Leviticus 5:1-6: a reflection

1“‘If anyone sins, in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, he being a witness, whether he has seen or known, if he doesn’t report it, then he shall bear his iniquity. 2“‘Or if anyone touches any unclean thing, whether it is the carcass of an unclean animal, or the carcass of unclean livestock, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and it is hidden from him, and he is unclean, then he shall be guilty. 3“‘Or if he touches the uncleanness of man, whatever his uncleanness is with which he is unclean, and it is hidden from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty. 4“‘Or if anyone swears rashly with his lips to do evil or to do good—whatever it is that a man might utter rashly with an oath, and it is hidden from him—when he knows of it, then he will be guilty of one of these. 5It shall be, when he is guilty of one of these, he shall confess that in which he has sinned; 6and he shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD for his sin which he has sinned: a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin.

In the laws of the guilt offering, God makes provision for a person who becomes aware of a sin they had committed, whether known or hidden at the time: they are to confess it and bring an offering for atonement. When he is guilty of one of these, the law says, he shall confess that in which he has sinned, and bring his offering to the LORD. The person is not to hide or ignore the sin once they become aware of it, but to acknowledge it, confess it openly, and bring it to God for atonement. Confession, the honest acknowledgment of the sin, is the first step toward atonement and cleansing. This shows the importance of confessing sin when we become aware of it, rather than hiding it. Confess your sin when you become aware of it. Do not hide sin; acknowledge and confess it to God. Confession is the first step toward atonement and cleansing. Bring your sin honestly to God rather than concealing it.

Notice what is required when a person becomes aware of their sin: not concealment, not ignoring it, but confession. The law envisions someone who has sinned, perhaps without realizing it at the time, and who then becomes aware of their guilt. And what they are to do is confess it, acknowledge openly the sin they have committed, and bring it to God for atonement. The honest confession of the sin is the necessary first step; the atonement follows the acknowledgment. This reflects a principle that runs through Scripture and into the gospel. When we become aware of our sin, the way forward is not to hide it, minimize it, or ignore it, but to confess it, to acknowledge it honestly before God. Hidden, unconfessed sin remains between us and God; but confessed sin can be forgiven and cleansed. The gospel calls us to confess our sins, honestly acknowledging them before God, trusting that in Christ they are forgiven and cleansed. We do well, then, when we become aware of sin, to confess it honestly to God rather than hiding it, that we may be forgiven. Confess sin honestly to God rather than hiding or minimizing it. Hidden sin remains; confessed sin can be forgiven. Confession is the way to forgiveness and cleansing. When aware of sin, acknowledge it honestly before God.

That is worth taking to heart, for when we become aware of sin, the way forward is to confess it honestly to God, not to hide it, as the guilt offering required confession before atonement. We can hide, minimize, or ignore our sin when we become aware of it, leaving it unconfessed between us and God; but the law required honest confession of the sin, and the gospel calls us to confess our sins, trusting they are forgiven in Christ. Confession is the way to cleansing. When you become aware of sin, do not hide it; confess it honestly to God, trusting his forgiveness. When you become aware of sin, confess it honestly to God rather than hiding, minimizing, or ignoring it, as the law of the guilt offering required that a person who became aware of their sin should confess that in which they had sinned and bring their offering for atonement; for the honest confession of the sin is the necessary first step, the atonement following the acknowledgment, and this reflects a principle that runs through Scripture and into the gospel, that when we become aware of our sin the way forward is not to conceal, minimize, or ignore it but to confess it and acknowledge it honestly before God, since hidden, unconfessed sin remains between us and God while confessed sin can be forgiven and cleansed, and the gospel calls us to confess our sins, honestly acknowledging them before God and trusting that in Christ they are forgiven, so that when we become aware of sin we do well to confess it honestly to God rather than hiding it, that we may be forgiven and cleansed.

Lord, in the laws of the guilt offering, you make provision for a person who becomes aware of a sin they had committed, whether known or hidden at the time: they are to confess it and bring an offering for atonement. When he is guilty of one of these, the law says, he shall confess that in which he has sinned, and bring his offering to the LORD. The person is not to hide or ignore the sin once they become aware of it, but to acknowledge it, confess it openly, and bring it to you for atonement. Confession, the honest acknowledgment of the sin, is the first step toward atonement and cleansing. Show me what is required when a person becomes aware of their sin: not concealment, not ignoring it, but confession. The law envisions someone who becomes aware of their guilt. And what they are to do is confess it, acknowledge openly the sin they have committed, and bring it to you. The honest confession is the necessary first step; the atonement follows. This reflects a principle that runs through Scripture and into the gospel. When I become aware of my sin, the way forward is not to hide it, minimize it, or ignore it, but to confess it, to acknowledge it honestly before you. Hidden, unconfessed sin remains between us; but confessed sin can be forgiven and cleansed. The gospel calls me to confess my sins, trusting that in Christ they are forgiven. Take that to my heart, for when I become aware of sin, the way forward is to confess it honestly to you, not to hide it. When I become aware of sin, keep me from hiding, minimizing, or ignoring it; help me confess it honestly to you, Lord, acknowledging it openly, trusting your forgiveness in Christ, that I may be forgiven and cleansed rather than leaving it unconfessed between us.