The Danger of Hidden Sins: Small Sins That Can Cost Salvation
Base Text: Proverbs 28:13 “He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”
Introduction: The Weight of Concealment
Friends, we gather today around one of the most fundamental truths of our faith: our relationship with God is constantly being affected by the reality of sin.
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A. The Bible is clear: sin is the violation of God’s law (1 John 3:4). When we break His law, we become sinners, and the only path back to being clean and righteous before God is to confess our sin and turn away from it.
B. The natural, human response to sin is often denial. We excuse it, we justify it, or we blame someone else. But the biblical, healthy way to deal with the inevitable reality of sin in our lives is to confess it and abandon it.
C. To confess means to "admit, declare, and agree with God" about what we have done. To abandon means to "stop doing it" and turn our backs on that behavior.
D. Only those who confess and renounce their sin will find mercy (1 John 1:9). The danger lies not in the fact that we sin, but in the refusal to confess it.
E. Today, we are going to look at four common sins—sins we often dismiss as "small" or insignificant—but which absolutely need to be dragged into the light of God's grace and confessed before Him. These are sins that can, and will, cost us our spiritual prosperity and even our salvation if we allow them to remain hidden:
1. The Sin of the Tongue.
2. The Sin of Idleness.
3. The Sin of Envy.
4. The Sin of Not Listening to God.
Proposition: Only those who confess and renounce their sin obtain God’s forgiveness and mercy.
Interrogative: What sins do we need to confess today to be fully restored before God?
I. We Must Confess the Sin of the Tongue
Text: Proverbs 13:3 - “He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.”
The tongue is a small member, yet it directs the whole course of our lives.
A. The Tongue Can Destroy Lives The Apostle James warns us that with the tongue we bless God and yet we curse men (James 3:9). The mouth that is opened too wide brings calamity (Proverbs 13:3). Indeed, the Bible teaches that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21).
B. An Illustration of Talking Too Much There is an old fable about two birds carrying a frog across a swamp. To do so, they told the frog to hold onto a stick with his mouth, with each bird holding one end. They warned him, "No matter what happens, do not open your mouth." As they flew over a village, a farmer looked up and exclaimed, "What a brilliant idea! Who thought of that?" The proud frog, desperate to take credit, opened his mouth and croaked, “I did it!”—and instantly plummeted to his death.
In the same way, many perish, or at least severely damage their lives, relationships, and reputation, simply because they refuse to restrain their tongue.
C. The Tongue is a Dangerous Fire The tongue is a fire, full of deceit (Psalm 10:7) and poison (Psalm 140:3). It causes strife and separates even the closest of friends (Proverbs 6:19; 16:28). Gossip, criticism, and cutting words are tools of the enemy, and we have wielded them carelessly.
D. God Calls Us to Use the Tongue Well We are called to use our speech for edification (Ephesians 4:29), to be graceful and seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6). We are to speak justice and truth (Psalm 35:28) and, above all, to keep our tongue from evil (Psalm 34:13; 1 Peter 3:10).
Partial Conclusion: If we have sinned with our tongue—gossip, slander, destructive criticism, or hurtful words—we must confess that sin now and ask God for forgiveness and the strength to guard our lips.
II. We Must Confess the Sin of Idleness
Text: Proverbs 6:6 - “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!”
Idleness, or slothfulness, is a sin that seems mild, but it eats away at our purpose and spiritual vitality.
A. God Commands Us to Be Diligent In Romans 12:11, we are told, “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” The ant is held up as an example: working tirelessly, without a supervisor, with order and purpose. The ant is wise because it knows time is short and work is necessary.
B. From the Beginning, God Ordained Work From the creation narrative, Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden to "work it and take care of it" (Genesis 2:15). Later, when God provided manna for Israel, they were given enough for each day, forcing them to be diligent and gather it daily (Exodus 16:16-24). Diligence is built into God's plan for humanity.
C. God Values Diligence We are commanded to “Guard your soul diligently” (Deuteronomy 4:9). The soul of the diligent will be prospered (Proverbs 13:4). Most importantly, we are called to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed” (2 Timothy 2:15).
