Our Toleration of Evil

 

“Our Toleration of Evil”

Prov. 28:13-14; 3:12; 1 Pet. 1:14-15; Isa. 59:1-2 

SUBJECT: CORRECTION ADVERSITY COMPELS US TO MAKE

THEME: Examine Your Attitude Toward Evil and Sin When Trouble Invades Your Life. 

RELEVANCY: God Desires for Us to Correct Our Attitude Toward Evil and Turn Away from the Practices of Sin. Sin usually leads to even more sin; it is certain that the “hardened heart shall fall into mischief.” God desires to compel all of us to engage in periodic self-examination so we may face up to our own sin and to do the difficult work of changing our beliefs and our behavior. Once more we want to encourage you to, look at your own heart and life to see what you may need to correct when adversity comes your way. Our goal is to live in total harmony with what Jesus would believe and do.

INTRODUCTION:

The Scriptures tell us, God is a God of absolutes. We are either evil or righteous, based upon what we have decided to do in response to Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross. If we accept that what Jesus did on the cross was for us and for the remission of our sins, and we receive Him as our Savior, then we move from the classification of sinner to the classification of saved.

Sin is the Worldwide separation of people from God.

 Romans 3:9-10, What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; [10] As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Paul uses these verses to show that humanity in general, in its present sinful condition, is unacceptable before God.

Have you ever thought to yourself, ‘Well, I'm not too bad.’ I'm a pretty good person?

Have you ever lied? Have you ever hurt someone's feelings by your words or tone of voice?

Are you bitter toward anyone? Do you become angry with those who strongly disagree with you?

The Bible tells us the world stands silent and accountable before almighty God. No excuses or arguments are left. Have you reached the point with God where you are ready to hang up your defenses and await his decision? If you haven't, stop now and admit your sin to him.

MESSAGE: 

WHY DO WE CARELESSLY TOLERATE SIN AND EVIL?

We answer this question by asking another one.  What does the Bible say about God's holiness? Our view of sin is directly related to our view of God’s perfect holiness.  With a low opinion of God’s holiness we tolerate and harbor more sinful attitudes and actions.  When we have a high admiration for God’s holiness, we are far less passive regarding our sin.  The following are some principles that help us quickly grasp the infinite holiness of God.

A.  WE DISMISSED GOD’S HOLINESS WHICH IS BEYOND COMPARISON.  

1 Peter 1:14-15, As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: [15] But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

Being holy in the sense of superior moral qualities and possessing certain essentially divine qualities in contrast with what is human—‘holy, pure, divine.’^[1]

We are called to abandon our former, sinful lifestyles and align our daily behavior with the perfect holiness of God. This radical transformation as followers of Christ replaces worldly ignorance with active obedience and moral purity.

The moral excellence of God that unifies his attributes and is expressed through his actions, setting him apart from all others. Believers are called to be holy as God is holy. —Systematic Theology

    1.  God Sets the Standard of Morality.

The God of Israel and of the Christian churches is holy—he sets the standard for morality.

The believers’ living hope based on their new birth should lead to a lifestyle of holiness. Those chosen for new birth are also called to be holy. Peter exhorted his readers to prepare to meet the challenge of obedience by adopting a new mind-set. The price paid for a believer’s redemption calls for reverence and obedience. Obedience involves purifying oneself and practicing holy living, while offering spiritual sacrifices as a royal priest.^[2]

Unlike the Roman and Greek gods, God is not warlike, adulterous, or spiteful. These ancient gods acted like spoiled, jealous, and powerful humans; many ancient religions featured immoral and unethical gods and goddesses. They supposedly had superpowers but also bad habits like stealing, lying, and cheating. Unlike the gods of the pagan cults popular in the first century, Jehovah is not bloodthirsty or promiscuous. He is a God of mercy and justice who cares personally for each of his followers. Our holy God expects us to imitate him by following his high moral standards. Like him, we should be both merciful and just; like him, we should sacrifice ourselves for others.

    2.  God's Holiness Is Our Universal Standard for Pure Living.

God is holy; He is utterly unique, distinct from all of creation, and entirely perfect in moral purity. It is the defining characteristic of His nature; His absolute purity—He is completely unstained by sin or evil. There is no darkness or falsehood in his thoughts, statements, and activities—He is perfectly good and just.  

After people commit their lives to Christ, they usually still feel a pull back to their old ways. Peter tells us to be like our heavenly Father -- holy in everything we do. Holiness for us means being totally devoted or dedicated to God, set aside for his special use, and set apart from sin and its influence. Rev. 15:4, says,

“Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.”

We’re to be set apart and different, not blending in with the crowd, yet not being different just for the sake of being different. What makes us different is having God’s qualities in our life. Our focus and priorities must be his. All this is in direct contrast to our old ways (1Pet. 1:14). We cannot become holy on our own, but God gives us his Holy Spirit to help us obey and to give us power to overcome sin. Don't use the excuse that you can't help slipping into sin. Call on God's power to free you from sin’s grip.

Commonly God’s standard of holiness is trumped by the “new morality” which is a wide-ranging cultural and ethical shift from traditional, Bible-based absolute moral frameworks toward bases centered on individual self-fulfillment, situational ethics, and bodily self-government. That is moving in favor of flexible, context-driven ethical notions—from God-centered to human-centered ideas! (See Christianity Today). These modern principles emphasize living an authentic, personally rewarding life, prioritizing happiness and emotional well-being over self-denial. Current morality relies increasingly on psychological and observed characterizations of right and wrong. It is closely tied to required concerns for others' welfare, fairness, and justice, driven by secular humanist philosophies rather than traditional biblical views. Our society is presently feeling the woes of that mistake!  

B.  WE DISMISSED GOD’S HOLINESS WHICH CANNOT ALLOW SIN.

Isaiah 59:1-2, Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: [2] But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

God is always willing and able to save His people, but our willful sins create a spiritual barrier. Instead of God losing His power or ignoring prayers, our iniquity breaks fellowship, causing Him to withhold His deliverance until repentance occurs.

There is widespread perversion of justice and dishonesty. People conceive evil and bring forth crime. Their activities are as dangerous as vipers’ eggs and as useless as a spider’s web. Sin controls every area of their lives—what they do, where they go, what they think. They care nothing for peace and justice, preferring what is crooked. What was true of Israel is also true of the entire human race (Rom. 3:15–17).^[3]

God's inability to tolerate sin is mentioned in Habakkuk 1:13, saying. "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity..."

Sin prevents prayer from being answered (cf. Ps. 66:18). Those sins included murder, lying, injustice (cf. Isa. 59:9, 11, 14–15), and planning evil (vv. 3–4). Their actions were like those of deadly poisonous snakes (vipers and an adder), for they were harming each other. ^[4]

God is absolutely holy. In fact, his moral perfection is so vast that He cannot look upon sin with approval or tolerate its presence. Psalm 5:4, says, “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.” This embraces the concept of God’s zero-tolerance policy toward sin and wickedness.

    1.  There Is a Colossal Problem with All of Us Before a Perfect God—our sins have cut us off from any relationship with Him. Because of our sinful attitudes and actions, he has completely turned away from us and utterly refuses to listen.

    2.  Sin Offends Our Holy God and Separates Us from Him. Because God is holy, he cannot ignore, excuse, or tolerate sin as though it didn't matter. Sin cuts people off from him, forming a wall to isolate God from the people he loves.

No wonder this long list of wretched sins makes God angry and forces him to look the other way. People who die with their life of sin unforgiven separate themselves eternally from God. God wants them to live with him forever, but he cannot take them into his holy presence unless their sin is removed. Have you confessed your sin to God, allowing him to remove it? The Lord can save you if you turn to him.

    3. Beloved, this is God’s Second Correction—the Purging Away of Sin from Our Lives. Proverbs 28:13, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

There is a stark contrast between two responses to sin—concealment versus confession—and their ultimate outcomes.

1. “Covereth” (this is hiding/excusing sin). Trying to hide, deny, or justify wrongdoings. God warns that this approach “shall not prosper”. Hiding sin requires constant energy, leads to inner turmoil, and ultimately blocks spiritual success or peace.
2. “Confesseth” (relates to admitting/owning our sin). Honestly acknowledging faults to God and taking responsibility for those wrong actions.
3. “Forsaketh” (is turning away from sinful behavior). True repentance involves not just saying sorry, but actively abandoning or changing that sinful behavior.
4. “Mercy” (refers to God’s forgiveness and compassion). The reward for complete repentance is God's grace, pardon, and compassion.

1)    Choose Transparency with God over denial. God already sees everything, so attempting to hide sin is foolish. Admitting fault brings peace and breaks the hold that the secret has on your life.

2)    Engage the two-step path to forgiveness. Genuine repentance requires both confession (admitting it) and forsaking (turning away from it).

3)    Take the biblical promise to heart. Align yourself with 1 John 1:9, where God promises that if we confess our sins, He is “faithful and just to forgive us”.

Admitting our faults and actively turning away from these behaviors are the only path to forgiveness and grace. Remember God will never admit a sinful, arrogant soul, into his kingdom. But if we confess our sin, with a broken heart, forsake every evil way, and we give proof that we are serious with God. The sincerity of the confession is proved by our forsaking sins (Job 34:31-32). Then mercy is guaranteed to such a soul (Ps 32:5; 1 John 1:8-10).

     4. God deals with our Shame effectively in Salvation!

These two previous discussions bring us to the unavoidable subject of shame. This is a painful relational consequence of sin that causes a person to feel worthless, exposed, and alienated from God and others. While guilt is about breaking a rule, shame is about feeling that your core identity is irreparably flawed—a valid moral conviction.

Spiritually, shame is often viewed as a heavy burden on the soul rather than a mere character flaw. It is defined as an internalizing force that attacks your core identity, whispering that your whole self is flawed and unworthy of love.—Unknown

Shame causes individuals to hide their authentic selves from God and from their community (like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden—Gen. 3:7-10). It emerged immediately after the Fall when Adam and Eve realized their nakedness, felt exposed, and hid from God. Again, shame is not just an internal feeling; it is a degraded, defeated, or outcast state within a community (e.g., poverty, barrenness, or disease). Experiencing brief shame can motivate a straying believer to repent and return to godly standards.

Practice God's Solution for Shame!
God seeks to remove our shame. Through Christ, God replaces our disgrace with honor, grace, and a new identity.

• Isaiah 54:4: Assures us we will no longer remember the shame of our youth.
• Romans 10:11: says, “For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed” (this persistent theme is also promised in 1 Peter 2:6).
• Hebrews 12:2: Highlights that Jesus “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” to secure victory over sin and restore us to fellowship with God.

Guilt is judicial in character; shame is relational. Though related to guilt, shame emphasizes sin's effect on self-identity. Sinful human beings are traumatized before a holy God, exposed for failure to live up to God's glorious moral purpose. The first response of Adam and Eve to their sinful condition was to hide from God, and consequently from one another (Gen 3:7-8; 2:25). Christ's unhindered openness to the Father was both a model for life and the means of removing humanity's shame. Christian self-identity is transformed "in him."

When one confesses Christ and openly rebels against him, however, the work of Christ is publicly shamed (Heb 6:6). Christians must be diligent to renounce shameful behavior, though tempting because of its hidden character (2 Cor 4:2).

Shame is a godly motivator. A virtuous life shames the ungodly, providing a context for evangelism (Titus 2:8; 1 Peter 3:16). A believer's shame for past sin is a spur to forsake sinning (Rom 6:21), to renounce disobedience (2 Thess 3:14), and to minister the gospel (2 Cor 4:2).

Shameless people flaunt their unholiness, calloused to God (Zep 3:5) and glorying in their shame (Php 3:19). Yet no one is shameless ultimately. "Shameless Acts" receive the judgment inherent in the act (Rom 1:27). Also, at the final judgment the nakedness of those not clothed with Christ' righteousness will be exposed (Rev 3:18; 16:15).—Bradford A. Mullen

 

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^[1] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 744.

^[2] Roger M. Raymer, “1 Peter,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 842.

^[3] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 984.

^[4] John A. Martin, “Isaiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1114.

Choosing Positive Change

Gen. 3:14-19

Theme: We do not like to take responsibility for giving in to temptations and our bad habits; yet it is this very tendency that keeps us from dealing successfully with the besetting sins in our lives.

Introduction: taking responsibility for our actions and failures is the first step to restoring fellowship with God, and strengthening our relationships with those we love. One hindrance to openness and honesty with God is shame. Shame is a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the awareness of wrong or foolish behavior. We can feel so much shame that we cannot bare the idea of facing God; we do not feel worthy of approaching Him for anything. We have zero confidence He will accept us if we did appeal to Him. Such behavior is rooted in an incredible ignorance of the truth that God designed the way of restoration for believers when we fall into temptations. Beloved, there is no reason to hid anything from the Lord…turn to Him.

Another reason we fail to live transparently with the Lord is because we have this faint hope in the back of our minds that God may or will overlook what happened. Perhaps He didn’t notice it…. Certainly, He won’t necessarily call me on it or hold me responsible. This, of course, is flawed human rationalization! God will convict and confront us with our sin and failures to restore us to fellowship with Himself and our love ones. Note how these truths unfold in the account of Adam and Eve. 

 Lesson:

  I. We Must Realize The Lord Will Hold Us Responsible For Our Every Action (Gen. 3:14-19). God’s love for sinners in no way eliminates His holy hatred for sin, for while it’s true that “God is love” (1 John 4:8,16), it’s also true that “God is light” (1:5). A holy God must deal with sin, for the good of the sinner and for the glory of His name.

