"No Pardon For Excuses"

"No Pardon For Excuses"

   

    When approaching God's throne of grace through the Lord Jesus Christ to obtain His merciful forgiveness of sin, our heart must be empty of excuses.

   "I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against Thee" (Psalm 41:4).

    Others can serve as the means whereby we are tempted.  "It must needs by that offenses come. But woe to that man by whom the offense cometh" (Matthew 18:7).  However, we make our own choices to disbelieve and disobey God.  It's nobody else's fault, regardless of how negatively the words or behaviors may influence us.  The challenge we face, however, involves the sinful strain in our flesh that ever seeks to divert blame to others for our own faults.  Adam faulted Eve (and by implication, God, since He made Eve for Adam).  Eve blamed the devil (Genesis 1:12-13).  The default position of humanity regarding our faults tempts us to divert, distract, and deny.  Our flesh seeks to blame anything but itself for sin. Failure to recognize this inclination can lead to a stained conscience as we do not adequately avail ourselves of our Lord's forgiveness and cleansing.  As the old saying goes, "The blood of Christ pardons sins, not excuses."

    Others, including the devil, may beckon us to poisoned waters.  We determine, however, whether we will drink.  This has been the case for every sin we've ever committed, especially those choices of unbelief and disobedience that occurred after we trusted in the Lord Jesus.  God's presence and enabling to overcome temptation dwells within believers by His Spirit.  Never is sin inevitable in born again believers.  Thus, we must acknowledge our full culpability if we are to receive full restoration of our fellowship with God when confessing our sins.  He is "faithful and just" to forgive (I John 1:9).  We must be honest and contrite to receive His forgiveness.  Again, full pardon for sin awaits us in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus.  But no pardon for excuses.

"I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin."

(Psalm 32:5)

Weekly Memory Verse

   Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promised."

(Hebrews 10:23)