Partial Conclusion: Idleness is sin. It is a theft of the time and potential God has given us. We must confess it, because a lack of diligence weakens our faith, blinds us to opportunity, and distances us from God’s divine purpose.
III. We Must Confess the Sin of Envy
Text: Proverbs 14:30 - “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.”
Envy is often considered a polite sin—a silent internal struggle—but the Bible calls it a spiritual cancer.
A. Envy is a Spiritual Cancer It destroys relationships, steals joy, and turns our hearts cold toward our brothers and sisters. The Proverbs writer calls it “rottenness to the bones.” A peaceful heart brings life, but envy brings decay.
B. The Example of Joseph's Brothers Think of Joseph’s brothers. Because of envy, they “could not speak peaceably to him” (Genesis 37:4, 11). That envy eventually escalated. What started as resentment led to planning his murder, and finally, selling him into slavery (Genesis 37:20, 28). Envy never remains a small, internal issue; it always seeks outward destruction.
C. Envy Breeds Hatred, Selfishness, and Strife Envy leads to anger (Job 5:2). It is a root of contention. The excellence of another’s work often provokes the envy of man (Ecclesiastes 4:4). And Jesus, in a piercing question, challenged the envious by asking, “Are you envious because I am good?” (Matthew 20:15).
D. Envy Even Contaminates Ministry Paul acknowledged that some preached Christ out of “envy and rivalry” (Philippians 1:15, 17). This sin is so destructive that the Bible explicitly warns: “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:21).
Partial Conclusion: If envy dwells in our hearts—jealousy over a friend’s success, bitterness toward a coworker, or resentment toward a fellow believer—we must confess it and abandon it. Love “does not envy” (1 Corinthians 13:4).
IV. We Must Confess the Sin of Not Listening to God
Text: Proverbs 28:9 - “If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.”
This is perhaps the most dangerous "small sin" of all, because it cuts off the very source of our spiritual life.
A. Not Listening to God is a Grave Sin God speaks to us primarily through His Word, the Bible, yet many willingly turn away their ears. They are too busy, too distracted, or simply indifferent. The consequence is terrifying: “If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” Our petitions become disgusting to the Lord if we are simultaneously rejecting His commands.
B. The Promise to Those Who Listen to God The promise of God’s blessing is always attached to our willingness to hear Him. “But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm” (Proverbs 1:33). And again, “If you fully obey the Lord your God… He will bless you” (Deuteronomy 15:5-6). Security, peace, and blessing are the rewards of an attentive ear.
C. The Danger of Rejecting the Word Jesus Himself warned, “The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day” (John 12:48). If we refuse to listen to God today, we cannot expect Him to listen to us tomorrow. Indifference to the Word is indifference to the voice of God.
Partial Conclusion: We must examine how much time we dedicate to hearing God’s voice through the Scriptures and confess if we have been indifferent or rebellious toward His Word.
See also
- Walking Towards the Impossible
- Take Heed, Lest You Fall 1 Corinthians 10:12
- 3 Spiritual Things We Should Desire
General Conclusion: The Path to Mercy
A. Sin, regardless of how "small" it seems, is still the violation of God’s holy law. And Proverbs 28:13 is the eternal truth: “He who conceals his sins will not prosper.” Hidden sin always leads to a spiritual rot in the soul.
B. But there is a promise of restoration! “…but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” The moment we stop covering up and start confessing, God's limitless mercy is released.
C. There is no such thing as a small sin in God's eyes; they are all serious enough to require the sacrifice of Christ. And they all must be confessed.
D. Today, God calls us to examine our hearts in the light of His Word:
• Have we sinned with the tongue?
• Have we been idle or lazy in our responsibilities?
• Have we harbored envy or selfishness?
• Have we stopped listening to God?
Final Call:
If the Holy Spirit has pricked your heart regarding one of these sins, or any other sin, you have a clear command and a beautiful promise.
Confess and abandon them now, because “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Do not leave this place weighed down by the heavy burden of concealed sin. Find mercy today!
