He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Hiding, excusing, or smoothing over wrongdoing brings failure, bondage, and spiritual ruin, while openly confessing wrong and turning away from it brings pardon, mercy, and favor. The conditions are simple and require no painful penances or burdensome acts, yet both confessing and forsaking are required together, with full reliance on Christ and His atoning sacrifice rather than on personal merit. True confession is specific, sincere, humble, and thorough, owning actual known wrongs to God and, where others are involved, to them, joined with sorrow that turns from repeating the sin, restitution, and putting away pride and self-defense. Forsaking means departing from iniquity with full purpose of heart, laying hold of Christ by living faith, and showing a thoroughly changed character, conduct, and loves in practical righteousness. Sins repented of and forsaken are pardoned and blotted out of heaven's records, while sins left hidden or unforsaken remain to meet the sinner in judgment, so the work must be done now while mercy still pleads.
Covering Sin Brings Failure
To cover, hide, smooth over, or excuse wrongdoing is to shut the door against prospering, success, spiritual progress, and safety, while to confess it and turn away from it is to open the way to mercy, pardon, and favor. Hiding does not bring escape from consequences, and merely admitting wrong while continuing in it is not enough, for mercy comes through humble, sincere repentance that puts sin away promptly and turns from it with a humble heart. This warning presses upon those who have ignored reproof and calls to repent, whose sin stands charged against them and defiles character, that they must confess now rather than later. It presses likewise upon all who share the privileges of God's church, including privileges once given to ancient Israel, since belonging to the church does not protect those who break the terms of their calling.
What is hidden from people cannot be hidden from God, who sees every secret thought and action and looks through outward appearances to the inner life. Concealed wrongdoing will be exposed, for every sin is known and recorded and remains as testimony unless repented of and forsaken. To deceive others about sin and mislead them therefore makes guilt far worse, while to confess it is honorable and not a loss of honor. This truth is meant to awaken parents to watchfulness and faithful care of children entrusted to them, since outwardly fair presentations do not make a wrong course right nor remove peril, and parents must face the truth and act faithfully to help recover the erring.
Hiding sin weakens the sense of its sinfulness and leads a person to continue in it. Cherished defects and faults give Satan a way to gain control of the mind, so they must be confessed and overcome rather than treated as incurable or impossible to overcome. God gives faith and grace to overcome them, and Christ pleads for His followers in this conflict. Forsaking in this sense means departing from iniquity and crucifying self, and God receives those who thus confess and truly turn away.
Wealth cannot hide or pay for even the smallest sin before God, nor can riches and outward appearance save the soul or serve as ransom for wrongdoing. What God accepts is repentance, true humility, a broken and contrite heart and spirit, with real confession and forsaking of sin, and nothing less is acceptable. Such confession must be real and not merely claimed, and true humility before God must also be shown toward other people. Humble confession of all sins is what brings a person into favor with the heavenly Father.
To conceal sin and refuse to face it brings no success, safety, relief, or lasting happiness. Refusing to humble oneself and confess backsliding is to choose ruin, while a broken and contrite spirit with full purpose of heart to return to God opens the way to mercy, healing, and restoration of the person and family. Concealing instead brings misery, harms others, and risks losing the truth that anchors and saves. Cherishing wrongdoing keeps prayer from being heard and leaves both the guilty and the church in bondage and unhealed, while frankly confessing faults and clearing away every trace of wrongdoing brings pardon and allows matters to be healed.
Conditions For Receiving Mercy
Mercy, forgiveness, and eternal life come on simple and reasonable conditions: confessing sin and forsaking it and turning away from it. No painful penances, long pilgrimages, or other burdensome acts are required to earn forgiveness or make atonement for sin. The promise encourages sinners to trust in God's love, receive forgiveness, and seek eternal life.
Confessing alone is not enough, and forsaking alone is not enough, for both together are required to obtain mercy. Merely admitting sin, or making a deceptive or minimizing admission that hides or cloaks or excuses it, does not meet the condition, and refusing either through lack of moral courage leaves a person without mercy and without well-being. What is required is personally confessing sin promptly and seeking forgiveness, humbly turning and breaking away from it, searching the heart, repenting, separating from the world and taking a stand on God's side. In this way a clean track is made behind oneself and life is changed through humility, confession, and forsaking sin.
Confession means coming to Jesus with penitence and humility, admitting inability to remove sin, and relying wholly on Christ and the merits of His atoning sacrifice and blood rather than on one's own works or righteousness. Pride, self-esteem, self-righteousness, and prideful refusal to admit mistakes hinder confession and prevent acceptance by God. Sins are to be confessed to God, and faults involving others are also to be confessed to them, with humble acknowledgment, repentance, and conversion leading to restoration and salvation. This must be done now, while Christ's atoning sacrifice pleads for the sinner, for those who thus confess and forsake and rely wholly on Jesus' merits are proclaimed worthy of salvation, cleansed from all sin as the Spirit draws the sinner back to Jesus.
Trusting God's love with living faith places the repentant person under Christ's protection and blessing and makes life safe. God receives, pardons, favors, and blesses those who humble themselves, confess and turn away from their sins, and come into harmony with Him, and this repentance accompanies believing prayer and reliance on the Saviour, who hears and answers in times of need. The sins to be forsaken make people miserable, and Christ makes salvation possible for everyone who comes to God through Him. Sinners perish not for lack of evidence but because they refuse to use the means God provides to learn His will, and such voluntary ignorance is inexcusable.
Even the gravest sins are pardoned when a person repents, confesses, and permanently forsakes them, and no sin is beyond forgiveness for those who do so. This includes grave sexual sins, which do not make a person hopeless if he turns from them. Confession must lead to a changed life without delay, with humbling of self, repentance, confession to God and to those wronged, earnest effort to make restitution, and reformation shown in kindness and sympathy, lest present conviction fade. Without evidence of reformation the guilt remains charged in heaven's books.
Marks Of True Confession
True confession names the actual wrongs known to be wrong, specifically and thoroughly, and owning them as one's own. A general admission of being human or liable to err is not enough while a known wrong is still refused, and acknowledging wrong only after exposure does not amount to owning sin. A deceptive or minimizing admission that cloaks sin does not meet the condition for pardon, which requires personally confessing and breaking away from the sin. Moving to a new place or beginning work in another field cannot remove sin's stain; repentance requires turning from the wrong and living a reformed life.
Confession must be sincere and complete, bringing sin into the open rather than defending it, for concealed sin defiles the heart and resists light because it avoids judgment against the wrongdoing. Acknowledging wrongdoing is the first evidence of amendment toward God and toward those harmed by one's influence, and it accompanies repentance as David's admission after Nathan's reproof showed. It must be humble, with true humility, a broken and contrite heart, self-examination and searching of heart, and repentance that forsakes the wrongs rather than excusing them or waiting to be personally singled out. Such confession must be real and not merely claimed, with humility before God also shown toward other people.
Sins are to be confessed to God, and faults that involve others are also to be confessed to them with a request for pardon. No human being can bear another person's sins or serve as confessor, so confession is made to God, with restitution to God where due. Pointing to the wrongdoing of others does not excuse one's own sins or hide them.
Confession must be joined with sorrow deep enough to turn away from repeating the sin, and pardon is not established by feelings of immediate relief afterward. Continuing in sin while professing faith dishonors Christ and harms witness, so it is noble to confess faults and leave them. Genuine repentance may include publicly admitting wrongdoing and restoring what was taken, exposing wickedness concealed beneath a profession of holiness. The sinner must humble himself, repent, confess to God and to those wronged, and earnestly seek to make restitution, and even grave sexual sins do not leave a person hopeless if turned from with reformation shown in kindness and sympathy, while without evidence of reformation guilt remains charged in heaven's books.
Confession must not be hindered by pride, self-esteem, or self-righteousness, nor withheld out of concern for dignity or fear of losing influence. Each person must examine his own life and take correction personally when it applies, not using the fact of not being named as reason to conceal or continue in sin. Envy must be admitted like any other fault, yet pride often keeps envious persons from admitting envy even while they confess and forsake other faults, and when confronted they may grow more bitter and remain unrepentant.
False repentance shows remorse but leaves the heart unchanged and leads back to the same wrong conduct. Genuine repentance brings thorough confession and putting away of sin, through which mercy and pardon are received from the Redeemer and peace is found.
Forsaking Sin Completely
Forsaking sin means departing from iniquity, turning from it and crucifying self in a wholehearted turning to God as the stronghold with full purpose of heart. There is no hope, remedy, or blessing in concealing, smoothing over, or excusing sin, for hiding it weakens the sense of its sinfulness and leads to continuing in it. Mercy, pardon, restoration, and salvation come through confessing sin and forsaking it rather than concealing it, turning from one's own way to God's way. Confession belongs to this turning, made to God and, when fellow believers are involved, to them also with a request for pardon, while Christ's blood cleanses from all sin and the Spirit draws the sinner back to Jesus.
