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"Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops" (Lk.12:1-3). Jesus was warning His disciples about hypocrisy saying that one day hidden things would get exposed. The problem with those who live in hypocrisy is that how they behave outside is not who they are in secret inside them. They are hiding sin inside and pretending to be good on the outside. At one point, Jesus called the Pharisees who were hypocrites as tombs that looked impressive on the outside while inside were bones and rotting flesh (Mt.23:27). Another comparison Jesus made was about keeping cups clean outside while inside they were full of self-indulgence (v.25). Jesus was warning people that whatever they tried to hide in this way was going to be exposed one day. However cleverly people may try to cover up their sins and give a false impression to the others, one day every hidden thing will be brought out into the light.

Now we must see another side too. Whatever sins we have committed in our life, however shameful they may have been, when we come to Jesus in true repentance and receive forgiveness, every record in heaven that had noted all those sins is going to be wiped clean and nothing will be left behind that can accuse us (Col.2:13,14). Even if our sins were red like crimson, after God has washed us with the blood of His Son, we will be made white like snow (Is.1:18). Another expression He has used is that He will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea (Mi.7:19). God has also made this great promise that after He has shown us mercy in forgiving us, He will not remember our sins any more (He.8:12). God cannot forget anything because He knows everything. But what He means is that He will not hold those sins against us any more.

Therefore, God is not going to expose anybody's sins once He has forgiven them. But He warns that He will expose everything that hypocrites have tried to hide.

If God exposes our sins, that would be an indication that we have not been honest and humble before Him. It shows us that we have not been listening to His milder warnings till now, and that it has become necessary for Him to use sterner ways with us with the hope that at least then we would repent. He does not wish to humiliate anyone, and He keeps showing patience while He waits for us to admit our sins and repent. He will expose us only if that is the last resort He has to wake us up from our hypocrisy before His judgment takes over. If that happens, we need to understand that He is still waiting with His mercy for us to see if we would repent. It would be better for us to face the humiliation, humble ourselves and repent, so that we can still use this final chance, and avoid judgment.

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