Do Not Shun Repentance.
By John Nevins Andrews
“THERE is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; neither hid that shall not be known.” Luke 12:2. What a fearful declaration is this! What an impossible thing to cover our sins! It is that abominable thing which God hates. The universe is not vast enough in all its infinite extent, to hide in its remotest corner one wicked act. All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Justice and mercy are alike infinite in him. Mercy has the field first. And yet mercy pays justice such a price as shows that if it were not infinite, we should have been utterly passed by. Mercy offers pardon upon terms that honor justice and mercy alike. Many slight this offer, thinking they can hide their sins. It is painful to confess them, and they run the risk of having them opened before the assembled universe. The time of mercy will not last always. Then justice has the fearful account to settle. Then it will be found that our sins which we chose rather to cover than to correct by repentance, will all stand revealed; and that our wrongs which we ventured to hide rather than to confess and put away, will all be known by men and angels. Shame and everlasting contempt shall be our just portion. Why not wash our hands of this terrible stain? Why not abandon this ruinous business of hiding sins? Why not avail ourselves of mercy’s hour to correct all our ways? Why not have a clean record in the books above, where true repentance will cause all our sins to be blotted out? Remember that if sin stands against you in the judgment, it is because you chose to conceal and carry it rather than to confess and correct it. We never can be too much in earnest in putting away our sins.