sins. How/when was their sin revealed?
    • The sin of Cain (Genesis 4:8-15)
    • The sin of Joseph’s Brothers (Genesis 37:23-33, 42:1-6)
    • The sin of Achan (Joshua 7:1-25)
    • The sin of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1-12:14)
    • The sin of Jezebel (1 Kings 21)
    • The sin of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)
  1. What happened to David when he tried to hide his sins from God? Psalm 32:3-4.
  2. What steps did David take to remedy this sinful problem? Psalm 32:5.
  3. What attitude is promised to those who confess and forsake their sin? Psalm 32:1-2.
  4. Share some examples of your own experiences in the past. What were the results of covering those sins?
  5. What are some of your own experiences where you confessed your sin or faults?

Share some thoughts on these promises about confessing your sin? 1 John 1:9; James 5:16; 2 Peter 3:9.