         A. THE LORD HELD ADAM AND EVE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN.  

The effects of sin are punishment and provision. Whereas the man and the woman had life, they now had death; whereas pleasure, now pain; whereas abundance, now a meager subsistence by toil; whereas perfect fellowship, now alienation and conflict. –Walvoord

                     1)   THE LORD HELD THE SERPENT RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS ACTIONS

Gen 3:14,  And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

                      2)   THE LORD HELD SATAN RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS ACTIONS

Gen 3:15, And I will put enmity between thee (Satan) and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed [Christ]; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

To Satan, God declared war!  This would climax in his condemnation (Rom 16:20); and to Eve, it was the assurance that she was forgiven and that God would use a woman to bring the Redeemer into the world (1 Tim 2:13-15).

                      3)   THE LORD HELD EVE RESPONSIBLE FOR HER ACTIONS

Gen 3:16, Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

God reinforced His word of hope to Eve by assuring her that she would bear children and therefore not immediately die. But the special privilege of woman as the childbearer (and ultimately the one who brings the Redeemer into the world) would involve multiplied pain in pregnancy as well as submission to her husband. –The Bible Exposition Commentary

                      4)   THE LORD HELD ADAM RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS ACTIONS

Gen 3:17, And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Eve would have pain in the labor of childbirth, but Adam would have pain in his daily labor in the field. As he worked to get his food, Adam would encounter obstacles and have to toil and sweat to get a harvest: and this would remind him that his disobedience had affected creation (Rom 8:18-23). Even more, as he tilled the soil, he would remember that one day he would die and return to the soil from which he had come. Adam the gardener became Adam the toiler. –The Bible Exposition Commentary

         B.    THE LORD WILL HOLD EVERY BELIEVER RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS ACTIONS.  2 Cor 5:9-10, Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

The Lord will call upon each Christian to give an account of himself at the Judgment Seat of Christ!  Therefore, live and battle against temptations to please Him in that great day!

          C.    THE LORD EXPECTS US TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR LIVES BY SAYING “NO” TO TEMPTATIONS AND GETTING RID OF THE BAD HABITS.

When we take the first step and admit that we are responsible for the bad habits in our lives, and when we stop blaming others for our problems, then we can begin to deal with the temptations in our lives.

It is not someone or something else fault.  It is your fault!  This is not the point within itself.  If it’s your problem then you can begin to get victory over it, but if you blame your circumstances, or your environment then there is nothing you can do and you are a victim of circumstances. But God has made it clear that when we take the blame for our failures, then we can deal successfully with temptations.

II. We Must Learn To Be Completely Honest With God and Ourselves.

The Lord wants us to be honest with Him and know the power of real confession.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 1:7–2:2)

1. HE WANTS US TO RENEW OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM.

Confession clears the way to freely enjoy the Lord (1 John 1:9-2:2). Confession is supposed to free us to enjoy fellowship with Christ. It should ease our conscience and lighten our cares. But some Christians do not understand how it works. We feel so guilty that we confess the same sins over and over; then we wonder if we might have forgotten something.

These Christians do not understand that God wants to forgive us. He allowed his beloved Son to die just so he could pardon us. When we come to Christ, he forgives all the sins we have committed or will ever commit. We don't need to confess the sins of the past all over again, and we don't need to fear that God will reject us if we don't keep our slate perfectly clean. Of course, we should continue to confess our sins, but not because failure to do so will make us lose our salvation. Our relationship with Christ is secure. Instead, we should confess our sins so that we can enjoy maximum fellowship and joy with him.

True confession also involves a commitment not to continue in sin. We wouldn't be genuinely confessing our sins to God if we planned to commit them again and just wanted temporary forgiveness. We should also pray for strength to defeat temptation the next time we face it.

The image of returning to the Lord is one of changing directions, of going back (Hosea 14:1–2, 4). We have wandered off, or gone off in anger, or in desperation. We have turned away from God. It is time now to turn back to him; to make a 180-degree turn; to admit our need of God; to confess the behaviors that caused us to turn away from God. Returning is going home again to the place where our hearts belong, to the place where we are always welcomed back.

God says he will heal our backsliding—waywardness. Waywardness is a turning away from God...from what is in our best interest to follow depraved, sinful, and capricious inclinations. There are many ways in which such unruliness can be expressed. Some of us are openly rebellious. We flaunt our wild behavior and laugh at God. Others of us are quietly wayward. We try to appear compliant and good, but inside we are defiantly independent—shamelessly autonomous. No matter how we express our rebelliousness, it is a powerfully destructive force in our lives.”  God says he will love us freely. He will love us generously, completely, until our fears are calmed and our defenses are lowered. He will heal us with his generous love.

2. HE WANTS US TO REPAIR OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE WE LOVE.

“What I said in front of the boss today was thoughtless and insensitive,” Robert said. “I put you down. I guess I did it to make myself look good. I am sorry. With God's help, I will try to stop treating you like this.”

