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When I Sin, Who Will Know The Difference?
When I Sin, Who Will Know The Difference?
Sin is unrighteousness and a transgression of God's law. It presents a potent force that has brought evil and sorrow upon mankind from man's very beginning. Sin has a way of making a difference in one's life by being known or found out. When the children of Israel came to the promised land, Rueben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh requested inheritance on the east side of the river Jordan. The other tribes were to cross over Jordan and inherit on the west side. The land on the east was appealing to shepherds, and this prompted Rueben, Gad and Manasseh with their flocks, to desire to inherit there. They were granted this request on the condition that they would cross over Jordan and fight with their brethren and help them in taking the land on the west side. After the enemies had been subdued, they could come back and live in their inheritance on the east. They had given their word that they would do this. They were told by Moses, "But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out." (Numbers 32:23). It is common for men today to mock sin by denying that sin will find them out. Solomon wrote, "Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favor." (Proverbs 14:9). We may deceive ourselves by thinking that when we sin no one will know about it, and no difference will exist in the lives of anyone because of our sins.
Such Will Be Known: By the sinner. We have consciences with which we have to live. When we sin, they convict us in keeping with our knowledge. In John 8, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus, who was taken in adultery. They weren't interested in justice, but looked for an occasion to tempt and accuse Jesus. The answers which Jesus gave caused them to be "convicted by their own conscience, and they went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last:" (vs. 9). They knew they had done wrong, and their conscience found them out. After spending all of his inheritance and finding himself feeding swine, the prodigal son came to himself. "And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee. And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants." (Luke 15: 17-19). Sin had now found him out, and it had made a difference with him. He knew it and he knew that he needed to do something about it. The beauty of the story is that he arose and did what he resolved to do, and there was the beautiful reconciliation of father and son. There is no account in the Bible that is more heart touching that this reunion of father and son. It was brought about by the son coming to himself and recognizing that he had sinned and needed to do something about it. David wrote in the long ago, "For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me." (Psalm 51:3). Sin had made a difference in David's life. Sin had found him out! He knew that his sin was ever before him. Perhaps he had reference to the consequence of killing Uriah in an attempt to cover the adultery with Bathsheba. Whatever is was...it was ever before him! It made a difference in his life.
When I Sin, Such Will Be Known: By God. God is aware of all that we do or say. We cannot hide or escape from God. Adam and Eve tried it in the Garden of Eden to no avail. Jonah attempted the impossible by trying to flee from God. "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there." (Psalm 139:7-8). We should all be conscious of the presence of the Lord. "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." (Hebrews 4:13). When Joseph was a slave in Potiphar's house in Egypt, Potiphar's wife eyed him and tried to seduce him to fornicate with her. Joseph replied, "There is none greater in this house than I: neither hath he (Potiphar) kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9) Regardless of where he was and whatever circumstances existed, Joseph recognized that fornication was fornication and it was sin against God. He knew God would know what he did, and he respected God by not sinning against Him, and committing this great wickedness.
When I Sin, It Will Be Known: Invariably by enemies. Nathan told David, when he had sinned with Bathsheba and killed Uriah, and even after David had confessed his sin, "Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die." (II Samuel 12:14). The enemies of the Lord knew of his sins, and David's sins gave them reason to blaspheme. When members of the Lord's church sin publicly, enemies of the Lord seem to know about it before others, and delight in ridiculing the truth and the Lord's people. That is why we need to be careful to walk with Jesus, and give no one reason to blaspheme the name of Christ or the church of Christ.
Such Will Also Be Known: Often by victims. Sin has a way of finding victims. Just think of what ungodly, hateful tongues have done to the character of innocent people. Paul wrote of Alexander, the coppersmith, and how he had been victimized by him. "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words." (II Timothy 4:14-15). Paul said that this man had "greatly withstood our words". He warned Timothy of the evil that he had done, that Timothy might not be victimized by him. People need to know of the sins of men like Alexander, who greatly withstand words of truth, that they might not be deceived by them. The sin of Diotrephes found victims and John wrote of them in III John 9-10. "I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church." The sin of Diotrephes in loving preeminence found him out and John wrote of his malicious words and his evil treatment of brethren. It is common today to refer to someone who loves authority as practicing the sin of Diotrephes. Jesus was aware of the sins of others making a difference in other people's lives. He knew that trespasses would occur, and gave His teaching regarding them. "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him." (Luke 17:3-4). When a brother trespasses against another, it is obvious that that sin is recognized as being committed. Jesus gives the matter in which the altercation is to be settled. There is to be rebuke of the sinner; repentance of the sinner and forgiveness by the offended party. Forgiveness follows the rebuke and repentance, which many people are inclined to ignore and grant forgiveness when none of the condition are followed or met. Victims have obligations, and when I sin, they often are active in my sin being found out.
When I Sin, Such Will Be Known: By all at Christ's coming. "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God." (I Corinthians 4:5). At the coming of the Lord, the hidden things of darkness will be brought to light and the counsels of the hearts will be made manifest. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). God will bring every work into judgment with every secret thing at the coming of Christ. "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." (Romans 2:16). We should never endeavor to hide any deeds from the Lord. David said in Psalm l9:12, "Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults." I may have sins that others do not know of their existence, but when they are not forgiven in this life, they will be made known at the coming of the Lord. "Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after." (I Timothy 5:24). Be sure our sins will find us out!
