A Note from Michael Gossett
Dealing With Sin
One of the things our family loves to do is hiking. Hiking with kids brings on a whole new understanding of carrying weight. With kids, you have extra water, extra supplies, extra food, and extra items that may or may not be needed. The backpack (usually for dad) can easily become extremely heavy. You convince yourself that it’s not a big deal and that you can handle it. But as time goes on, the backpack becomes heavier, and the burden begins to weigh you down. You try to hide it from others, acting like everything is fine, but the truth is that the weight is unbearable. This is what happens when we try to conceal our sin. The burden grows heavier, and we become overwhelmed by the weight of our guilt and shame. In 1 John 1:8-2:2, John provides a critical teaching on how we, as believers, should deal with sin. As Christians, we live in a paradox: simultaneously saints and sinners. John helps us navigate this tension by outlining two approaches to sin: concealing or confessing.
The Danger of Concealing Sin
Many believers fall into the trap of concealing sin. In 1 John 1:8, John warns, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Concealment often seems like the easier route, but the problem is that sin thrives in darkness. We deceive ourselves, trying to keep up with lies and minimizing sin’s impact. Hiding the weight seems to save face, or eventually, we may get used to it, and it will become more manageable. Thomas Watson (Puritan preacher) once said, “The more the disease is concealed, the more it is increased.” Concealing sin leads to a hardened heart, distancing us from the Lord. The backpack never gets lighter, it will never become more manageable, and it will only begin to wear us down, eventually crippling us from finishing or enjoying the hike. This is the reality of hidden sin in our lives. Never believe the lie that sin can be managed.
This tendency to conceal sin is not new. It goes back to the very beginning with Adam and Eve. In Genesis 3, after Adam and Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit, their immediate reaction was to hide. They sewed fig leaves together to coverthemselves and hid from the presence of God. This attempt to conceal their sin did not work; it only led to further separation from God. Concealing sin disrupts our fellowship with God and others. When we try to cover up our wrongdoing, we create barriers that hinder our relationship with Him.
Adrian Rogers once said, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” Concealing sin is a costly endeavor. It leads to guilt, shame, and a growing distance between us and God. The more we try to hide our sin, the more it festers and the more we become entangled in it. Concealment breeds contentment with sin, making us believe that it is not a big deal. We begin to justify our actions, minimizing the seriousness of sin and its consequences.
The Consequences of Concealing Sin
The consequences of concealing sin are severe. When we hide our sin, we are not only deceiving ourselves but also trying to deceive God. Hebrews 4:13 reminds us, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” God sees everything, and no amount of concealment can hide our sin from Him.
King David is a prime example of the consequences of concealing sin. After his sin with Bathsheba, David tried to cover it up by having her husband, Uriah, killed. This attempt to conceal his sin led to more sin and greater consequences. In Psalm 32:3-4, David describes the anguish he felt while trying to hide his sin: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.” Concealing sin brings physical, emotional, and spiritual turmoil.
The Freedom of Confessing Sin
On the other hand, John offers us hope: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). True freedom comes from confession. Martin Luther said, “All the Christian life is one of repentance.” Confession isn’t just a one-time event but a lifestyle of agreeing with God about our sin and receiving His grace. Adrian Rogers once noted, “God never intended for you to live a defeated Christian life; confession is the pathway to victory.”
When we confess, we are not trying to earn forgiveness but expressing our ongoing need for Christ. Proverbs 28:13 reminds us, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” The Christian journey is one of continually turning to Christ, not hiding in shame, but receiving His forgiveness and grace.
What Does Confession Look Like?
Confession is more than just admitting that we have sinned; it is agreeing with God about the nature of our sin. The Greek word for “confess” means “to say the same thing.” When we confess, we are saying the same thing about our sin that God says. We acknowledge that our actions are wrong, that they are an offense against a holy God, and that we need His grace and forgiveness.
Confession also involves repentance. It is not enough to simply acknowledge our sin; we must also turn away from it. True confession leads to a change in behavior. As John Owen once said, “Be killing sin, or it will be killing you.” Confession is the first step in putting sin to death. It is a declaration that we no longer want to live in disobedience to God but want to walk in His ways.
The Role of Accountability in Confession
Confession is not meant to be done in isolation. James 5:16 tells us, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” There is power in confessing our sins to one another. It brings accountability, support, and encouragement. When we confess to a trusted brother or sister in Christ, we are opening ourselves up to receive prayer, guidance, and help in overcoming sin.