Phyllis was stunned. She had been hurt by Robert’s comment, but she had come to expect this kind of behavior from him. What she did not expect was for him to be aware of what he was doing, admit it, express regret and commit himself to change. (Source Unknown)

Our defensive instincts often keep us from seeing how our behaviors impact other people. We do something hurtful and then we try to minimize it, adding a second injury to the first, and further damaging our relationships.

The spiritual discipline of confession is at the heart of God's plan for growing us into the kind of people who are capable of intimate relationships. We must continue this spiritual discipline daily. Instead of minimizing your wrongdoings, or shaming ourselves for them, we are invited to promptly admit them. We can clear the air. We can say the truth to God, to others and ourselves.

Accept God’s invitation to live vulnerable, open, honest lives. When we are wrong, we can promptly admit it.

Conclusion:

I.   We tend to excuse our actions by blaming others

II. We must realize the Lord will hold us responsible for our actions

III. We must learn to be completely honest with God and ourselves

Don’t continue in the age-old habit of blaming someone else for your failures. Starting today let us face up to them and take a giant step toward overcoming temptations. No more excuses, I am to blame for my temptations and poor habits. 

God, I acknowledge my problem and I’m not waiting for my circumstances to change, nor am I excusing my habits because of my personality and disposition. Lord by admitting my faults I am putting myself in a position to begin to change and get rid of these habits in my life.

It's Not My Fault!

Genesis 3:1-19 (vs. 12-19)

Theme: We do not like to take responsibility for giving in to temptations and our bad habits; yet it is this very tendency that keeps us from dealing successfully with the besetting sins in our lives.

Introduction: I read something the other day that said, “LEAD ME NOT INTO TEMPTATION, I CAN FIND IT MYSELF”.  We all would probably agree with that statement. Temptation seems to be lurking everywhere; we certainly don’t have to look for it. 

There is, however, a certain implication in that statement. The implication is that we are ultimately responsible for the things with which we are tempted.  That is, we don’t need any assistance when it comes to being tempted.  We don’t like to take complete responsibility for our temptations; after all it is so much easier to blame someone or something else.  Yet this tendency keeps many of us from dealing successfully with the besetting sins in our lives.  

Alcoholics are classic examples.  People with drinking problems have well-rehearsed stories about why they have problems with alcohol.  Stories ranging from family problems, to difficulties at work, also broken relationships.  Regardless of the particulars of the stories, the conclusion is their problems are really somebody else fault; if certain people or circumstances would change, then they could straighten up, but not until then.  The sad result is that by blaming somebody else for their problems, they never get themselves in a position to change.  They short circuit the whole process.  (Stanley)

Lesson:

We Tend to Excuse Our Actions by Blaming Others. Gen 3:11-13, And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12, And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13, And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

The very first time man is confronted with his sin he excuses himself and blames someone else.  Blame shifting is nothing new!  What they are saying is, “It’s Not My Fault!” Our defensive instincts often keep us from seeing how our behaviors impact God and other people. We do something hurtful and then we try to minimize it, adding a second injury to the first, and further damaging our relationships.  Let us look at some of the excuses we make today. . ..

        A.  THERE ARE THOSE WHO EXCUSE THEMSELVES BY BLAMING THEIR PERSONALITY “BUT THAT’S JUST THE WAY I AM!”  Many people blame their personality for their inability to deal successfully with particular temptations.

                 1)    Men with Hot Tempers Tend to Use This Excuse.

They say, “I’ve Always Been This Way.” Others excuse their temper problem by saying: “Ever since I was a kid I’ve had a hot temper.”  The implication is that “I have always been this way and I always will be.  There is no use in my trying to change.”  Often accompanying this way of thinking is a plea to “accept me the way I am.”  This may be your answer to your problem, but sooner or later your spouse and children get tired of running for cover when you blow your stake and resort to filthy language.

                  2)   Women with a Habit of Pouting Tend to Use This Excuse.

This is another unacceptable behavior that often gets excused as part of someone’s personality—the habit of closing up and refusing to talk when there is tension or conflict.  You may say what’s that got to do with temptation?  This is an inappropriate outward response to one’s feelings.  It’s the same as lying when one feels threatened or cursing when one feels angry.  This is a temptation and sin just like any other bad habit.  “That’s the way I handle pressure,” “It’s just the way that I am.”  Sometimes a non-communicative parent can provoke their child to rebellion to have the attention and affection of that parent.

