Life is governed by certain unbelievable yet immutable laws, suggesting that once on a destructive path, it is impossible to reverse the trajectory. An individual observed committing a serious crime tends to commit more crimes in an attempt to cover up the concealed initial sin. A person cannot cease committing further crimes without confessing the hidden ones. Expecting an individual to repent without confessing their previous sins contradicts the realities of life. The initial step is confessing the previous wrongs before a new chapter can be opened. Evil individuals continue to commit evil due to their failure to confess the hidden initial sin.
There exist individuals known for their toughness and intolerance, who are unforgiving of any crimes committed by others, yet guilty of the gravest sins themselves. Ordinary people who express support for such unforgivable characters are often deeply entrenched in similar or worse sins. This is why it is an unchangeable truth that an innocent person can never feel hurt, even when wrongly imprisoned. An innocent person will never hold a grudge against the perpetrators. The opposite is true for those with hidden crimes. Such individuals will rave and rant about any perceived wrongful incarceration, which is a symptom of their concealed iniquities.
Nevertheless, a person with concealed crimes is on a path towards inevitable destruction. This can be taken as an axiom: at the root of any serious crime are concealed sins of the past. The first symptom of a concealed sin is manifested in intolerance of other people’s faults. A classic example can be extrapolated from the story of David, who committed adultery and later plotted against an innocent life. The sin of David can be unforgivable to many people, even today, although God forgave David. However, those who feel so incensed as not to forgive David for such a heinous crime, bear the worst sins concealed within their hearts.
Adultery is a sin that can affect anyone, regardless of gender. Wise counsel suggests against taking risks when interacting with those of the opposite sex. Humans cannot claim innocence of this sin, as it is conceived in the mind before it is committed. Adultery may be the most challenging sin to overcome for ordinary individuals, except for born-again Christians. The issue with adultery is that it involves two people who are attracted to each other, leading them to feel innocent. They mutually encourage each other to engage in the act. Therefore, Jesus emphasized that one must be born again to enter the Kingdom of God. To His disciples, Jesus proclaimed:
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right-hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell” (Matthew 5:27-30 NKJV).
A person declaring never to forgive their confessing spouse for adultery is either naïve or guilty of a worse sin. Those who believe they are justified in filing for divorce, even though offenders confess are likely guilty of the same sin, or worse. The fact that the person may not have been caught in the act does not absolve the unforgiving individual of adultery. Some individuals incorrectly cite Scripture as an excuse to divorce their spouse. Improper counselling might be to blame in most cases. For the benefit of those perplexed by Jesus’ teachings, let us examine the passage where Jesus addressed the topic of divorce.
“Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery” (Matthew 5:31-32 NKJV).
The original translation states, “except for reason of fornication,” whereas here is stated, “except sexual immorality.” Fornication and adultery are different. Moreover, the message was directed to the disciples, not ordinary people, whose conduct involved randomly authenticating divorce by granting divorce certificates. We must understand the significance of Jesus’ usage of this proviso. Fornication implies a sexual activity involving unmarried individuals. It is different from adultery, which involves those engaged in marriage. Jesus is addressing the principle of marital union.
Commonly, marriages are validated by the publicly avowed “white weddings” in some Christian denominations. However, the first time a virgin engages in a sexual relationship, God validates that as a marital union. The individual may argue that they were too young to comprehend the significance of their actions. For Christians, it may be advisable to confess and properly address past sins before entering new relationships. That initial sexual experience would have united the couple as husband and wife. In God’s eyes, they would have become one, only to be separated by death.
In Christianity, engaging in marriage, only to later discover that the person being married has lost their virginity, renders the marriage invalid. This is the reason Jesus included the proviso on the matter of divorce. Marrying such a person would be committing adultery in God’s eyes, as the individual would be considered the spouse of the one who caused the loss of virginity. However, it must be acknowledged that fornication is not the sole reason for the loss of virginity; which could also result from rape. The most crucial aspect is for an honest individual to communicate effectively before entering into marriage.
