Ready:
"Then the man replied, 'The woman You gave to be with me--she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.'
"So the Lord God asked the woman, 'What is this you have done?'
"And the woman said, 'It was the serpent. He deceived me, and I ate.'"
-Genesis 3:12-13
Set:
One of the easiest things to do in sports is to make excuses for a bad performance. Usually, the officials get blamed for our poor performance or lack of execution. Making excuses is an easy way for us to not take responsibility for our actions.
In the same way, as Christians we sometimes make excuses for the sins we commit. It is easier for us to blame others instead of taking responsibility for our actions. Let's look at some common excuses Christians make and what we should do instead of making excuses.
(a) "I won't get caught."
Some people do things because they think they can get away with it. Examples include speeding, not paying taxes, cheating, using steroids, having abortions, etc.
(b) "Everybody else is doing it."
Peer pressure is a powerful thing. Students especially struggle with it because they want to fit in. Examples include smoking, drinking alcohol, having sex before marriage, having abortions, etc.
(c) "It's not cool."
The desire for us not to be rejected by others is another reason people do things they know are not right. People are often made fun of for doing things that are not "cool." Examples include respecting teachers and coaches, working hard in the classroom, playing hard on the field, making good grades, etc.
(d) "I'm too busy."
This is one of the most common excuses made by Christians of all ages. We need to keep the right priorities and focus on what is really important. Examples include not praying, not reading the Bible, not attending church, not participating in FCA, etc.
Instead of making excuses, we should. . .
(1) Lay aside sin (Hebrews 12:1-2).
(2) Remember that we must give an account of our actions to God (Romans 2:6-11).
(3) Ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:5-10).
(4) Have "true" love (1 Corinthians 13:1-13).
Go:
1. Are you making excuses for the sins in your life?
2. Are you making excuses to your teachers and coaches about your grades and work ethic at practice?
3. Does making excuses for your actions help you in any way?
Workout:
1 John 2:28