The leper covers his mouth and uncovers his head. All of his hair was to be shaven, except the place of the leprosy. The covering of the hair on the dead flesh did not hide the leprosy, but exposed it, for the hair is white like an aged man; although God has given hair as a covering, for the leper it did not conceal, but exposed the flesh of leprosy. For if the hair in the mark is white, it is leprosy. The man is unclean.
Nevertheless, his uncleanliness is in him, for his mouth is covered; as it says, “Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’” (Lev 13:45) For it is what comes out of a man which defiles him; the source of his defilement is not physical, but rather spiritual — not flesh, but within. As Isaiah exclaims, “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty” (Isa 6:5). For uncleanness is within, and comes out of a man, namely by his speech, this is what defiles him.
The covering of the mouth, uncovering of the head, and uncovering of the body comes with mourning; as it says, “Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the dead; bind your turban on your head, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips, and do not eat man’s bread of sorrow.” (Ezek 24:17) And then it says, “Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the people.” (Lev 10:6) For the men of God were commanded contrarily not to mourn in these ways, showing these are signs of mourning.
A covering hides what is shameful, sinful, and improper; it is still there, but merely covered. The nakedness of the flesh is covered with a garment and our most improper parts even doubly covered. That is also why sin cloaks itself in darkness, in deep isolation, for it hides itself, for it is improper. That which is proper does not need to be covered, for it is comely, for everybody to see; it is light. This is why it says, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.” (Prov 28:1) Even if the light is concealed for a little while, it is not so forever; as He says, "A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.” (Mrk 4:21-22)
In like manner, the leper is destined to an unclean place outside the camp: “He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.” (Lev 13:46) The leper bears his sin because he refused the unblemished lamb; he then bears the blemish on his own flesh, not accepting the LORD God’s atonement by bringing the lamb to the tent for a sin offering. He is left uncovered and bare, because he neglected the covering of God’s sacrifice. And furthermore, that which does cover him, exposes him, even as a leper. How much more ought we to fear lest we neglect acknowledging sin and neglect a much greater salvation, a greater unblemished Sacrifice, a greater covering of atonement which has been revealed to us from heaven? All these things are written to us as a warning so that we do not reject the covering of atonement that God has ordained: Jesus Christ.
A hypocrite is one who makes a covering for himself, not only rejecting the covering of atonement that God has ordained, but also making a covering which is pleasing in his own sight; these receive a greater damnation, just as Christ says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.” (Mat 23:14) For their pretense, or covering, was their long prayer. As the apostle Paul says about them, “They being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” (Rom 10:3) For they reject faith in Jesus; as it says, “The Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.” (Luk 7:30)
For who can come to Christ without first acknowledging sin? Is it not sin that Christ died for? And not His own but yours? But if you claim you have no sin, then He did not die for you, since your sin is nothing and you are perfect; in such a case, you should be saving us! But Christ came for those who know they are sinners, not them who think they are righteous; none of us are righteous — only God is righteous; and if we be in Him, we partake in the righteousness of Him, which is by believing through grace. This is the new covenant, the new testament, and the new law, from start to finish.
For we all have sin, and none of us is exempt from the power of sin. As it says, “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin’?” (Prov 20:9) Or, “Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.” (Ecc 7:20) And even, “If even the moon has no brightness and the stars are not pure in His sight, how much less man, that maggot and the son of man, that worm!” (Job 25:6) And sin is so evil, and deceptive, that it makes us believe we are righteous! This is surely sin living within us: it will blame others, but will never take accountability; it will judge others, then claim grace while still in sin. As Peter warns, “Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.” (1 Pet 2:16) For sin is exceeding evil that it uses even Christ as a cover up for further evil.
Is that not of the old creation? Is that not of the first man? As Job testifies, “If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom.” (Job 31:34) And, "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” (Gen 3:6,7) For if the covering of the first man, Adam, had been sufficient, he would have no reason to hide; but a greater covering was needed.
And likewise, did not Haman do the same? “Then Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman hurried home, mourning, with his head covered.” (Esther 6:12) For to him, he was naked, without covering, so he fled home to hide, to be covered by his home, by darkness, even covering his head while hurrying home. For his sin was revealed, and he was uncovered, and he was exposed; just as it is written, “If all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.” (1 Corinthians 14:24-25) For when the naked (who are made naked by sin) are exposed, they hide; but they who acknowledge their sin, seek a covering for their sin and come to the saving light which exposed them to salvation.
This is the way of salvation for us who believe, even confessing our sin, our nakedness: as it says, “I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.” (Psa 32:5). And then it says, “To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins; (…)” (Luk 1:77) As David speaks of the blessedness, in the same Psalm, of the man whose sin is forgiven, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit!” (Psa 32:1-2) A deceitful man will attempt to hide his sin from the Lord, covering it up; but here his sins are forgiven apart from his works, by only dwelling in truth — that his sins are always before the Lord.
For sin is first acknowledged, then it is forgiven; and this is not one time, but continually; as it says, “For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life.” (Proverbs 6:23) And also, the Lord God says, “Only acknowledge your iniquity, That you have transgressed against the LORD your God And have scattered your favors to the strangers under every green tree, And you have not obeyed My voice' declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 3:13) For the Spirit brings conviction, and we acknowledge the truth about our sins.
Even as Christ warns, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.” (Luk 12:1-3) For a little bit of this yeast spreads throughout; that is why the leper covers his mouth, for his uncleanliness is within him. As it says, “Their talk will spread like gangrene.” (2 Timothy 2:17) But we, justified by grace, are to “Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph 4:22-24) These things are written as a warning to us that we do not make a covering of atonement for ourselves, acting godly when our hearts are far from the truth.
Let us be greatly encouraged: the extraordinary kindness of our God and Father who sent forth His Son to preform His will. He no longer imputes sin against us who believe, but makes atonement for us by His blood, removing our sin from us. As John, the Baptist, says, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) And the apostle, "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Cor 5:19) If the blood of lambs and goats pacified sin for a time, how much more the Son of God who purges our conscience from dead works to serve the living God? For those sacrifices covered sin for a short while, but Jesus, after one sacrifice, takes away the sin of the whole world.
Just as Joseph, the firstborn of the beloved and the highly favored of his father, was stripped of his colorful robe by his brothers and was given over to death, so Christ, for a time, put off willingly His brilliant garb and was found like one of us; as it says, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” (Php 2:5-7) And was handed over by His own people, the Jews, to death, even on a cross: “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Php 2:8)
For He found not a righteous person on earth, and goodness had become outcast; as it says, “Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands far away; For truth has stumbled in the street, And uprightness cannot enter. Yes, truth is lacking; And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey. Now the LORD saw, And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.” (Isa 59:14,15) And despite His foreknowledge, despite Him becoming prey to the wicked, “He put on righteousness like a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle.” (Isa 59:17) For Christ Jesus was clothed in these; as it says of Him, ”A Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob, declares the LORD.” (Isa 59:20)
For He put off His Godly splendor for our sakes and put on our sins for a short while; just as the Psalmist says, “You have cast off and rejected, You have been full of wrath against Your anointed.” (Psa 89:38) Although there was found no fault in Him, “You have made His splendor to cease And cast His throne to the ground. You have shortened the days of His youth; You have covered Him with shame.” (Psa 89:44,45) And for what purpose? As Joseph says to his brethren, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Gen 50:20) Likewise, it is said of the Messiah, “The LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.” (Isa 53:10)
For He bore our sin, without a covering, being found blameless, yet with the fault of us all, being put to open shame: “I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.” (Isa 50:6) Upon Him was the suffering deserved by us all. He endured the cross, so that we would no longer be covered with a mantel of sin, but with Himself, the living hide — as it says, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Gal 3:27) For He, on the third, rose from the grave, being made alive by the Spirit and reigns forever by an indestructible life.
For when a burnt offering is slain, the hide is kept by the priest: “And the priest who offers anyone’s burnt offering, that priest shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering which he has offered.” (Lev 7:8) And those skins came from the sacrifice; but we, putting on the living Sacrifice, Him who died, rather who now lives, makes us, like Isaac, into a living sacrifice unto God by the living Sacrifice of Himself, being made and fashioned and found among the first-fruits of the new creation by the work of Himself. For Isaac was presented to God as a sacrifice, but lived thereafter. And he is the first to be circumcised on the eighth day, which now refers to this new creation, this new life in Christ.
Sacrifice means death; therefore we ought to mind ourselves with the same attitude, being dead to our own will, living for the will of God. For revival happens when one is first dead, then by the power of God, reviving. And baptism is into Christ’s death, so that we would be made alive through faith in Christ Jesus; as it says, “So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.” (2 Ki 13:21) So how much more do we who “Were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4)? For we have been baptized into the tomb of Christ.
For that which was supposed to bring forth life, instead brought forth death; I am speaking of the law, which was supposed to bring life, but brought death instead, which was rendered ineffectual because of the limitation of our human flesh. But that tomb, which was supposed to inhabit death, brought forth life instead, for Christ rose from it on the third day. And everyone who dies with Him will live with Him. For even the death of Sarah’s womb could not hold back the promise of God — through her, Isaac was born to Abraham according to the promise. And the Law, being a fertile womb as it is, did not produce children of life, but children still-born of death; as it says, "While we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.” (Rom 7:5) But the tomb of Christ produces children of the promise and children of life.
Therefore, we obtain to life through death; as it says, "Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” (Luk 9:24) And then He says, “He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” (Mat 10:38) For we give ourselves over to death, filling up what is lacking in our bodies of the afflictions of Christ, so that His life would reign in our mortal bodies, that we might bear fruit unto eternal life by the Holy Spirit.
So let us also fear, for there is a day of judgement in which Christ will recompense the living and the dead according to their works; and He shows no partiality. He first came to make covering for sin, and deliverance from sin, blotting them out of remembrance, and not counting them against us; but in that day which is set by the Father, all coverings will be removed and all things which are hidden will be revealed. If man can deceive man with trickery and guile, how can we, ever so even dare, let alone be successful, to deceive the living God? (“Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?” (Job 13:9)) As it says, “Sheol is naked before Him, And Destruction has no covering.” (Job 26:6) And, “Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD, How much more the hearts of men!” (Prov 15:11) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Today only you know your thoughts. But if there is a God, He would certainly know your thoughts. We can conceal our blasphemy, hatred, envy, lust, from men for a time, but they are not hidden from the Lord, not now nor forever. If we shut our mouth and become mute, not exposing anything, even our inner thoughts are known by Him. “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me, And the light around me will be night,’ Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.” (Psa 139:11-12) For He sees the deep darkness of the human heart as day; as it says, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen 6:5) For He beholds the wicked and the good alike.
I say, “Only you know your thoughts”, but you do not comprehend your own thoughts, nor can you trust them. You do not know the source of your own thoughts. For sin is deceptive, and flatters us concerning sin and the hatred of it. And this world is filled with spirits, deceptive spirits, which make their home in the sons of men. Therefore, in truth, only the LORD God knows your heart; as it says, “Whose heart You know, for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men.” (1 Kings 8:39) If we say we know, we do not know; just as a man cannot see in darkness, so man cannot comprehend his own heart, for it is darkness.
There is no place the eyes of the Lord cannot see; no darkness can amply cover from the eyes of the Lord. If we hide sin, know certainly that Christ sees and will expose it in that day. Everything secret will be made known to all. For that day will expose everything in the light — that is why it is called, “the Day of the Lord”. And the light has already come; as it says, "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” (Jhn 3:19-21) For all light exposes and illuminates.
And in that day, “Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.” (1 Cor 3:13) Men will seek for refuge, for covering, in the cleft of the rock, seeking death more than even looking at the face of the Son of Man. Heaven will flee: as it says, “I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.” (Rev 20:11) How much more should we fear now, knowing that not even a shadow of a cloud will be a covering or a hiding place for us? Therefore, as long as we have time, let us make use of that time and repent. “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” (Rev 16:15)
If He struck fear in the king Herod being only a new born at that time — as he commanded to put to death a multitude of infants on His account — how much more affright will they be when He comes exalted in power and glory, when He comes riding on a white horse with a sharp double-edge sword, with an indestructible life? If His first coming was met with hostility, how much more His second? If He rebuked a fig tree and it withered, what will be the outcome of those that He rebukes that gather together against Him? If they delivered the Christ over to death and God raised Him up, how much less will they prevail against Him who comes with countless thousands of hosts and an indestructible life? And if they put the apostles in prison and God released them (for “the word of God is not imprisoned.” (2Ti 2:9)), then who are they who hate their own lives more than those who even try to fight against God?
Therefore, let us make our good confession with our heads uncovered, honoring our God, presenting the Gospel of truth without a cover of pretense, but in sincerity and truth speaking the Word of life which has power to save. And praying to our God, without making for ourselves a covering for sin, but confessing our sin with open heart to Him who is faithful to forgive. And not being ashamed of our Head, but always giving a reason for the hope that lies within us. For the man who covers His head is ashamed; as it says, “Because the ground is cracked, For there has been no rain on the land; The farmers have been put to shame, They have covered their heads.” (Jer 14:4)
Those who are under the law, submitting to it, are also under hypocrisy, for there is not a man who can keep the whole Law; as it says, “Why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?” (Act 15:10) These, being evil, cover their evil with a covering which they have made, with obedience to the law, as Adam did in the garden; and as Christ warns, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (Luk 12:1) These, while claiming the law, are lawless, hypocritical, content with their sin, even living with it, and hating it from afar in others. The law begets children like these, not because of the ineffectiveness of the Law, but because of the weakness of the human flesh.
Is this not what by the apostle of the Lord says? “But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” (2 Cor 3:14-16). And that veil is a mask, covering one’s sight, even blinding; the mask is their hiding place as they act as someone they’re not, even remaining godless in heart; but when the Law is taken away by Christ, then even so the veil. So this is a hypocrite: one who wears a mask, and acts. This is the false circumcision, even of the flesh; but the true circumcision is of the heart, the cutting away of the covering of hypocrisy, that of the sinful nature.
Blessed are those who in truth confess their sin, bringing it to the light, then being covered with Christ! As it is written, “Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.” (Gen 3:21) For they came to God and He covered them with animal skins; and we, having a better covering, namely that of Christ Jesus, are sufficiently clothed. Just as Jacob was clothed with Esau and received a blessing; the Gentiles also have found the blessing of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — not through fraud, but by putting on Christ Jesus, the Son of God, for the Father shows no partiality, but makes sons after Himself. As Peter, the apostle, says, “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.” (Act 10:34-35)
Therefore, we must face the sin within us! The hatred of good, the blasphemy, the immoral thoughts! Do not make a covering for yourself saying, “That is not me, I am better than that.” Covering one’s mouth is what the unclean do, bottling up sin. Know that in the days of John, the Baptist, the people confessed their sins in the wilderness and washed away their sins in baptism. This is the way of salvation through which we have the forgiveness of sins. For where sin is forgiven, there is no wrath for sin. And we, being baptized into Christ, have confessed and put off the secret and shameful hidden things of darkness and have put on Christ like new clothes.
So be truthful, uncovered, sincere. This is what it means to be circumcised. “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” (Phil 3:3) Everyone who covers himself outside of Christ is a hypocrite, covering only with a mask to appear differently; he is insincere. But as the apostle says, “We have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” (2 Cor 4:3)
Christ came, appearing differently for a time, to make us in the likeness of His true appearance: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor 3:18) And He, emptying Himself of His glory, was found among us to be in the likeness of man; but when He appears in glory, He will be seen as He really is; as some have seen while on earth, as it says, “As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.” (Luk 9:29) But even later all of us will see, as it says, “We are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” (1Jn 3:2)
Therefore, be no longer a thief in the night, lest the Lord come to you as a thief; but rather, be of the day. For a thief is only one at night, during the day he acts virtuous. Christ did not come for those who think they are righteous, but for them who know they are sinners; as it says, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Luk 5:32) Only God is righteous. So do not keep sin hidden within you as a thief; for it says, “When I would have healed Israel, Then the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered, And the wickedness of Samaria. For they have committed fraud; A thief comes in; A band of robbers takes spoil outside. They do not consider in their hearts That I remember all their wickedness; Now their own deeds have surrounded them; They are before My face.” (Hos 7:1,2)
Instead, like a bandit, expose your sins always before the Lord, confessing them without hiding. For a bandit does crime in the light, unlike a thief who robs during the night. And the bandit does not need to be told he is a sinner, for he knows; but the thief is surprised when he gets caught, and he only feels shame when he is caught. And the thief receives the greater condemnation; as it says, “If the thief is caught while breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there will be no bloodguiltiness on his account. But if the sun has risen on him, there will be bloodguiltiness on his account. He shall surely make restitution; if he owns nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.” (Exodus 22:2-3) Hence, the thief at night dies, but the bandit pays back for his theft. “As the thief is shamed when he is discovered, So the house of Israel is shamed.” (Jeremiah 2:26)
So then, do not find a covering, a refuge, in this world. For this is the place that unclean spirits find their home; as it says, “And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.” (Rev 18:2) For Christ, your God, is your Refuge and Stronghold and Rock. Flee for refuge to Him! He is your Place of Refuge; as it says in the Law, “Until the death of the high priest”, which is also to say, until the old things pass and the New High Priesthood is setup forever, which is after the order of Melchizedek.
And cover not your hearts with drunkenness lest that day catch you unaware: “Their heart is as fat as grease, But I delight in Your law.” (Ps 119:70); and, “They have closed up their fat hearts; With their mouths they speak proudly.” (Ps 17:10) With sin comes shame and guilt, but you, confess it to the Lord, your Maker, instead of smearing it with pleasure which does not take away, but only covers. A covering only hardens, leading to a lack of feeling to greater sensuality; and they who are unfeeling, stimulate themselves through sensuality; as it says, “They, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.” (Eph 4:19) But when one is circumcised by the Lord, their heart becomes flesh, which is the only good flesh, that of the flesh of the heart.
For drunkenness is akin to sleep; as it says, “For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.” (Pro 23:21) However, “You are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.” (1Th 5:5-7) This sleep is spiritual; just as Zechariah wrote, “Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and roused me, as a man who is awakened from his sleep.” (Zec 4:1) For he was in the spirit, even in a vision, and the angel came to him while he was sleeping in spirit.
Instead, find your refuge in the Lord God and receive rest for your souls. Through the cross, all pretense and hypocrisy is taken away; for around the time of Christ’s death, a young man was stripped of his garment and fled (Mrk 14:51); and the disciples all likewise fled, having confessed they were ready to die for the Lord moments earlier. For they sinned, uncovering themselves; as it says, “Moses saw that the people were naked. (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies)” (Exodus 32:24) Now, they were made naked by sinning with the golden calf, but they were not physically naked. And Christ saying, “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no cloak for their sin.” (Joh 15:22) For the Son came to testify to their works, that they are evil, that they may confess their sin and be found clothed in Christ.
Therefore, seek not the justification of men, but the righteousness of God; as it says, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” (Luk 16:15); and, “But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.” (Rom 2:29) For the new nature is of God, not man. So be in the same manner of heart as King David, who received the testimony from God, “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.” (Acts 13:22) For he regarded the sight of God more important than what men esteem. Therefore, be among his descendants, imitating what he did, for this is of faith.
And beware of them who are not of the flock, which cover themselves deceitfully; as it says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” (Matt 7:15) Who do good to be seen by men, “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment.” (Isa 64:6) As the Lord found some in Sardis, "I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” (Rev 3:1) For to men, they were alive, but in truth, they were dead.
Rather seek love. For this is a garment fitting for God’s saints; even with love, we may be covered; as it says, “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” (1 Pet 4:8) And, “Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” (Jam 5:20) I have written to you in regard to sin done in the past; but “By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil.” (Prov 16:6) Therefore, seek the fear of the LORD so that you will not continue in sin.
And neglect not charity. For men of old atoned for great faults with it, appeasing anger. As it was with Jacob, “For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.” (Gen 32:20) And again, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, it is a covering before all who are with you, and before all men you are cleared.” (Gen 20:16) And, “We have brought an offering for the LORD, what every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets and signet rings and earrings and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.” (Num 31:50)
And veil not your light, as Christ says, “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” (Mat 5:5) Let your everlasting brightness shine before men, for “We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away.” (2 Cor 3:13) Cover and cherish your chastity like pure virgins, as it says, “She had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself.” (Gen 24:65)
Remember and be encouraged with these heavenly words: “We know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.” (2Co 5:1-5) And, “For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Co 15:53-57)