SINS: Covered or Uncovered?

“He that COVERETH his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Prov.28:13).

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is COVERED” (Ps.32:1).

The whole thing lies in a nutshell. The man who covers his sin will have them uncovered by God in the day of judgment, and condemnation must follow.

On the other hand, the man who uncovers them before God will have the happiness of knowing that God has covered them in grace.

Now the choice is very plain.

Cover up your sins and God will uncover them IN JUDGMENT.

Uncover your sins and God will cover them IN GRACE.

You ask, What does it mean by covering sin? It means the refusal of a sinner to really acknowledge his sins in the presence of God. One man covers his sins by indifference, another by a false religion, using it like a cloak. Let all such rest assured that they will not prosper, but that their sins will assuredly by uncovered by God to their everlasting shame.

You ask, What does it mean by uncovering sin? It means a true confession of it in God’s holy presence.

You ask, If I uncover my sin, what do you mean by God covering it? Surely that in virtue of the precious blood of Jesus shed on Calvary He can righteously forgive you all your sins, cover them by the shelter of that precious atoning blood. When God buried Moses it was impossible for any to discover his body, and when God covers your sins it will be impossible for them to be discovered or uncovered.

Now, like a sensible man, weigh this all over in the light of eternity, and never rest till you know for yourself the happiness of the man whose sin is covered, for you may know it.

Taken from an old book, “The Most Useful KNOWLEDGE for the Orthodox Russian-American Young People,” compiled by the Very Rev’d Peter G. Kohanik, 1932-1934.