In the book of Numbers, Moses declares to the tribes of Israel, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Pastors and Christian leaders have used this phrase over the years as a warning to believers.
Generally, when we do something we know is wrong, we try to hide it. Children do this instinctively. During Christmas at my grandma’s house when I was a young kid, I took a whole bag of powdered doughnuts down to the basement and ate the whole thing by myself. I ascended the stairs, thinking I was in the clear, and my parents started laughing at me. “Britt, did you eat powdered doughnuts?”
I didn’t realize I had powdered sugar all over my mouth and shirt, and I shook my head and said, “No.”
Sin results from a lie, and part of the lie we often tell ourselves is that we can get away with it. God loves us too much. Sin leads to death, so he exposes it for our good and the good of others.
What is the Context of “Be Sure Your Sin Will Find You Out”?
The phrase “be sure your sin will find you out” emerges from a conversation between Moses and the tribes of Reuben and Gad (Numbers 32:23). Those two tribes, along with the half tribe of Manasseh, asked to settle in the fertile lands east of the Jordan River, which all Israel had conquered on the way to the Promised Land.
At first, Moses treated their request as an act of rebellion, likening it to the previous generation's refusal to enter the Promised Land from fear of the giant Canaanites (Numbers 13-14), maybe leading to another forty-year delay wandering the wilderness.
But the leaders of Reuben and Gad promised to send their fighting men into battle until every tribe had received their inheritance in the Promised Land. Moses agreed they could settle east of the Jordan if they followed through on their promise to fight. If they failed, he said, they’d be sinning against the Lord, and Moses warned, “Be sure your sin will find you out.”
In this context, “be sure your sins will find you out” declares the seriousness of breaking a vow to God. Broadly, the phrase teaches about hidden sin, and how no person gets away with it. This is the nature of sin.
At the same time, Moses speaks this phrase in the context of following through with God’s mission. Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh would have declared their belief in God and religious truth. God delivered Israel from Egyptian slavery for more than believing religious truth, or even a release from slavery. The Lord’s complete purpose and goal was to have a unified and free people to conquer and settle the Promised Land and establish a nation and culture reflecting the miraculous benefits of a godly society. For those tribes to settle for the wrong side of the Jordan and not participate would be rebellion against God.
God saves us from hell for heaven and the Kingdom, where he gives us an inheritance and allows us to co-reign with Christ for eternity. To be saved from hell but not take up the Kingdom purpose is incomplete and leads to living a lie. In the church, God also means for us to gather as outposts of Kingdom culture and spread that culture through the Gospel. As Jesus tells us, the focus is on seeking the Kingdom first, above all things. Then all things follow from that.
How Can Hidden Sin Come to Light?
Hidden sin, even when concealed from others, always comes to light eventually, whether in this life or the one to come. God sees and knows everything and makes sure no sin goes unaddressed. The Bible teaches that sin has consequences, ultimately spiritual death, and in his love, God exposes sin to bring repentance, restoration, and transformation.
A clear example of hidden sin being revealed comes from David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12). We also see a lack of kingdom purpose on display. David stayed home when kings normally went to war. In his luxury and not applying himself to battle, a woman’s nakedness tempts him. After committing adultery with Bathsheba, David arranges the death of her husband, Uriah, to conceal his sin. God sent the prophet Nathan to confront him. Nathan revealed David’s sin through a parable and pronounced the consequences. David’s sin eventually surfaced, leading to consequences like the death of the child and future family consequences.
David does repent when confronted by Nathan and God. The Lord exposes David’s sin out of love, to bring him to spiritual restoration, aligning him with truth. However, David did still face earthly consequences.
Looking at Jonah, we see the same principle. Jonah’s disobedience involved resisting God’s will and purpose, to declare truth to evil and violent Nineveh. Jonah ran the other way because he knew God would be merciful if Nineveh repented, as we see later in the story. Despite Jonah’s flight from God, God brought a storm and chaos to help reveal his sin. Jonah confessed and repented in the belly of a big fish and later completed his mission.
Hidden sin produces consequences, so God’s love allows certain situations to arise, primarily to push us to change. God is first redemptive. As Hebrews 12:6 reminds us, God disciplines those he loves, always to give us the opportunity to correct our path. Tragically, not everyone changes, but God gives us the chance.
What are the Consequences of Unrepentant Sin?
The Bible makes it clear that our sin, when left unconfessed, comes with serious consequences.
