Ignorant of My Sin

In the courtroom, standing before the judge, ignorance of the law is not an excuse for breaking the law. The judge will have no sympathy. I know. Been there, done that, paid the fine.

But what about God?  If you have sin, or sins, in your life and you are not aware of them, can you still have fellowship with Jesus?  Will He overlook them?  Or you might be inclined to ask it this way. If I am seeming to have a good relationship with Jesus -- everything is peaceful, joyful, hunky dory – then can I assume that I must be pretty holy?  Maybe. Maybe not. To answer those questions, it would be enlightening to understand God’s heart this way, “love covers over a multitude of sins” (I Pet 4:8).

Jesus said in his sermon on the mount, “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift” (Mt 5:23). This would seem to indicate that sometimes offenses have occurred and we are unaware, and God will bring it to our mind. Maybe an offense against us, or an offense we have done to others, or maybe offenses against God. Until that point they were not a part of our knowledge and they did not hinder our relationship. But once they come to mind then they become an impediment to our relationship with Jesus. Then our fellowship, our service, our trust is infected, or broken. And we dare not carry on like nothing is wrong.

The value in this question lies in the recognition of sins that have been lying undetected, not in trying to ignore hidden sin and just carry on, status quo. You see, ignorance is not always bliss. God helps us remember, or realize, sins that need attention, by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Then by dealing with that “new” sin our relationship grows stronger, deeper, richer. Jesus comes closer. Relationships are healed. Transformation and sanctification take a step forward.

King David is remembered more for his affair with Bathsheba than anything else, it seems. Hollywood knows a good juicy story when it sees one. He planned his liaison, lust harbored in his heart, and stayed at home, in the city, when it was time to lead his army out to battle. Uriah, one of his 30 mighty men, lived next door to his palace, and that guy had a beautiful wife who would be all alone if he stayed back. The sin blossomed forth, big time, and we know the rest of the story. But the most amazing part is that David seemed to be living in ignorance of his sin, from beginning to end. Not until Nathan the prophet came to him did the light turn on in his heart. Before God and before man he acknowledged his sin, then, and repented and humbled himself before God (Psalm 51). That’s the part Hollywood leaves out. He is known as a man after God’s own heart, in part because of his immediate response of repentance, whenever his sin was pointed out.

Do you have a confidant in your life, someone like Nathan, who can help you see your sin or deception? That’s perhaps the single most important instrument to help you get closer to God. Do you know that David even named one of his sons after the prophet Nathan, a son born to Bathsheba after Solomon?

So don’t be surprised if God puts the thought into your mind of an offense that you have overlooked. Capture that thought. Don’t ignore it. Then deal with it. God’s mercy and love can make a good relationship even better when we go through the steps of acknowledgment, forgiveness and restoration. Not to mention the relationship with the person we sinned against and were unaware.