Forsaking is proved by fruit that demonstrates repentance, reformation, and a thoroughly changed character, conduct, loves, and values. Those who confess and turn away find mercy and rest, for confession opens the way for forgiveness for Christ's sake, and forgiven sins may go beforehand to judgment to be blotted out when times of refreshing come from the Lord. Pardon requires more than admitting sin, for wrongs must be followed by reformation, separation from the world, taking a stand on God's side, and a life of practical righteousness reflecting Christ's character in kindness and sympathy. Even the gravest sins are met with mercy and pardon when the sinner repents, confesses, permanently forsakes them, reforms, and seeks God without delay rather than letting present conviction fade.
Sin cannot be escaped by moving to a new place or beginning work in another field, for general admissions or acknowledging wrong only after exposure do not amount to owning actual sins. Confession must be specific and thorough, joined to full surrender and lasting change, turning from the wrong and living a reformed life. Confessions do not suffice while unbelief, jealousy, distrust, and harmful influence continue; the wrong spread must be uprooted and worked just as earnestly to undo, clearing away every trace so matters can be healed and pardoned and a clean track left behind.
Forsaking includes not turning away from God's word when it exposes sin, but confessing faults and wholly and firmly forsaking them. It includes laying hold of Christ as a personal Saviour and continuing to hold fast to Him, returning to loyalty to God and drawing near to Him. Trust in God's promises with faith shown by works accompanies this response, while Jesus cleanses and sanctifies the heart.
Character defects are not incurable and must not be treated as impossible to overcome, for God gives faith and grace to overcome them. Hiding or excusing sin prevents prospering and success, while confessing sin, putting it away, and turning from it bring mercy; prompt confession and putting away are called for. Cherished defects and faults give Satan a way to gain control of the mind, so they must be confessed and overcome, and those who come confessing and forsaking are received by Christ, forgiven of iniquities, transformed in character, and aided by heavenly angels against satanic delusions, with Christ pleading for His followers.
Conversion involves confessing and forsaking sins, and each converted person thereafter faces battles and victories. Escape from a sinful course requires both humble confession and forsaking it, so youth who have drifted from holiness must retrace their steps, confess and abandon their half-hearted course, renew their first Christian experience, and cherish the divine aspirations they had treated lightly. Faith in Christ gives strength and guidance for that renewed walk.
Judgment And Blotting Out
Sins that are repented of and forsaken are pardoned and blotted out of heaven's records, while sins left unforsaken remain as testimony against the sinner. Forgiven sins may go beforehand to judgment, sent beforehand to be blotted out when times of refreshing come from the Lord, even out of the book of life. Confession opens the way for forgiveness for Christ's sake, joined with faith that Jesus will pardon, and with humbling of the heart and surrender to God that bring mercy, rest, and salvation through Christ. Deliverance requires confessing and forsaking sin rather than hiding or reserving any of it, for cherished sin keeps a person in bondage, and true repentance also brings a change in what a person loves and values.
Hiding or denying wrongdoing from other people cannot conceal it from God, for every sin is known and recorded and God sees through outward appearances to the inner life. Sins left hidden, denied, unconfessed, or unforsaken will be faced at the final judgment when the books are opened and every deed is judged. Hiding wrongs keeps a person from standing on firm ground and receiving salvation, and catching a glimpse of truth does not excuse refusing to face further wrongs. Confession belongs to the final day of atonement before that opening of the books, and must be made before it is too late, for remaining fastened in iniquity leaves a person to face judgment with unconfessed sin. Christ died so that sins can be forgiven and transgressions pardoned.
Confession and putting away must be done now, while Christ's atoning sacrifice pleads for the sinner, rather than left to be faced at the final judgment. Pride, self-esteem, self-righteousness, concern for dignity, and fear of losing influence must not hinder confession, and reliance is to be wholly on Christ rather than on one's own works or righteousness. Sins are to be confessed to God, and faults involving others are to be admitted to them. Clearing the way for the King means turning from sin while there is opportunity so Christ can use a person as His disciple, and Christ accepts everyone who comes to Him, as even the thief dying on the cross received forgiveness when he asked to be remembered in Christ's kingdom.
This work of repentance, cleansing from sin, is necessary preparation for the Lord's appearing in order to be saved, and it is urgent because the great day of atonement is underway and is to be done now. Each person must deal with his own sins rather than exalt himself by disparaging others. Delaying repentance risks waiting until mercy no longer invites people to receive the truth, and refusing to admit wrongdoing or evading it leaves guilt upon the sinner. Remaining fastened in iniquity leaves guilt charged against him in heaven's books, for forgiveness requires more than admitting sin. The sinner must humble himself, repent, confess to God and to those he has wronged, and earnestly seek to make restitution, and even grave sexual sins do not make a person hopeless if he turns from them and shows reformation through kindness and sympathy, but without evidence of reformation the guilt remains charged.
Its warning applies to people who have received great privileges but remain impenitent. Hiding sin brings no lasting good and no prosperity, while honestly confessing and turning away from sin brings mercy. A hardened heart leads to ruin, whereas reverent fear and a willingness to repent are the way to receive mercy.
Living Out The Promise
Cherished or concealed envy, malice, and every evil thing that grieves Christ must be confessed and put away to seek God in humble faith, and then blessing can be given consistently and prayers answered according to pledged promise. In cases of affliction where Satan controls the mind, self-examination should uncover any concealed sins before prayer for the sick, for fasting and prayer accomplish nothing while wrongdoing keeps the heart estranged from God. Confession and forsaking, joined with earnest prayer and consecration, prepare the heart for the Holy Spirit, and this cleansing and surrender are needed continually, since receiving greater light and grace depends on living up to the light already given.
Violations of God's natural or spiritual law are sin, and those seeking restoration to health must confess such violations and abandon them rather than conceal them, for receiving blessing requires both confessing and forsaking. Confession and forsaking belong with seeking the Lord and allowing the heart to be cleansed from unrighteousness, with confession to one another and prayer joined to experiencing the healing power of Christ's grace.
When a wrong stands between people and God or between brethren it must be put right rather than hidden, and confessing and forsaking removes what stands in the way and brings the sinner into close relation and union with Jesus. This union with Christ makes believers one, makes Christ's sacrifice efficacious, and gives the world evidence that God sent His Son to save sinners, while conviction reveals God's glory and living union with God leads people to hate the sin that separates them from Him. Repentance is proved by such confessing and forsaking, so even a serious offender who turns from sin through the Holy Spirit's work is to be forgiven, welcomed back into the church, and encouraged in the right way, with no serious offense barring forgiveness for one who yields and turns.
Hiding sin brings no success because every secret thought and action is seen and concealed wrongdoing will be exposed, and this should awaken parents to watchfulness and faithful care of the children entrusted to them. Outwardly fair presentations do not make a wrong course right or remove peril, so parents must face the truth and act faithfully to help recover the erring one. Wrongs should be honestly confessed rather than concealed, for hiding is dishonest, and children should continue confessing their wrongs openly. Young people who have drifted from holiness in a half-hearted course must retrace their steps with humble confession and forsaking, renew their first Christian experience, cherish again the divine aspirations they treated lightly, and find in faith in Christ strength and guidance.
Belonging to the church and sharing privileges once given to ancient Israel does not protect those who break the terms of their calling, for hiding sin brings no success while confessing and turning away brings mercy. Those who serve God must confess and forsake sins as part of preparing earnestly for gospel work and working in harmony with fellow believers. Selfishness that has been rebuked but remains unconfessed must not be kept hidden in secrecy, for frankness and openness are required instead. In Scandinavia many who heard the Advent message were moved to confess and forsake their sins and seek pardon in Christ, and they received mercy by confessing and turning away.
Those who confess their sins and turn away from them find mercy and rest, for confession opens the way to forgiveness for Christ's sake, with forgiven sins going beforehand to judgment to be blotted out when times of refreshing come, and true repentance brings a change in what a person loves and values. Hiding wrongs cannot bring relief or lasting happiness, while humbling oneself, admitting wrongs, and returning to God with full purpose of heart opens the way to mercy, so that God can heal and restore the person and family, whereas concealing sin brings misery, harms others, and risks losing the truth that anchors and saves. Confessing and forsaking brings mercy and a transformed character seen in practical righteousness reflecting Christ's character. Those who humbly confess to Christ and put sins away receive mercy, and Christ then uses them and enables them to help others.
