CONCEAL OR CONFESS? THIS DECISION DICTATES THE REST!

December 5, 2017

CONCEAL OR CONFESS? THIS DECISION DICTATES THE REST!

Proverbs 28:9-17

Matt Butcher

Central Truth

Each verse in this passage is full of wisdom. And they all pivot on the center—verse 13. We cannot conceal (disregard) our sin and expect it to go well. Acknowledging our sin starts with fear (reverence) of the Lord, and He will give us mercy (instead of what we deserve).

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
(Proverbs 28:13)

9 If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,
    even his prayer is an abomination.
10 Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way
    will fall into his own pit,
    but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.
11 A rich man is wise in his own eyes,
    but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.
12 When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
    but when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.
13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
    but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
14 Blessed is the one who fears the LORD^{1

28:14
Hebrew lacks the LORD} always,
    but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
    is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
    but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 If one is burdened with the blood of another,
    he will be a fugitive until death;^{2

28:17
Hebrew until the pit}
    let no one help him.

Footnotes

[1] 28:14 Hebrew lacks the LORD
[2] 28:17 Hebrew until the pit

I don't think of myself as a ruler or as "burdened with the blood of another"; so how does this passage apply? Through prayer, the Lord revealed to me that, like a teeter-totter, it all pivots on the center.

The literal center of verses 9 to 17 is verse 13: "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy."

To conceal is to cover up, marginalize, diminish the consequences, and ultimately disregard God’s command to confess and repent from our sins. Ignore this command, and it won't work out well.

For example, "If one turns away his ear from hearing the law [concealing], even his prayer is an abomination [not working out well]" (verse 9). For me, this means running after to-dos and worldly pursuits. When I marginalize daily time in the Word, the Lord may consider my prayers a disgrace!

Another example: "Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way [concealing], will fall into his own pit [not working out well]" (verse 10). As a dad, this truth is immensely applicable. With kids, more is caught than taught, and I am often guilty of misleading the blameless ones God has entrusted to me. My kids "catch" everything I do, whether or not it's something that honors God. Spending time in the Word, relating to my wife, spending money, etc. all present chances to lead or mislead.

The great news is that verse 13 also demonstrates how well it will work out when I confess and repent: "but he who confesses and forsakes [his transgressions] will obtain mercy."

Working out well in verse 10, for example: "but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance." Here the Lord, through His infinite grace, shows me that a "goodly inheritance" will be mine. In verse 11 . . . well, you get the idea. Try this exercise on the rest of today's passage.

But what about that last verse, verse 17? I’m not "burdened with the blood of another." Or am I? After writing this Journey devotional, those whom I know well and haven't shared Christ with come to my mind. And I can be burdened by that.

1. After writing this Journey, I see more sins I’ve been concealing. One of my favorite and personally revealing prayers is "God, please show me the sins I am unaware of, not willing to acknowledge, and concealing. And forgive me of those." Could you pray that prayer now?

2. Where might you be misleading the upright, acting like a ruler who lacks understanding, or a rich man wise in his own eyes? Are you burdened with the blood of another? Also see Matthew 5:21-24, where Jesus compares anger towards a brother or sister to murder.

3. If you believe in Christ, His instruction is clear: confess those sins, forsake them, and He will give you mercy. Is there one verse in Proverbs 28:9-17 that you can apply today?

4. If you don’t believe in Christ, can you think of one sin that you've concealed? For this sin, God specifically sacrificed His Son so He may show you mercy! Ask Him to lead you to this truth. Could you pray that prayer now?