Accountability is a vital part of the Christian life. It helps us stay on the path of righteousness and prevents us from falling back into old patterns of sin. The enemy wants us to keep our sins hidden, but when we bring them into the light through confession and accountability, we strip the enemy of his power. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him.”
Living in the Light
Confession brings us into the light. In 1 John 1:7, John writes, “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 living a life of openness and honesty before God and others. It means no longer hiding in the shadows of sin but allowing God’s light to expose and cleanse us.
When we live in the light, we experience true fellowship with God and with others. Our relationships are no longer hindered by the barriers of hidden sin. We can live in the freedom that comes from knowing we are fully known and fully loved by God. This is the abundant life that Jesus came to give us.
Questions to Consider:
- Do you find yourself trying to conceal sin from others or even from God?
- How does concealing sin affect your relationship with God and others?
- What does confession mean to you in your daily walk with Christ?
- How can you practice a lifestyle of repentance and confession?
- How does understanding God’s grace encourage you to confess rather than conceal?
Prayer: Father, we thank you for your mercy and grace. We confess that we are sinners in need of Your forgiveness. Help us to bring our sins into the light, trusting that You are faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us. Give us courage to be honest before You and others, and help us to live in the freedom that comes from confession. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Christmas Season is HERE! Make plans now!
THIS SUNDAY! We kick-off our New Christmas Series, “The Gift.” We will study Matthew 2:1-12, and the title is “Gold for Our King.” I look forward to you joining me in worship Sunday at 9:30 or 11:00. I also want to invite you to try a Connect Group if you have not yet done so. We have Connect Groups at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00. I hope to see you Sunday!
The annual GABC Christmas Tree Lighting is TONIGHT from 6:00pm – 8:30pm! This is a free event for our whole community and church family! I want to invite you to not only be a part of this incredible event, but also be in prayer for God to use this night to reach people all over the city of Tyler. We want to make every effort to make this fun for the evening, but to make an eternal difference in the lives of people. Cannot wait to see you there!
Mark your calendars for Sunday, December 15, at 6:00pm! We are excited to tell you that we will have a multigenerational Christmas concert featuring our Worship Choir & Orchestra, Highest Praise Senior Adult Choir, Student Worship, & Kidz Praise! This concert is for the whole family! Don’t miss this opportunity to come together and celebrate the arrival of the Light of the World!
One of my most favorite Christmas traditions for our family is to attend the Christmas Eve service together! This year, on Tuesday, December 24, our Christmas Eve services will be held at 4 PM and 6 PM and include fun and dynamic worship music, a Kids element, the Lord’s Supper, and a candlelight element.
The current World Mission Offering total is $614,000. That’s 61% of our 2024 goal! You can continue giving at www.gabc.org/missions.
We continue to work towards easing our $1.5 million budget deficit before it affects our ongoing ministries. So, as you consider your year-end giving, please consider contributing to the General Budget here at GABC. You can give next time you’re on campus, or anytime at www.gabc.org/give. 
THE WEEKEND 2025! – This coming February 21-23, our Student Ministry will have one of the most impactful events of the year – The WKND. This past year, we saw over 380 students attend and encounter Jesus, enjoy time with friends and experience Christian community. This amazing event happens in part because of families who are willing to host a small group of students in their home for Friday and Saturday night.Host homes help provide a space for students to stay, meet for their small group time,and play a part in what God is doing through the event. This year, we are praying for over 400 students to attend, which means we need at least 50 host homes! Will you consider serving our church and our students who will attend The WKND by being a host home in February? Our Student Ministry is currently recruiting host homes and still has need for more!
Please contact our Student Pastor, Kurt Fehlis (kurtfeh@gabc.org), or any of the Student Ministry Staff, to find out more about hosting a group and join in for 3 days to see God move powerfully in the lives of students! Also, please join us in praying now that God would move in the lives of students and families through this event in February!
I want to invite you to join my wife, Katie, and me on a journey of a lifetime. We are going back to visit the sites primarily focused on Paul’s second missionary journey,October 26-November 4th, 2025. I have mentioned these sites in my sermons from Philippians because it was on Paul’s second missionary journey that the Lord brought him to Philippi. However, there is much more on this trip! Here is the itinerary of all the places we have planned to visit. This is certainly a trip that will help the Bible and the Apostle Paul come to life!
Come and join us on this incredible trip! You can sign up here! Space is limited, so please sign up as early as possible. Register HERE!
You are loved and prayed for!
Michael Gossett