Collins Concise Dictionary defines an excuse as an
explanation offered in defence of some fault or as a reason for not fulfilling
an obligation etc.
We can deduce from this definition that an excuse is an
explanation or reason offered to let someone forego an obligation which is
rightfully theirs; and that they could fulfil if they wanted to. In other words
they could fulfil the obligation but have chosen not to fulfil it.
Let’s have a look at Luke 14:15-24 for some good
examples of excuses.
“(15) Now one of those who sat at
the table with Him [Jesus] heard
these things, he said to Him, ‘Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom
of God!’
(16)Then He [Jesus] said to him, ‘A certain man gave a great
supper and invited many,
(17) And sent his servants at
supper time to say to those who were invited, “Come, for all things are now
ready,”
(18) But they with one accord
began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground,
and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’
(19) And another said, ‘I have
bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me
excused.’
(20) Still another said, ‘I have
married a wife and therefore I cannot come.’
(21) So that servant came and
reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry,
said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city and
bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’
(22) And the servant said, ‘Master,
it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’
(23) Then the master said to the
servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that
my house may be filled.
(24) For I say to you that none
of those men who were invited shall taste my supper’.”
Why was the master so angry? He knew that the excuses were
covering up the real reason. They were not just declining the invitation; they
were rejecting him as not being worthy of their time, or effort.
The scenario outlined by the Lord Jesus is a picture of
God’s great offer of salvation. The gospel invitation goes out and people make
excuses as to why they won’t accept salvation.
Are you saved? If not, what is your excuse? Are you ready to
suffer eternal loss? The people who made excuses not to come to the supper did
not get a second invitation!
Perhaps by the grace of God you have had more than one
gospel invitation. Don’t procrastinate, for in Genesis 6:3 we read these
words, “And the Lord said, ‘My Spirit
shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall
be one hundred and twenty years’.”
How do I know this is
true? Noah spent 120 years building his ark and then the great flood came.
Genesis
7:23, “So He [God] destroyed all living things which were on
the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping things and birds of the
air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him
in the ark remained alive.”
If you do not respond to the gospel invitation to be saved,
then God will one day simply give up on you. You won’t be able to blame God for
choosing not to be saved.
Excuses, excuses, excuses, they won’t get you into Heaven
and they are a sure fire way of you going to Hell when you die.
Jon Peasey
Words of Life blog www.jrpeasey.blogspot
[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless
otherwise noted]
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