Hiding, excusing, or smoothing over wrongdoing brings failure, bondage, and spiritual ruin, while openly confessing wrong and turning away from it brings pardon, mercy, and favor. The conditions are simple and require no painful penances or burdensome acts, yet both confessing and forsaking are required together, with full reliance on Christ and His atoning sacrifice rather than on personal merit. True confession is specific, sincere, humble, and thorough, owning actual known wrongs to God and, where others are involved, to them, joined with sorrow that turns from repeating the sin, restitution, and putting away pride and self-defense. Forsaking means departing from iniquity with full purpose of heart, laying hold of Christ by living faith, and showing a thoroughly changed character, conduct, and loves in practical righteousness. Sins repented of and forsaken are pardoned and blotted out of heaven's records, while sins left hidden or unforsaken remain to meet the sinner in judgment, so the work must be done now while mercy still pleads.
Covering Sin Brings Failure
To cover, hide, smooth over, or excuse wrongdoing is to shut the door against prospering, success, spiritual progress, and safety, while to confess it and turn away from it is to open the way to mercy, pardon, and favor. Hiding does not bring escape from consequences, and merely admitting wrong while continuing in it is not enough, for mercy comes through humble, sincere repentance that puts sin away promptly and turns from it with a humble heart. This warning presses upon those who have ignored reproof and calls to repent, whose sin stands charged against them and defiles character, that they must confess now rather than later. It presses likewise upon all who share the privileges of God's church, including privileges once given to ancient Israel, since belonging to the church does not protect those who break the terms of their calling.
What is hidden from people cannot be hidden from God, who sees every secret thought and action and looks through outward appearances to the inner life. Concealed wrongdoing will be exposed, for every sin is known and recorded and remains as testimony unless repented of and forsaken. To deceive others about sin and mislead them therefore makes guilt far worse, while to confess it is honorable and not a loss of honor. This truth is meant to awaken parents to watchfulness and faithful care of children entrusted to them, since outwardly fair presentations do not make a wrong course right nor remove peril, and parents must face the truth and act faithfully to help recover the erring.
Hiding sin weakens the sense of its sinfulness and leads a person to continue in it. Cherished defects and faults give Satan a way to gain control of the mind, so they must be confessed and overcome rather than treated as incurable or impossible to overcome. God gives faith and grace to overcome them, and Christ pleads for His followers in this conflict. Forsaking in this sense means departing from iniquity and crucifying self, and God receives those who thus confess and truly turn away.
Wealth cannot hide or pay for even the smallest sin before God, nor can riches and outward appearance save the soul or serve as ransom for wrongdoing. What God accepts is repentance, true humility, a broken and contrite heart and spirit, with real confession and forsaking of sin, and nothing less is acceptable. Such confession must be real and not merely claimed, and true humility before God must also be shown toward other people. Humble confession of all sins is what brings a person into favor with the heavenly Father.
To conceal sin and refuse to face it brings no success, safety, relief, or lasting happiness. Refusing to humble oneself and confess backsliding is to choose ruin, while a broken and contrite spirit with full purpose of heart to return to God opens the way to mercy, healing, and restoration of the person and family. Concealing instead brings misery, harms others, and risks losing the truth that anchors and saves. Cherishing wrongdoing keeps prayer from being heard and leaves both the guilty and the church in bondage and unhealed, while frankly confessing faults and clearing away every trace of wrongdoing brings pardon and allows matters to be healed.
Conditions For Receiving Mercy
Mercy, forgiveness, and eternal life come on simple and reasonable conditions: confessing sin and forsaking it and turning away from it. No painful penances, long pilgrimages, or other burdensome acts are required to earn forgiveness or make atonement for sin. The promise encourages sinners to trust in God's love, receive forgiveness, and seek eternal life.
Confessing alone is not enough, and forsaking alone is not enough, for both together are required to obtain mercy. Merely admitting sin, or making a deceptive or minimizing admission that hides or cloaks or excuses it, does not meet the condition, and refusing either through lack of moral courage leaves a person without mercy and without well-being. What is required is personally confessing sin promptly and seeking forgiveness, humbly turning and breaking away from it, searching the heart, repenting, separating from the world and taking a stand on God's side. In this way a clean track is made behind oneself and life is changed through humility, confession, and forsaking sin.