First, unrepented sin separates us from God. Isaiah 59:2 says, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” Unconfessed sin builds a barrier between us and God, hindering prayer, spiritual growth, and fellowship with God. The longer sin is unadressed, the further we drift from his presence and sacrifice intimacy.
Unrepentant sin impacts our relationship with others. Sin brings guilt, shame, and hardens our heart to loving the people around us. This leads to lying and a breakdown of trust. Without confession and repentance, our relationships become strained and dysfunctional. As unrepented sin leads us farther away from relationship with God, we act with more selfishness, anger, and bitterness.
Third, hidden sin undermines our spiritual growth and calling. God has given each of us gifts and a purpose to advance his Kingdom, but sin often derails our calling, whether from our own character or losing opportunities from exposed sin. Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 9:27 how we should discipline our body “and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others,” we would be disqualified. Unconfessed sin weakens our witness and integrity, making it difficult to be a light to others or fulfill God’s mission for us.
Ultimately, we will all give an account before God (Romans 14:12). Hebrews 4:13 reminds us that “nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him whom we must give account.” While God gives grace to all who confess and repent, those who cling to sin face judgment. Revelation 20:12 speaks of a day when the dead will be judged according to their deeds.
How Does Repentance Alter the Outcome of Sin?
Repentance alters our direction, granting us forgiveness and bringing transformation and redemption through Jesus. Christ opens the door for us to experience peace, restoration, and God’s purpose for our lives.
We repent to God the Father, through Christ by the Spirit. Repentance submits our will to his will. Turning to God and submitting to him naturally means rejecting that which is not of him: sin. We acknowledge our wrongdoing and dedicate ourselves to following him. Proverbs 28:13 tells us, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” We receive forgiveness and mercy through repentance. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, when we confess our sins, God forgives and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
Upon repentance, we not only experience forgiveness but a new heart and spirit. We become new creations, reborn from the Spirit of God to help us live the divine life and calling of God. Dying to self and our own ways, we are born anew and receive a new, divine nature. Upon repentance, we live in peace and freedom. We have “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” when we are justified by faith (Romans 5:1). God’s peace replaces the guilt and shame. While we walk in obedience, God works to transform our character.
Although God forgives us when we repent, we may still face some of the earthly consequences, as we saw in the story of David and Bathsheba. God forgives us if we repent, even after a heinous sin like murder, but we might have to serve him in prison, as an extreme example. While David dealt with serious consequences, God still brought the Messiah through his lineage. God can still use our stories for eternal good, even when suffering earthly consequences. Romans 8:28 assures us that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” If we return to God, he can use our shortcomings to grow and shape us and fulfill his greater plan.
Again, we should note how Romans 8:28 tells us how God works all things together for good in the context of his purpose. God’s mission redeems all things, and so will our whole life if we continue in his eternal purposes, seeking the Kingdom first.
How are We Called to Live in the Light of Christ?
1 John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” Walking in the light means walking with God in the Spirit, seeking his truth, and letting him guide our actions. Following Jesus with all our hearts, both in public and private, will keep us in intimate relationship with him and place us within his purposes.
A key aspect is self-examination. The apostle Paul tells us to examine ourselves to see if we are still in the faith. We can deceive ourselves with religious activity, when the core is hearing God’s voice in relationship. Self-examination must happen with the Spirit’s discernment, not our own, as we will either go to the extremes of licentiousness (everything is okay) or legalism (I work it out in my own strength). We put to death the “deeds of the flesh” or sin by the Spirit (Romans 8:13). This practice invites the Holy Spirit to convict us, not condemn us, prompting us to live in the new life we have been given in Christ.
Once God convicts us of sin, we confess to God and others. We choose to agree with God about our sin. Confession to God restores our relationship with him, while confessing to others brings accountability and healing within the Body of Christ (James 5:16).
It’s difficult to confess to others without an intimate community of faith, which is essential for walking in the light. Fellowship with other believers helps us stay accountable and encourages us to grow spiritually (Hebrews 10:24-25). Isolation leads to darkness, but in fellowship, we find strength to continue in the light.
Through these practical and spiritual disciplines, our lifestyle will reflect Christ to the world, displaying his truth and love in every part of our lives.
Instead of being afraid or anxious about our sins “finding us out,” God calls us to live in the light. His light dispels darkness, and his truth combats the lies leading to sin. And when we do sin, returning to the light gives us his grace and forgiveness. He casts our sins as far as the east is from the west, where they can no longer find us.
Peace.
Further Reading
No Such Thing as a Secret Sin
What Does it Look Like to “Walk in the Light” Today?
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