        B.   THERE ARE THOSE WHO EXCUSE THEMSELVES BY BLAMING THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES. “If only my circumstances were different, I would do better”

People use their circumstances or environment to excuse themselves.  “If it wasn’t for the people I work with, I wouldn’t have this problem.”  “If I didn’t have all the pressure at home, I am sure I could change.”  “It’s not my fault.  My friends make me do it.”, “If I had a normal life like everybody else, I would be able to quit my bad habit.”

                  1)   This is the Excuse that Single Adults (30yrs old) Use to Excuse Their Fornication.   “I wouldn’t have this problem if I had a spouse.”

                  2)   This is the Excuse that Busy Parents Use to Excuse the Neglect of their Children.

“If I didn’t have these children then I could get more out of life; I don’t have time to raise my children properly.”

                  3)   This is the Excuse that Dominating Wives Use to Excuse The Way They Treat Their Husbands. “I can’t be the Wife I Should be because he’s not the Husband he should be”

                  4)   This is the Excuse that Christians use for not Serving the Lord Faithfully and for not Attending Church Consistently. “Preacher, You don’t understand how busy my week is and sometimes I’m too tired to come to church”

                  5)   This is the Excuse that Passive Husbands use to Excuse Their Lack of Spiritual Leadership in the Home. “If I knew more about the Bible I would have a family altar”

                  6)    This is the Excuse that Church Workers use for Their Lack of Preparation for their ministry. “I had so many other things to manage this week” or “something came up at the last minute”

A single young man was convinced that smoking was wrong and bad for his health, but he blamed his habit on his friends who smoked heavily.  He was blaming his problem on his associates, and therefore he was unwilling to take responsibility for his problem.

        C.   THERE ARE THOSE WHO EXCUSE THEMSELVES BY BLAMING THEIR FAMILY OR PARENTS. “If you knew the kind of family I grew up in, you would understand why I ‘m this way.” 

A third excuse people are tempted to use is the Family. “If you had known my mom, you would know why I act the way I do.”  “My Dad always told me that a real man never cries, and so I cannot cry to this day.”

There seems to be more and more psychological awareness in our society today.  People seem to have a better understanding of why they act and react the way they do in given circumstances and relationships.  People seem to have some understanding of the impact parents make on children and how that can affect them as adults.

Gaining this insight can be a positive step in correcting problem behavior when it is acted upon. Unfortunately, it seems that some people use this insight as an excuse rather than a tool to aid in the process of change. They shift the responsibility for their sins from themselves to their parents.  “If my parents hadn’t treated me the way they did, I wouldn’t have these problems.”

A Young Lady who had a real understanding of how she was raised impacted her adult life.  She told the Christian councilor clearly and accurately what she experienced as a child and then she accurately pointed out how her parent’s negligence affected her as an adult.  She also made it clear that several bad habits developed in her adult life as a means of copping with her childhood.  The Christian Councilor was impressed with her clear analysis and even wanted to hire her as a councilor.  Then he asked her what positive steps have you taken to correct the problems in your life.  She evaded the question and began to talk about the details of her parent’s cruelty.  She was not looking for help, she only wanted to talk and further establish her reasons for excusing her poor habits. The insight she had should have been used to secure a remedy for her problem but instead she used it for an excuse for her sin and to blame her parents.  (Stanley)

        D.  THERE ARE THOSE WHO EXCUSE THEMSELVES BY BLAMING THE DEVIL“The Devil Made Me Do It.”  It may be Flip Wilson who most recently popularized the phrase “the Devil made me do it,” but this excuse has been around since the beginning.  Since we know that Satan has something to do with the temptation process it makes sense that he would be the one to blame.  Satan’s only power over us is through manipulation and deception.  But we need to be aware that the Devil cannot make us do anything!

                    1)   Satan is a Deceiver. 2 Cor 11:3, But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Rev 12:9, And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

                      2) Satan is a Liar.  John 8:44, Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

                      3) But, Satan Cannot Make Us Do Anything

Imagine yourself standing at the edge of a cliff that drops off into a deep rocky gorge.  Now suppose I walked up to you and said, “We have kidnapped a member of your family.  If you refuse to jump, your relative will be brutally beaten and then killed.”   Have I made you jump?  If you believe my story and you believed by jumping you could save your family member, I may have made you willing to jump or even anxious to jump.  But I have not made you jump.  Even if you jumped and you found out on the way to the bottom that I had lied about the whole thing, I still did not make you jump.  I simply tricked you into jumping.  On the other hand, if I walked up behind you and pushed you off, then I made you do something contrary to what you wanted to do, felt like doing, or even thought about doing.  The Serpent did not force Eve to eat the fruit, but he tricked her!  (Stanley)

        E.  THERE ARE THOSE WHO EXCUSE THEMSELVES BY BLAMING GOD

“LORD, HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!” Gen 3:12, And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

