The weight of our sin can seem overwhelming at times. John Bunyan portrayed the burden of sin in his classic allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress. King David in the Old Testament felt the weight of his sin as he committed adultery with Bathsheba and then attempted to cover up his egregious sin by having her husband murdered:

When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality failed as with the dry heat of summer. (Psalm 32:3-4)

David experienced the enervating effect of unconfessed sin in his life. The prophet Nathan boldly confronted David and he confessed his sin and experienced the forgiveness of his sin:

Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.” (2 Samuel 12:13)

David understood that all sin is ultimately against the Lord:

Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge. (Psalm 51:4)

There is no sin that that we may commit that is beyond the grace and forgiveness of God. David testified of the forgiveness that he experienced:

How blessed is he whose wrongdoing is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is a person whose guilt the Lord does not take into account, and in whose spirit there is no deceit! (Psalm 32:1-2)

David’s experience led him to exhort others to come to God:

I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not hide my guilt; I said, “I will confess my wrongdoings to the Lord”; and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; certainly in a flood of great waters, they will not reach him. (Psalm 32:5-6)

We must realize that God’s forgiveness is greater than any sin that we may commit; however, the consequences of our sin still remain. David experienced God’s forgiveness, but he faced bitter consequences:

“However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.” (2 Samuel 12:14)

This is why we must not have a cavalier attitude toward sin. God’s forgiveness is available, but the consequences remain. There are no secret sins. Lewis Sperry Chafer observed, “It may be a secret sin on earth, but it is open scandal in heaven.” Is there any unconfessed sin in your life? We must come to God in humility, realizing our brokenness and need for His forgiveness:

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)

Rick Higgins

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark