To Cover Our Sins

Elder Scott D. Whiting spoke in general conference last year about what he called “the second temptation” based on the story of Adam and Eve. He related how after Adam and Eve transgressed in the garden, “ever the opportunist, Lucifer, knowing their exposed and weakened state, tempted them yet again—this time to hide from God. This temptation—I will call it the ‘second temptation’—is the temptation that may bring the greatest consequence if we succumb.” I thought of this today as I read about what David did to Uriah. His first sin with Bathsheba was certainly terrible, but somehow Satan convinced him that he could cover up the sin and so what followed was far worse. David seemed to think that if he got rid of Uriah, he would somehow be absolved of guilt: “And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die” (2 Samuel 11:14-15). Even though many of his household must have already known his sin, he made it unquestionably worse by intentionally getting Uriah killed in battle. And yet, like Cain of old who was told by Satan that his deed would be a secret, now anyone with a Bible knows of David’s transgression and his attempted cover up. These words of the Prophet Joseph certainly make us think of David: “But when we undertake to cover our sins… the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:37). David could have likely repented of his first sin and retained his salvation, but because he made it worse by murdering in an attempted cover up, “He hath fallen from his exaltation, and received his portion; and he shall not inherit [his wives] out of the world, for I gave them unto another, saith the Lord” (Doctrine and Covenants 132:39).

                The prophet Isaiah wrote of those who have “trusted in [their] wickedness” and have said, “None seeth me” (Isaiah 47:10). That “no one will know” is surely a common justification for sin. But the scriptures make it clear that we cannot hide our sins forever. The Savior said this in mortality: “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops” (Luke 12:2-3). The Book of Mormon confirms that eventually all things will be revealed: “They reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof. And the day cometh that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the house tops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ; and all things shall be revealed unto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men, and which ever will be even unto the end of the earth” (2 Nephi 27:10-11). Everything that has been among the children of men will one day be revealed—we cannot hide what we have done. Mormon confirmed this as he wrote about the destruction of his people: “And now behold, I, Mormon, do not desire to harrow up the souls of men in casting before them such an awful scene of blood and carnage as was laid before mine eyes; but I, knowing that these things must surely be made known, and that all things which are hid must be revealed upon the house-tops” (Mormon 5:8). The Lord said this in our dispensation in His preface to the Doctrine and Covenants: “For verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape; and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated. And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:2-3). We cannot hide our iniquities, so we might as well seek to repent so they can be truly erased instead of revealed on the housetops. David’s story reminds us that no sin is so bad that trying to cover it up won’t make it worse. Elder Whiting invited us in these words, “Beware this second temptation! Follow the counsel of prophets both ancient and modern and know that you cannot hide from a loving Father. Instead, avail yourself of the miraculous healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This is the very purpose of our existence.”