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The Excuse of Romans Seven - March 11, 2007
We all make excuses. It started with Adam, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate" (Genesis 3:12). It has continued ever since.
Amazingly enough, the problem of making excuses has captivated the church. The people who above all else should be ready to "confess their sins" (1 John 1:9), use a pat answer when overtaken by sin. "That which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate" (Romans 7:15). The usual interpretation is that verses like this one in Romans 7 apply to Christians. When we sin, we fall back on these verses! We are comforted. "After all," we say, "The great apostle Paul had the very same problem I have. He wanted to do good. But then he failed. So I guess I shouldn't expect to do any better." Then we settle for a Christian life that is sinful.
But although we are not perfect and will never be without sin in this life, we should never use the Scriptures as an excuse to live in sin. You see, the verses so often used to excuse sin really don't apply to Christians at all. They apply to unbelieving people who are under deep conviction due to sin. So if you are using this excuse, you may be under conviction. You may need the salvation worked out by Jesus Christ! The true Christian position is not like the excuse! Listen, "It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). So don't use verses in the Bible as an excuse for sin. That's not why they are there.
For a free audiotape on this subject, call 1-800-777-0389
email: [email protected]; or visit: Word for the Week
We all make excuses. It started with Adam, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate" (Genesis 3:12). It has continued ever since.
Amazingly enough, the problem of making excuses has captivated the church. The people who above all else should be ready to "confess their sins" (1 John 1:9), use a pat answer when overtaken by sin. "That which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate" (Romans 7:15). The usual interpretation is that verses like this one in Romans 7 apply to Christians. When we sin, we fall back on these verses! We are comforted. "After all," we say, "The great apostle Paul had the very same problem I have. He wanted to do good. But then he failed. So I guess I shouldn't expect to do any better." Then we settle for a Christian life that is sinful.
But although we are not perfect and will never be without sin in this life, we should never use the Scriptures as an excuse to live in sin. You see, the verses so often used to excuse sin really don't apply to Christians at all. They apply to unbelieving people who are under deep conviction due to sin. So if you are using this excuse, you may be under conviction. You may need the salvation worked out by Jesus Christ! The true Christian position is not like the excuse! Listen, "It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). So don't use verses in the Bible as an excuse for sin. That's not why they are there.
For a free audiotape on this subject, call 1-800-777-0389
email: [email protected]; or visit: Word for the Week