Confession means coming to Jesus with penitence and humility, admitting inability to remove sin, and relying wholly on Christ and the merits of His atoning sacrifice and blood rather than on one's own works or righteousness. Pride, self-esteem, self-righteousness, and prideful refusal to admit mistakes hinder confession and prevent acceptance by God. Sins are to be confessed to God, and faults involving others are also to be confessed to them, with humble acknowledgment, repentance, and conversion leading to restoration and salvation. This must be done now, while Christ's atoning sacrifice pleads for the sinner, for those who thus confess and forsake and rely wholly on Jesus' merits are proclaimed worthy of salvation, cleansed from all sin as the Spirit draws the sinner back to Jesus.
Trusting God's love with living faith places the repentant person under Christ's protection and blessing and makes life safe. God receives, pardons, favors, and blesses those who humble themselves, confess and turn away from their sins, and come into harmony with Him, and this repentance accompanies believing prayer and reliance on the Saviour, who hears and answers in times of need. The sins to be forsaken make people miserable, and Christ makes salvation possible for everyone who comes to God through Him. Sinners perish not for lack of evidence but because they refuse to use the means God provides to learn His will, and such voluntary ignorance is inexcusable.
Even the gravest sins are pardoned when a person repents, confesses, and permanently forsakes them, and no sin is beyond forgiveness for those who do so. This includes grave sexual sins, which do not make a person hopeless if he turns from them. Confession must lead to a changed life without delay, with humbling of self, repentance, confession to God and to those wronged, earnest effort to make restitution, and reformation shown in kindness and sympathy, lest present conviction fade. Without evidence of reformation the guilt remains charged in heaven's books.
Marks Of True Confession
True confession names the actual wrongs known to be wrong, specifically and thoroughly, and owning them as one's own. A general admission of being human or liable to err is not enough while a known wrong is still refused, and acknowledging wrong only after exposure does not amount to owning sin. A deceptive or minimizing admission that cloaks sin does not meet the condition for pardon, which requires personally confessing and breaking away from the sin. Moving to a new place or beginning work in another field cannot remove sin's stain; repentance requires turning from the wrong and living a reformed life.
Confession must be sincere and complete, bringing sin into the open rather than defending it, for concealed sin defiles the heart and resists light because it avoids judgment against the wrongdoing. Acknowledging wrongdoing is the first evidence of amendment toward God and toward those harmed by one's influence, and it accompanies repentance as David's admission after Nathan's reproof showed. It must be humble, with true humility, a broken and contrite heart, self-examination and searching of heart, and repentance that forsakes the wrongs rather than excusing them or waiting to be personally singled out. Such confession must be real and not merely claimed, with humility before God also shown toward other people.
Sins are to be confessed to God, and faults that involve others are also to be confessed to them with a request for pardon. No human being can bear another person's sins or serve as confessor, so confession is made to God, with restitution to God where due. Pointing to the wrongdoing of others does not excuse one's own sins or hide them.
Confession must be joined with sorrow deep enough to turn away from repeating the sin, and pardon is not established by feelings of immediate relief afterward. Continuing in sin while professing faith dishonors Christ and harms witness, so it is noble to confess faults and leave them. Genuine repentance may include publicly admitting wrongdoing and restoring what was taken, exposing wickedness concealed beneath a profession of holiness. The sinner must humble himself, repent, confess to God and to those wronged, and earnestly seek to make restitution, and even grave sexual sins do not leave a person hopeless if turned from with reformation shown in kindness and sympathy, while without evidence of reformation guilt remains charged in heaven's books.
Confession must not be hindered by pride, self-esteem, or self-righteousness, nor withheld out of concern for dignity or fear of losing influence. Each person must examine his own life and take correction personally when it applies, not using the fact of not being named as reason to conceal or continue in sin. Envy must be admitted like any other fault, yet pride often keeps envious persons from admitting envy even while they confess and forsake other faults, and when confronted they may grow more bitter and remain unrepentant.
False repentance shows remorse but leaves the heart unchanged and leads back to the same wrong conduct. Genuine repentance brings thorough confession and putting away of sin, through which mercy and pardon are received from the Redeemer and peace is found.
Forsaking Sin Completely
Forsaking sin means departing from iniquity, turning from it and crucifying self in a wholehearted turning to God as the stronghold with full purpose of heart. There is no hope, remedy, or blessing in concealing, smoothing over, or excusing sin, for hiding it weakens the sense of its sinfulness and leads to continuing in it. Mercy, pardon, restoration, and salvation come through confessing sin and forsaking it rather than concealing it, turning from one's own way to God's way. Confession belongs to this turning, made to God and, when fellow believers are involved, to them also with a request for pardon, while Christ's blood cleanses from all sin and the Spirit draws the sinner back to Jesus.
