Laying Aside Closely Clinging Sins

Introduction

Some sins are loud, obvious, and disruptive—easy to recognize and confess when a person comes to the saving grace of Christ. Because they are so visible and clearly wrong, they are easier to detect and remove.

Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

The Visible vs. the Hidden

Imagine cleaning your car. If there is dirt on the hood or grease on the wheels, you notice it quickly and clean it first. These are obvious, and once removed, the car looks clean. Anyone passing by might appreciate the shiny exterior.

However, if the air vents are clogged with dust, or there are food crumbs embedded deep in the seat crevices, those are harder to see. They require more effort to clean, and if you’re in a hurry, your instinct might be to skip them.

Likewise, when you first opened up your life to Jesus, you likely repented of the more obvious sins—the ones easy to detect. But there may have been “hidden sins,” tucked away in the dark corners of your heart, that went unaddressed.

These hidden issues may continue clinging to your life, silently affecting your spiritual health, like mold in a ventilation system, polluting the air without your knowledge. These are the “closely clinging sins.”

Hard to Detect

These sins are subtle. They often don’t appear as serious in your own eyes or even in the eyes of people around you. They blend into your habits and daily life, making them hard to identify and eliminate.

Hidden sins can also dull your spiritual senses. As time goes on, they create numbness, making it more difficult to recognize their presence or their impact on your walk with God.

Ask Yourself These Questions:

• What areas of your life are you hiding from your loved ones?
• What behaviors do you allow when you are alone and think no one is watching?
• What websites do you visit when you’re feeling lonely, discouraged, or let down?
• If your life were an open book, what would you dread others seeing?
• How often have you ignored the simple commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” out of convenience or selfishness?
• Have you judged a preacher, worship leader, or church out of pride, rather than celebrating the impact they’re making?
• Are you neglecting to respect and care for your parents?
• Do you lash out in anger toward loved ones just to satisfy your ego or because things didn’t go your way?
• Are you raising your children in a godly manner? Are you guiding them according to the Word of God, or letting the world do it for you?

Hard to Remove

These sins are not only hard to see—they are also hard to remove. Why?

• You may have become numb to them over time.
• You may fear exposure, wondering what others would think if they knew.
• You may have tried to deal with them but failed repeatedly, leading you to accept them as “normal.”
• You may not even realize they are wrong.
• You may have been misled by spiritual leaders who didn’t teach the truth.
• You may be choosing to remain ignorant or stubborn, unwilling to confront them.

But There Is Hope The good news is that you can be free. Redemption is available to anyone who truly desires to walk in freedom.

There is Hope…

1. Identify the hidden sins. Take time to reflect. Write them down if that helps you be honest with yourself.

2. Pray to God, listing each one. Because our God is able to forgive your sins and grant you peace that transcends all human understanding. He the creator of this amazing universe and all humanity and He gave his life on the cross for you and me. His unconditional love for humanity gave us a path to redemption from our sins. All you need is to ask for forgiveness and a commitment to not allow those sins to enter back into your life. God will fill that void with his eternal peace and hope.

Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)
“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus already knows you are not perfect. That’s why He, the perfect One, took your place on the cross. The Lamb of God, without blemish, bore the pain, nails, and shame for your freedom. And today, He sits on the throne with all power and authority to forgive and deliver.

3. Look to Jesus. He is the author and finisher of your faith. Through Him, you can overcome every sin—big, small, or hidden.

4. Walk in daily repentance and obedience. Let the Holy Spirit guide you. Let His voice be louder than your excuses.

Why This Is Important God’s desire is to lead us into our eternal destination—heaven. The pleasures and pride of this world will pass away, and so will we. But our hope, as believers, is in the resurrection and eternal life with Christ.

Hebrews 12:1 reminds us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Life is a journey with a God-ordained purpose. If we carry hidden sin, it will weigh us down and hinder our ability to fulfill God’s will.

At the end of life, may we, like Paul, be able to say:

2 Timothy 4:7 (ESV)
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Let’s Pray

O Lord, our heavenly Father, we come before You with open hearts. Shine Your light on the hidden places of our lives. Expose the sins we’ve ignored or hidden—the ones that have clung to us and hindered our walk with You.

Forgive us, Lord. Your blood cleanses us from all sin. We confess each of them to You now… (pause to list them)

Lord Jesus, deliver us by Your power. Cleanse our hearts and make us whole. Give us the strength never to return to these sins.

Thank You, Lord, for making us white as snow. Thank You for being the founder and perfecter of our faith. Our lack of faith due to sin is now replaced with Your grace and righteousness.

Now we can walk the race You have set before us and be vessels fit for Your use.

So that at the end of our journey, we may confidently declare: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

We ask this in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen!