Excuses, Excuses

…they are without excuse. -Romans 1:20

We are all skilled in the art of making excuses. We try to obtain exemption or release for what we know we should have done. Excuses are offered by the very young for failure to do household chores. As children grow older, they are confronted by more situations in life which often require excuses; such as being late or failing to do one's homework. Adults find it necessary to offer excuses for being late to work, or being late in paying bills, or forgetting appointments. We have heard most of the excuses; they are all too familiar. No doubt a best seller would be a book of new and original excuses, because it seems that there is always a need to be exempt from something, or a need to excused.

On one occasion, Christ gave a parable concerning a great supper. In this particular parable, a certain man invited guests to a large dinner which he had prepared. Those who were invited all made excuses. One said that he had purchased a piece of land and he needed to go take a look at what he had purchased. Another excused himself by saying that he had purchased five yoke of oxen and he needed to go try them out. The third man said "I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come." Excuses excuses! The truth of the matter is that they did not want to accept the invitation, so they offered foolish excuses. Those who would refuse the invitation of the gospel are left with no other alternative but to offer some flimsy excuse.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, he described some who were "suppressing the truth in unrighteousness." Paul said that such people were subject to the wrath of God. But he also said that they were without excuse for their sin, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20) These men were guilty of not only refusing to believe the truth themselves, but they were hindering others from receiving the truth. The Apostle Paul points out that these suppressors of the truth could not hide behind some excuse. They might claim that they did not know the truth. Paul insists that the truth which creation reveals concerning God the Creator is sufficient to hold them accountable.

When it comes to man's accountability before God, there are no valid excuses. No one on the final Day of Judgment will be to obtain an exemption or offer an explanation as a reason for being excused. The wisest thing that a man can do is to face God's word honestly before the Day of Judgment.