Forsaking is proved by fruit that demonstrates repentance, reformation, and a thoroughly changed character, conduct, loves, and values. Those who confess and turn away find mercy and rest, for confession opens the way for forgiveness for Christ's sake, and forgiven sins may go beforehand to judgment to be blotted out when times of refreshing come from the Lord. Pardon requires more than admitting sin, for wrongs must be followed by reformation, separation from the world, taking a stand on God's side, and a life of practical righteousness reflecting Christ's character in kindness and sympathy. Even the gravest sins are met with mercy and pardon when the sinner repents, confesses, permanently forsakes them, reforms, and seeks God without delay rather than letting present conviction fade.
Sin cannot be escaped by moving to a new place or beginning work in another field, for general admissions or acknowledging wrong only after exposure do not amount to owning actual sins. Confession must be specific and thorough, joined to full surrender and lasting change, turning from the wrong and living a reformed life. Confessions do not suffice while unbelief, jealousy, distrust, and harmful influence continue; the wrong spread must be uprooted and worked just as earnestly to undo, clearing away every trace so matters can be healed and pardoned and a clean track left behind.
Forsaking includes not turning away from God's word when it exposes sin, but confessing faults and wholly and firmly forsaking them. It includes laying hold of Christ as a personal Saviour and continuing to hold fast to Him, returning to loyalty to God and drawing near to Him. Trust in God's promises with faith shown by works accompanies this response, while Jesus cleanses and sanctifies the heart.
Character defects are not incurable and must not be treated as impossible to overcome, for God gives faith and grace to overcome them. Hiding or excusing sin prevents prospering and success, while confessing sin, putting it away, and turning from it bring mercy; prompt confession and putting away are called for. Cherished defects and faults give Satan a way to gain control of the mind, so they must be confessed and overcome, and those who come confessing and forsaking are received by Christ, forgiven of iniquities, transformed in character, and aided by heavenly angels against satanic delusions, with Christ pleading for His followers.
Conversion involves confessing and forsaking sins, and each converted person thereafter faces battles and victories. Escape from a sinful course requires both humble confession and forsaking it, so youth who have drifted from holiness must retrace their steps, confess and abandon their half-hearted course, renew their first Christian experience, and cherish the divine aspirations they had treated lightly. Faith in Christ gives strength and guidance for that renewed walk.
Judgment And Blotting Out
Sins that are repented of and forsaken are pardoned and blotted out of heaven's records, while sins left unforsaken remain as testimony against the sinner. Forgiven sins may go beforehand to judgment, sent beforehand to be blotted out when times of refreshing come from the Lord, even out of the book of life. Confession opens the way for forgiveness for Christ's sake, joined with faith that Jesus will pardon, and with humbling of the heart and surrender to God that bring mercy, rest, and salvation through Christ. Deliverance requires confessing and forsaking sin rather than hiding or reserving any of it, for cherished sin keeps a person in bondage, and true repentance also brings a change in what a person loves and values.
Hiding or denying wrongdoing from other people cannot conceal it from God, for every sin is known and recorded and God sees through outward appearances to the inner life. Sins left hidden, denied, unconfessed, or unforsaken will be faced at the final judgment when the books are opened and every deed is judged. Hiding wrongs keeps a person from standing on firm ground and receiving salvation, and catching a glimpse of truth does not excuse refusing to face further wrongs. Confession belongs to the final day of atonement before that opening of the books, and must be made before it is too late, for remaining fastened in iniquity leaves a person to face judgment with unconfessed sin. Christ died so that sins can be forgiven and transgressions pardoned.
Confession and putting away must be done now, while Christ's atoning sacrifice pleads for the sinner, rather than left to be faced at the final judgment. Pride, self-esteem, self-righteousness, concern for dignity, and fear of losing influence must not hinder confession, and reliance is to be wholly on Christ rather than on one's own works or righteousness. Sins are to be confessed to God, and faults involving others are to be admitted to them. Clearing the way for the King means turning from sin while there is opportunity so Christ can use a person as His disciple, and Christ accepts everyone who comes to Him, as even the thief dying on the cross received forgiveness when he asked to be remembered in Christ's kingdom.