Many believers, some intentionally and some unintentionally, blame God for temptations. In actuality, you are blaming God when you blame anything or anybody for your weakness in a particular area. God allowed you to be born into your family.  He allowed you to meet the group that keeps getting you into trouble.  He allowed you to meet that individual you finally became involved with.  He even knew what kind of personality you would have.  If you thought about your sin long enough, you could find a way to pin the blame on God. (Stanley) 

The Bible is clear that God is not the cause of your temptation. James 1:13, Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

Just as holy trials are designed to bring out the best in us, so unholy temptations are designed to bring out the worst in us. James offered a sharp rebuke to those who find an easy excuse for their sinning. To free themselves from responsibility they say, “I am tempted by God,” He is the origin of this enticement, though He is not the Agent. James made it abundantly clear God cannot be tempted. This one thing must be clearly understood. (Wiersbe)

There is nothing in God to which evil can make an appeal. He is literally “untemptable” (Heb. 4:15). When we are tempted to sin, the temptation does not come from God. God does test or try men, as far as their faith is concerned, but He never tempts a man to commit any form of evil. He Himself has no dealings with evil, and He does not entice to sin.

When we take the first step and admit that we are responsible for the bad habits in our lives, and when we stop blaming others for our problems, then we can begin to deal with the temptations in our lives (1 John 1:9, 10).

It is not someone or something else fault.  It is your fault!  This is not the point within itself.  If it’s your problem then you can begin to get victory over it, but if you blame your circumstances, or your environment then there is nothing you can do and you are a victim of circumstances. But God has made it clear that when we take the blame for our failures, then we can deal successfully with temptations (James 1:14-18).

Can God Use Someone Like Me? (Part 1)

1Timothy 1:12-17

Sometimes recent Christian converts wonder if God can use them in His service…. They look back at their colorful past before conversion and wonder if they are somehow disqualified for service through their new church home. Because they love the Lord and honestly desire to obey the Scriptures that encourage ministry and involvement, they wrestle with doubts about being good enough to serve through their church. What should a person with a ‘mucky history’ do? These individuals know they are relatively different than those who grew up under the influence of Christ and the gospel…they not only made mistakes, but they routinely reveled in shameful sinful practices. Now that they are saved…is God willing to use them? Now that they have been born again will they be allowed to serve in meaningful ways?

I would like to answer this question using one of the most respected Christians in the New Testament…the Apostle Paul! The text we will focus on is 1Timothy 1:12-17. Yes, the apostle is writing to Timothy his ministry partner to instruct and encourage him in his pastoral duties at Ephesus. Paul mentions "the glorious Gospel of the blessed God" (1 Tim 1:11) and this stirred Paul to share his own personal testimony. He is case study 1 to answering this question while proving the Gospel of the grace of God really does work in the lives of real sinners. When you read Paul's testimony (see also Acts 9:1-22; 22:1-21; 26:9-18), you are gripped with the astonishment of God's grace and His saving power. You also begin to realize that God uses people with incredibly colorful pasts in many different capacities.

FIRST, CONSIDER WHAT PAUL USED TO BE (1Tim. 1:13A).

            1. He Was A Blasphemer.

·        He was a blasphemer because he denied the deity of Jesus Christ and forced others to deny it.

·        The reason this was so striking to the apostle was that he knew so well the pit from which he had been dug.

·        When he gave this description of his past, he was a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, he was not exaggerating for the sake of effect. (See Acts 22:4-5, 19-20; 26:9-11 for the vivid truth.)

            2.  He Was A Persecutor.

·        He was a persecutor who used physical power to try to destroy the church. “Threatenings and slaughter” were the very breath of his life (Acts 9:1).

·        He persecuted the Christian church (1 Cor 15:9) and then discovered that he was actually laying hands on Jesus Christ, the Messiah! (Acts 9:4)

·        During this period of his life, Paul consented to the stoning of Stephen and made havoc of the church (Acts 8:1-4).

            3.  He Was Injurious.

·        Paul was injurious, a word that means “proud and insolent.”

·        A modern equivalent might be "bully,"

·        It conveys the idea of a haughty man "throwing his weight around" in violence.

            4.  He Was an Ignorant Unbeliever.

·        But the basic causes of his godless behavior were "ignorance" and "unbelief."

1.      Even though Saul of Tarsus was a brilliant man and well educated (Acts 22:3; Gal 1:13-14), his mind was blinded from the truth (1 Cor 2:14; 2 Cor 4:3-4).

2.      He was a religious man, yet he was not headed for heaven!

3.      It was not until he put faith in Jesus Christ that he was saved (Phil 3:1-11).

·        Yet Paul was shown mercy because his actions were the product of ignorance.

