“Hide a Multitude of Sins”
By D. T. Bourdeau
THESE are the last words of the epistle of James. They set forth one of the things that one will do who really takes part in restoring a brother who has erred from the truth. James 5:19, 20. One who succeeds in restoring an erring brother or sister “shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” The second death is here referred to. The vast importance of saving one soul from that death will be more fully seen than it can now be, when those who have died in their sins, shall experience the awful second death in the final conflagration of our earth beyond the resurrection of the ungodly which occurs at the close of the thousand years that are to intervene between the resurrection of the just and of the unjust. Revelation 20; 2 Peter 3. But saving a soul from the second death is not the only object that those shall gain who succeed in this important work of restoring the erring. They shall hide the many sins and errors that have caused the fall of the person exposed to the much-to-be-dreaded second death. It is absolutely necessary to kindly, tenderly, lovingly, and mercifully show the erring his sins, that he may confess them, repent of them, and reform. But when once this has been done, and the doing of it has brought about the desired results, the duty to hide the sins committed and the errors fallen into, becomes imperative. God has forgiven the one who has confessed, repented, and reformed. His attitude toward him has changed; he does not hold up his sins before him through his word, spirit, and chosen human agents, as he did before his repentance; and should we not follow his example in this respect? Christ has washed the sins of this repenting believer in his own precious blood; and should we dwell upon them as if to revive them again and make them a present, existing reality? Shall we continue dwelling upon them as if they had not been forgiven, and as if the blood and intercessions of Christ had not removed them from the person who has committed them? Of backsliders who turn unto the Lord and forsake their sins, it is written: “Thou [God] will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:19. Is that continually calling up those sins, bringing them in sight, speaking of them to others, and accusing those who committed them? To do this would be taking sides with Satan as “the accuser of our brethren” (Rev. 12:10), and with the Pharisees, who were noted for accusing publicans and sinners who had confessed and forsaken the transgressions that had characterized and stained their lives and characters. Such a course is not only out of harmony with, but diametrically opposed to, the course of God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ; is against the salutary workings of the Holy Spirit, those of holy angels and of human beings who are earnestly laboring for the salvation of sinners; and has for animus and first cause, Satan’s hatred of Christ, of the plan of salvation and its application to those whom he has led to connect with his kingdom; and his desire to discourage those who have left his ranks, and to retard the gospel work in the earth. Can a person who is constantly dwelling upon and exposing the confessed and forsaken sins of others be walking in the light? — Certainly not. There is surely something wrong in one’s pursuing this course. He will certainly by so doing, either imitate the very sins he is exposing and dwelling upon, or himself commit sins that are more grievous; if, indeed, he has not already done this. There is generally selfishness or envy, or both, at the very root and basis of such a course. The sooner this thing is known and realized the better, the more hope is there for a reform of those who are so noted for flippantly talking about the sins and errors of others. “But,” says one, “the individual who has erred has again fallen into the same errors and made the same mistakes; and are you sure that he will not again do the same thing?” That may be true, or partially so. But have you never fallen into errors and made mistakes after making progress in the good way? If not, cast the first stone. If you have, be merciful, that you may obtain mercy; and be careful lest the judgment that you pass on others shall be passed on your own soul. How much better it is to cultivate and cherish that charity or love that “suffereth long, and is kind,” that “envieth not,” “vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,” “doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil,” “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” 1 Corinthians 13. Even by the discipline for the church that Christ has left us, we are encouraged to pursue a course in laboring for the erring that will favor the plan of giving the least possible publicity to the sins they have committed. Matthew 18. Let us in this matter, by grace divine and by a consistent course, place ourselves on the side of God the Father, God the Son, the Holy Spirit, the heavenly host, and with wise and faithful workers on earth, and not give way to the accuser of the brethren and the infernal spirits and human agents who aid him in the criminal work of annoying, discouraging, and destroying souls for whom Christ died. Then shall we save many souls from the awful second death, and hide a multitude of sins.