A person who chooses not to reveal past sinful behaviours is confined in a moral prison until such sins are confessed. This includes refusing to forgive others, and assuming that faulting others makes one cleaner. Concealed sins lead a person to continue committing more heinous actions. As demonstrated by David’s sin with Bathsheba, David attempted to conceal his sinful conduct, unaware that this would cause him more problems. David had to orchestrate the murder of Bathsheba’s husband. As a God-fearing man, David could have gone to the prophet Nathan to confess his sinful conduct. The matter could have been handled in a way that would have prevented the untimely death of Bathsheba’s husband.
The more an individual endeavours to conceal sinful behaviour, the further they become embroiled in it. Although having repented of his sinful conduct, David paid the price. The kingdom had to go to Solomon, who was regarded as unqualified according to traditional customs. Had it not been for his repentant attitude, David could have been killed by his own son, Absalom. The commendable aspect of David is that he never renounced humility, despite being the king. Those closest to him were surprised when David expressed deep sorrow at the death of his son, who had sought to stage a coup and murder him.
“So Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “All is well!” Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the king, and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king!” The king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about.” And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still. Just then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “There is good news, my lord the king! For the Lord has avenged you this day of all those who rose against you.” And the king said to the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” So the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do harm, be like that young man!” Then the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: “O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!” (2 Samuel 18:28-35 NKJV).
David’s expression of remorse was genuine, displaying his humility. He could have behaved like his predecessor, King Saul, who spent most of his life attempting to eliminate David. Saul was preoccupied with the assumption that eliminating David would secure his kingdom, yet the opposite was true. Saul exhibited introversion, whereas David displayed extroversion. David wished that he had died instead of his son, who was committing insurrection. David’s bodyguards could not understand his behaviour, which was uncommon among ordinary humans.
Then Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines, in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you regard neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well. Now, therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.” Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, “There is the king, sitting in the gate.” So all the people came before the king (2 Samuel 19:5-8 NKJV).
Both King Saul and King David committed sins, but the difference lies in that Saul was introverted while David was extroverted. Nevertheless, God declared that David was a man after His own heart. Although David’s sin appears more serious, God was pleased with him nonetheless. The lesson is that God is pleased with those expressing humility, rather than those who value themselves above others. Nothing is said of the unrepentant Saul, whose remorseful attitude was focused on introversion rather than extroversion.
Among Christians, some individuals are wrongly condemned, citing immoral conduct due to a failure to understand Christian principles. God is not primarily concerned with how morally upright a person may appear. Rather, God is more interested in the person’s attitude, whether humble or inclined to exalt oneself. God loves all humans, regardless of their sinful conduct. Incidentally, David seemed to love his enemies more than his friends. The difference lies in extroversion compared to introversion. A Christian is sustained by the willingness to forgive others at all times.
Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses” (Matthew 18:21-35 NKJV).
There is no greater prescription of Christianity than this one. A person seeking to evaluate their conduct would heed Jesus’ elucidation, as outlined above. The problem seems to be more about desiring to justify oneself rather than being willing to repent. There is no sin that God cannot forgive. However, as revealed, the only way to receive God’s forgiveness is through the willingness to confess our sins and forgive others. This necessitates a state of humility, as pride can only lead one to conceal their sinful acts.
“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit” (James 5:16-18 NKJV).
A person may excel in all other areas deemed acceptable in Christianity, yet remain unaware of the path towards destruction. Purification is as simple as being willing to confess one’s sins and forgive others. This is the foundation, embracing the principle of loving and praying for one’s enemies. The ever-present truth is that it is impossible to avoid sin while living in the physical body. This highlights why a Christian should aim at dying rather than always protecting oneself at the expense of others. The fastest way towards destruction is concealing secret sins throughout one’s life, starting from childhood.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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