Excuses... a very popular defensive mechanism for this generation, especially when it comes to developing and maintaining a relationship with God.
Everyone is guilty of making excuses to cover their tail at one time or another. It is interesting how the word "excuse" has evolved over time in the English language. It originally meant, to give a defense or reason for something. However, in more recent times, it has come to serve as an explanation crafted to avoid or alleviate guilt or a potential negative judgement.
It is often an elaborate schema of thoughts strung together, given verbally, in an attempt to avoid personal responsibility for one’s actions. God’s word offers an interesting perspective on “excuses”.... as Paul wrote in Romans 2:1-3.... You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?
People over the ages have conjured up a myriad of excuses for not doing the will of God. There are a mountain of excuses given for not obeying the gospel and becoming a Christian. Some are quite elaborate, but most are pretty shallow and flimsy at best.
Then there are the committed Christians, who use “ingenious excuses” in their attempt to excuse themselves from being fully committed, active, passionate and engaged in doing their duty towards God.
Excuse making is very old and very common for humanity. Excuses didn’t work when Adam and Eve tried to wiggle their way out of sinning against God (Gen. 3:9-13). And they don’t work today for so-called committed Christians who try to wiggle out of being actively involved in serving God, His Church and the Great Commission.
Everyone who has ever been in a relationship with God and tried to use excuses to account for a bad choice or sinful conduct, gets no slack. Moses tried to wiggle out of serving God before the Egyptian Pharaoh because he didn’t think the Hebrew people would accept him, believe him or listen to him. Isn't this a pretty common excuse Christians give for not proclaiming and teaching the gospel?
Secondly, Moses claimed he was not a good speaker. Maybe he wasn’t, but that's not a show-stopper with God. You’ve heard similar excuses offered among Christians who seek to avoid being involved. Maybe you’ve even used it yourself to excuse your responsibilities in God’s service. It’s a well worn excuse for why Christians do not develop their talents in serving the church. "Sorry... I can’t do that... I don’t know how... I’m not good at that, etc., etc., etc." Nevertheless, in Moses life, he did develop his talents and went on to be one of the greatest leaders that ever lived. I guess God knows a thing or two about developing the willing and honest-of-heart in becoming all they can be in His service.
Jesus gave a parable to combat excuse making. Recorded for us in Luke 14:16-24... it’s a simple story of a man inviting many people to "a great banquet." What happened when the invitation was extended? Those invited all began making excuses why they couldn’t attend. Excuses ranged from property and possessions, business and livelihood, to family and friends. They had things to watch over, deals to make and family and friends to attend to. All good excuses, right? Wrong! There are no acceptable excuses for rejecting the “invitations” extended by our Lord and Savior.
Yet in the body of Christ today, Christians are offering the exact same excuses, just more elaborately crafted than the simplicity portrayed in the parable. Many today excuse themselves for not doing the will of God because of property or possessions. What ever form that takes, an over-extended mortgage, over spending, too many material possessions... in debt up to your eyebrows... whatever it is... such things become your focus, your god, and take you away from time to serve the Kingdom.
How about your job... do you let it get in your way of serving God? Too many Christians excuse themselves from the Lord's invitations... worship services, fellowship and relationship building or the Lord's work of evangelizing the lost, because they have a business to run or a job that conflicts with regularly scheduled church activities. The excuse is a good one and it’s been working well for quite a long time... “I have to miss church to make a living for my family.” However, Jesus warned in John 6:27... “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." Could he have been more precise in his warning... not at all... the message is clear – God is always first, no matter what.
Maybe the toughest excuse to deal with concerns our families, friends and relationships. Jesus was extremely careful to warn us that family and friends would come between Him and His followers. Christians know that going in. Remember, Jesus ask us to calculate the costs of being one of His disciples. Never is that more relevant than in our family situations. If family members are unbelievers, fence riders, marginal Christians, or backsliders, whatever their spiritual circumstance... they should never be used as an excuse to keep us from pursing service to the Kingdom of God. Consider what Jesus said to Martha as recorded by Luke in chapter 10 verses 41 and 42. Sound advice for all of us when considering the power our families can have on our spiritual psyche.
The typical excuses of TODAY don’t hold up with God. Modern man makes excuses for his sinful behavior. Some excuse themselves by saying, "I can't help it, its just the way I am, or it’s the way I was born." Homosexuals excuse their sinful behavior by saying they were born that way and they just can't help it. Sorry, God declares otherwise (1 Cor. 6:9-10). Some think they were born with a bad temper and they just can't help it. Again you have no leg to stand on... read James 1:19-20.
Young people have been known to say, "Everybody else is doing it." "Everybody else is wearing it." "Everyone else is going, why can’t I?" First of all... it’s highly unlikely that everybody is doing it, but even if they are, it would not excuse you for doing it. If everybody at school lies, cheats, steals, does drugs, smokes, drinks alcohol, and engages in casual sex, etc., etc., this social-cultural reality does not give you the right to do the same things. Parents and young people... read together what Romans 12:2 has to say.
Parents have a tough time during the difficult teen years when such excuses and justifications for self-willed behavior invades your relationship with your offspring. Sometimes if feels like a war is raging between teenagers and parents on these things. Maybe it feels that way... but the war is between the teenagers and God. The teenagers must learn to make their own decisions based on divine principles... no excuses will neutralize their bad choices and ungodly behavior.
God will not accept man's flimsy, feeble, sorry excuses. All unbelievers are without excuse before God. (Romans 1:20) Those who condemn others for their wickedness, but practice the same things are without excuse. (Romans 2:1)
Remember the parable of the large banquet... the master was angry when people refused his invitation, so he invited others to take part. God the Father has done much in providing a plan for salvation and redemption for sinful man. He is justly angered when people make excuses for not accepting His precious invitations.
No excuses will be accepted in the day of judgment. (Read Luke 13:24-27) God will convict and convince all ungodly excuse makers in that great day. (Jude 14-15) He’ll do it with a question... Did you keep my laws and statutes and judgments? For those who never claimed Him, rejecting His gift of grace, their answer will be pretty straight-forward... No. Nothing to report, discuss, no life “in Christ” to defend. But for the Christian who has claimed Him as Savior and carry His name in the world today, our answer to that question will be the most difficult and challenging we have ever faced.
What's your excuse for failure to obey God? He’s heard them all! Maybe it’s time for you to resolve in your heart... as one who has accepted the precious blood of Jesus and committed your life to Him, but for a myriad of excuses you just can’t seem to get going or keep the engine running... to denounce all worthless excuses and make yourself right with Almighty God.
Get busy in doing the will of God rather than relying on lame-brain excuses for avoiding or postponing your responsibilities to Him.
God will actually help you towards that end. But you will have to take the first, and maybe the second and third step in a refreshed walk towards Him to convince Him you’re serious. He wants you to stay the course and run the race set before all of us, doing so passionately and faithful in all things.
