By Jerald and Sandra Tanner

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Although the Watergate scandal has really hurt our country, there is a real lesson that we all can learn from it—that is, that it does not pay to try and cover up our sins. The Bible warns: “. . . be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). It is true that we can often hide our sins from men, but Jesus tells us that we cannot hide them from God: “. . . there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known” (Matthew 10:26).

Our former President must have firmly believed that his tapes would never come to light, but through some very strange circumstances they did become public and caused his downfall. This is certainly a tragic example, and we cannot help but feel sorry for him and for his family. Nevertheless, it teaches us that even the President of the United States does not have the power to cover up his sins.

It is certainly ironical that Richard Nixon should be trapped by his own tapes. The Bible, however, tells us that we all stand in jeopardy of being convicted by our own words at the judgment:

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. (Matthew 12:36-37)

Although we do not feel that God has a secret tape recorder which he uses to bug us with, we do believe He has knowledge of everything through his Holy Spirit. The Bible says that God not only knows our every word and action but also the “thoughts and intents” of our heart:

For the word of God is quick, and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 4:12 -13)

In 1 Corinthians 4:5 we read that the Lord “will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: . . .” Romans 2:16 tells us that “God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”

In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus it is clear that after death our memory will be restored and that if we have continued in sin and selfishness it will condemn us (see Luke 16:25). The Bible tells us that we are all sinners and in need of God’s forgiveness. To refuse to face this fact is to live a life which is founded on cover-up, and this will eventually prove disastrous to our souls. In the story of the Pharisee and the publican Jesus shows that we can appear to be very religious, but if we have not acknowledged that we are sinners in need of God’s grace we are still under condemnation.

Now, while the Bible teaches that it is impossible for us to cover up our own sins, it does state that God Himself can cover them up if we will turn to him and ask for forgiveness:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:7-9)

In Psalms 32:1 we read: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” This is a cover-up that really works. In Psalms 103:12 we find this statement: “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Isaiah 43:25 gives this assurance: “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” Those who have received the Lord into their hearts know the great joy and peace that comes from accepting God’s forgiveness. The Bible says:

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: Old things are passed away; Behold, all things are become new.
(2 Corinthians 5:17)

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