This work of repentance, cleansing from sin, is necessary preparation for the Lord's appearing in order to be saved, and it is urgent because the great day of atonement is underway and is to be done now. Each person must deal with his own sins rather than exalt himself by disparaging others. Delaying repentance risks waiting until mercy no longer invites people to receive the truth, and refusing to admit wrongdoing or evading it leaves guilt upon the sinner. Remaining fastened in iniquity leaves guilt charged against him in heaven's books, for forgiveness requires more than admitting sin. The sinner must humble himself, repent, confess to God and to those he has wronged, and earnestly seek to make restitution, and even grave sexual sins do not make a person hopeless if he turns from them and shows reformation through kindness and sympathy, but without evidence of reformation the guilt remains charged.
Its warning applies to people who have received great privileges but remain impenitent. Hiding sin brings no lasting good and no prosperity, while honestly confessing and turning away from sin brings mercy. A hardened heart leads to ruin, whereas reverent fear and a willingness to repent are the way to receive mercy.
Living Out The Promise
Cherished or concealed envy, malice, and every evil thing that grieves Christ must be confessed and put away to seek God in humble faith, and then blessing can be given consistently and prayers answered according to pledged promise. In cases of affliction where Satan controls the mind, self-examination should uncover any concealed sins before prayer for the sick, for fasting and prayer accomplish nothing while wrongdoing keeps the heart estranged from God. Confession and forsaking, joined with earnest prayer and consecration, prepare the heart for the Holy Spirit, and this cleansing and surrender are needed continually, since receiving greater light and grace depends on living up to the light already given.
Violations of God's natural or spiritual law are sin, and those seeking restoration to health must confess such violations and abandon them rather than conceal them, for receiving blessing requires both confessing and forsaking. Confession and forsaking belong with seeking the Lord and allowing the heart to be cleansed from unrighteousness, with confession to one another and prayer joined to experiencing the healing power of Christ's grace.
When a wrong stands between people and God or between brethren it must be put right rather than hidden, and confessing and forsaking removes what stands in the way and brings the sinner into close relation and union with Jesus. This union with Christ makes believers one, makes Christ's sacrifice efficacious, and gives the world evidence that God sent His Son to save sinners, while conviction reveals God's glory and living union with God leads people to hate the sin that separates them from Him. Repentance is proved by such confessing and forsaking, so even a serious offender who turns from sin through the Holy Spirit's work is to be forgiven, welcomed back into the church, and encouraged in the right way, with no serious offense barring forgiveness for one who yields and turns.
Hiding sin brings no success because every secret thought and action is seen and concealed wrongdoing will be exposed, and this should awaken parents to watchfulness and faithful care of the children entrusted to them. Outwardly fair presentations do not make a wrong course right or remove peril, so parents must face the truth and act faithfully to help recover the erring one. Wrongs should be honestly confessed rather than concealed, for hiding is dishonest, and children should continue confessing their wrongs openly. Young people who have drifted from holiness in a half-hearted course must retrace their steps with humble confession and forsaking, renew their first Christian experience, cherish again the divine aspirations they treated lightly, and find in faith in Christ strength and guidance.
Belonging to the church and sharing privileges once given to ancient Israel does not protect those who break the terms of their calling, for hiding sin brings no success while confessing and turning away brings mercy. Those who serve God must confess and forsake sins as part of preparing earnestly for gospel work and working in harmony with fellow believers. Selfishness that has been rebuked but remains unconfessed must not be kept hidden in secrecy, for frankness and openness are required instead. In Scandinavia many who heard the Advent message were moved to confess and forsake their sins and seek pardon in Christ, and they received mercy by confessing and turning away.
Those who confess their sins and turn away from them find mercy and rest, for confession opens the way to forgiveness for Christ's sake, with forgiven sins going beforehand to judgment to be blotted out when times of refreshing come, and true repentance brings a change in what a person loves and values. Hiding wrongs cannot bring relief or lasting happiness, while humbling oneself, admitting wrongs, and returning to God with full purpose of heart opens the way to mercy, so that God can heal and restore the person and family, whereas concealing sin brings misery, harms others, and risks losing the truth that anchors and saves. Confessing and forsaking brings mercy and a transformed character seen in practical righteousness reflecting Christ's character. Those who humbly confess to Christ and put sins away receive mercy, and Christ then uses them and enables them to help others.