Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Proverbs 28:13 NIV
Hidden Transgression
People in Canada with a criminal record may wonder if those records are public. The answer is that generally, no, a criminal record is not public in Canada. There are some exceptions in the context of other laws, for example, regulating firearms and protecting children. In Ontario, access to your criminal record is covered by the Police Record Checks Reform Act. The law states that access to a criminal record is prohibited unless a person gives written consent. Most jobs or volunteer work require a criminal record background check.
***
Everybody sins. The Bible says that all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. The issue is not whether we are sinful. The issue is how do we then deal with it. We can pretend that we never sin, and many try, but there are consequences – guilt will eventually catch up with us. The only thing you get when you sweep dirt under the carpet is a bump in the carpet. King Solomon, in his wisdom, made note of this, and wrote in Proverbs 28:13: “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” There is a great price to pay, in mental wellbeing and physical health, when we try to conceal sin. How much wiser is it to confess and renounce our sin and so experience God’s grace. His desire is to lift the sin and the accompanying guilt and pour His mercy into our lives. It is why Jesus came. Don’t conceal your sin – confess it!
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley