There are more than 25 Hebrew and Greek words translated "cover" in the Bible. A couple examples to illustrate "cover" are: Exodus 24: 15 and I Corinthians 11: 6 ("to cover fully”).

"Sin" is lawlessness (I John. 3: 4). We sin when we fail to do what we "know" we should (James 4:17), and when we do what we should not (I Corinthians 6: 18).

Hence, when we speak of "covering sin," we refer to concealing or hiding sin.

The positive use of "Covering sin" in the scriptures: The Lord forgiven the iniquities and covered all the sins of His people—Psalm 85: 2; Charity covered the multitudes of sins—I Peter 4: 8 (Example of thy brethren trespass against thee—Luke 17: 3, 4; Example of the church member who sin against the church but repented—II Corinthians 2: 10, 8, 7).

Then there is the negative use or condemned situation involving covering sin—Proverbs 28: 13.

In the positive use of covering sin there is blessing while in the negative use there is the cursing because it rendered “shall not prosper.”

I. WHEN GOD COVERS SIN

A. Forgiven

     Consider and explain the teaching of Romans 4: 7. Notice "iniquities are forgiven" and "sins are covered" (Take a look also at Psalm 32: 1, 2—“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered”). Both Old and New Testament strongly declared how God surely forgiven and covered our sins.

B. Forgotten

     When God covers sin, the sin is not just concealed, but the covered sin is blotted out (Acts 3:19) and forgotten by God (Hebrews 8:12; 10:17).

II. WHEN MAN COVERS SIN

A. Man attempts to hide his sin.

Man covers his sin by using a "cloke,"—I Peter 2:16; John 15: 22. (Example: preaching was not to be used as a cloke, and cover, to gain money from others—I Thessalonians 2:5).

B. Specific instances in which man has attempted to cover his sin

      1. Adam tried foolishly to cover his sin by hiding himself among the trees in the garden—Genesis 3: 8 (The psalmist testified that wherever, whatever, and whenever we do nothing is hidden in the knowledge and sight of the Almighty—Psalm 139: 2-8, 11). Adam and Eve also tired to transfer their guilt to others— Genesis 3: 12, 13.

      2. Aaron blamed the people in an effort to conceal his sin (Ex. 32: 22). The utter foolishness of Aaron's determination to cover his sin is seen when he blames the "fire," "there came out this calf,"—Exodus 32:2-4, 24. We often look just as silly in our efforts to keep our sins from others. 

      3. Achan tried to hid the "accursed thing" in the earth (Joshua 7: 1, 21).

We learn from Achan that even though one may confess what he has done there are often remaining consequences to our sin and our efforts to conceal them (Joshua 7: 20-25).

          a. Sin cannot be hid from God—Joshua 7:10, 11

God hates it.

          b. Sin brings curse to the congregation—Joshua 7:12

It will hinder victory to the ministry

It affects the lives of other people in the congregation. Others suffer because of our sins (Joshua 7:1, 11, 12). It will surely ruin the sinner

          c. Sin demands that the sinner must be put away—Joshua 7:13-26

The Sin must be detected and the Sin must be repented

Paul makes it clear that sin could not be tolerated in the Church. He uses such phrases as "taken away" (Vs.2), "deliver such a one" (Vs.5), "purge out" (Vs.7), and "put away" (Vs.13), to make it clear the matter had to be dealt with.

      4. Jews covered their sins by murdering the one who exposed them

Some of the Jews attempted to cover their sins by murdering Stephen because he exposes their wickedness. (Acts 7: 51-60).

Conclusion:

"Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known" (Matthew 10: 26)

"For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil"—Ecclesiastes 12: 14

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”—Proverbs 28:13