Summary: We may hide from our fellow man, but we never can, nor will we hide from God.

I know that a lot of you will disagree with this statement,

but I will make it anyway, “When we were

little...sometimes we were bad”.

A. When we were bad, we tried to hide.

1. Most of us weren’t too good at hiding our

naughtiness, however.

ILLUSTRATION: Me smoking cigarettes out in the field.

2. Some things are almost impossible to hide.

a. Sometimes with disastrous

consequences.

1.) Kids playing with matches in the

closet.

B. Some of us were pretty good at getting away with

our deceptions...and we may have become even

better as we grew older.

1. We got away with it...or did we?

a. Bad memories.

b. Guilt.

c. Hurt to ourselves or others.

1.) Maybe not physical hurt, but

plenty of emotional and mental

problems and scars may have been

left behind by things we “got

away with”.

Sin will destroy...whether we “get away with it” or not.

A. We may fool men...we may even fool ourselves...

but whether men know of it or not...we will not

get away with sin.

I. Sin cannot be hidden from God.

A. All that is done, is done before the sight of God

(Psalm 94:8-11).

1. It cannot be dark enough for God not to see.

2. No ocean is deep enough to escape God’s

observation.

3. We cannot run far enough to escape God

(I Peter 3:12).

a. Consult with Jonah to know how hard

it is to get away from God.

B. Man is so nearsighted...he is more concerned with

man knowing his sins and with man seeing him

doing wrong...and yet God sees everything

(Matt. 10:28).

1. Man can be fooled.

2. If man is our judge, he may not condemn

us for our sins.

3. In the long run...in those things that really

count...the eternal things...MAN HAS NO

POWER OVER US!

C. Because we make God...in our minds...the same

as man, we ascribe to him all of the limitations of

man.

1. This done...we proceed to try and fool God.

a. Men build up a false sense of security

because they think that they have hidden

something from the Almighty.

1.) We can take no real comfort in

hiding our sins from God.

II. God’s word reveals, convicts, and draws all to

repentance (Heb. 4:12).

A. The Word of God...spoken from the pulpit...

written in Scripture...or given from a mountain...

can do what no mortal can do.

1. The Word of God can pierce straight through

to the human, spiritual heart.

a. It can speak to each and every one of us

in different, personal, and sometimes...

quite unique ways.

1.) It is this Word that can convict us

of our sins...the sins that we didn’t

think anybody in existence knew

about.

a.) It is this convicting Word that

can bring tears to our eyes and

cause a man to turn his whole

life around.

2. A person may deny their sin before man, but

there is something else involved, now.

a. The Word of God.

b. Our consciences and the knowledge of

our own thoughts and deeds.

B. It is amazing that anyone would try to cover up

his/her sins...who do they think that they are

fooling?

1. The only one fooled...(interesting root word

there)...is themselves.

C. God’s word not only convicts...it condemns.

1. The good news is that if we will repent...

that very same Word will also save us

(I Cor. 11:31-32).

III. Nobody will get away without either being forgiven

for their sins or punished for their disobedience and

deceit (I Tim. 5:25-25).

A. As I speak, there is a record being made of every

person’s heart, thoughts, actions, inactions,

attitude, speech, etc..

ILLUSTRATION: Radio station...master tape.

1. God has given us guidelines and commands,

but it is up to us to follow through with those

directives.

a. God is recording every second of

our lives.

1.) All of this will be played back

at the final day of judgment.

a.) The things that we would

simply “die” if anyone

found out...everyone

will find out.

b.) It will be more than

embarrassing...THOSE

WHO ARE GUILTY...

WILL DIE! (Rev.

20:11-12, 15).

CONCLUSION:

The good news is that God is not writing this script...

WE ARE!

1. We can get a pen out and make some changes...

now...before that day.

a. We can stop trying to hide our sins...we can

stop being dishonest with ourselves and with

others.

1.) We can acknowledge our sins,

repent, and ask God’s forgiveness.

b. We can take a good, long look at our life and

make any necessary changes to that

lifestyle.

c. We can stop trying to hide from man...what

God already knows.

d. We can start obeying, from the heart, the

doctrine that God has given us.

e. Finally...we can resolve to remain steadfast,

and immovable...until the end...

THE BEGINNING!