1.      Willful disobedience triggers God’s wrath (Num. 15:22-31; Heb. 10:26).

2.      But God deals gently with the ignorant and misguided (Heb. 5:2).

3.      The German philosopher Nietzsche said, “If you could prove God to me, I would believe Him all the less.” No such willfulness characterized Paul’s unbelief.

SECONDLY, CONSIDER HOW PAUL WAS SAVED (1Tim. 1:13B-15).

1. How Could A Holy God Ever Save and Forgive Such Self-Righteous Sinners?

A) Through Mercy and Grace. (Vs. 13, 14)

·        The key words are "mercy" and "grace." God in His mercy did not give Paul what he did deserve; instead God in His grace gave Paul what he did not deserve.

·        Grace is God’s undeserved, unearned, freely given favor. Grace is God’s loving forgiveness, by which He grants salvation apart from any merit on the part of those He saves (see Rom. 3:24; Gal. 1:6).

·        “but I obtained mercy” If the apostle Paul could find mercy after the terrible things he did against Christ, then God surely offers salvation with “open arms” to all people (see 2:4). 

B) With Faith.

·        faith and love. Attitudes frequently linked with salvation in the NT (see Eph. 1:15; 3:17; Col. 1:4, 23). They are gifts of God’s grace in Christ.

C) With Love.

·        Grace and mercy are God's love in action, God motivated by love paying a price to save lost sinners. It is not God's love that saves us, for God loves the whole world (John 3:16).

·        It is by grace that we are saved (Eph 2:8-9) because God is rich in mercy (Eph 2:4) and grace (Eph 2:7).

2. What Did Paul's "Ignorance" Have To Do With His Salvation? (Vs. 1:13)

A) Is Ignorance An Excuse Before God?

·        Of course not! The fact of his ignorance is related to a special Jewish law (Lev 5:15-19; Num 15:22-31).

·        If a person sinned knowingly "with a high hand" in Israel, he was cut off from the people. But if he sinned in ignorance, he was permitted to bring the proper sacrifices to atone for his sins.

B) Jesus Recognized This Principle When He Prayed On The Cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).

C) Their Ignorance Did Not Save Them, Nor Did Christ's Prayer Save Them; but the combination of the two postponed God's judgment, giving them an opportunity to be saved.

3. Paul Stated That It Took "Exceeding Abundant" Grace To Save Him!

      A) The grace given to Paul was “exceeding abundant,” overflowing beyond all expectations.

1.      Therefore the apostle received God’s mercy, not His wrath. God’s grace far outpaced even Paul’s grievous sin.

2.      Where there was once only unbelief, God poured out . . . “faith” . . . “in Christ Jesus.”

3.      Where there had been violent aggression against God and His people, now God poured out the love of Christ. (See 2 Tim. 2:10.)

B) Everything Paul Lacked, God’s Grace Had More Than Amply Supplied.

1.      The term “exceeding abundant”, means “to be present in great or superabundance.”) Here may be seen the full measure of what Paul meant when he spoke of the empowering ministry of Christ (1 Tim. 1:12).

2.      “Paul liked to use the Greek prefix huper (meaning "an exceeding abundant amount"), and he often attached it to words in his letters. You might translate some of these as "superincrease of faith" (2 Thess 1:3); "superabounding power" (Eph 1:19); "superconqueror" (Rom 8:37). This same prefix has come into the English language as hyper. We speak of "hyperactive" children and "hypersensitive" people.” ---W.W. Wiersbe

4. Paul Makes It Clear That This Salvation Is Not For Him Only, But For All Who Receive Jesus Christ (1 Tim 1:15).

A) If Jesus Could Save Saul Of Tarsus, The Chief Of Sinners, Then He Can Save Anybody!

·        “This is a faithful saying.” A phrase unique to the Pastoral Epistles (see 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:11; Titus 3:8), which announces a statement summarizing key doctrines. The phrase “worthy of all acceptation” gives the statement added emphasis. Apparently, these sayings were well known in the churches, as concise expressions of cardinal gospel truth.

·        World refers to all humanity.

·        Save means to deliver or rescue. Christ came to die for the sins of humanity.

·        This faithful saying was based on the statements of Jesus recorded in Matt. 9:13; Luke 19:10.

·        “The central thrust of Paul’s personal digression, begun in verse 12, now becomes clear. It is a testimony concerning the purpose of the Incarnation of Christ. Jesus came not merely to set an example or to show that He cared. He came to salvage sinners from their spiritual destitution—and Paul said he was the worst of that lot. There must be no misunderstanding of this most fundamental point. It is a truth that is completely trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. (Four other passages include this “trustworthy” phrase: 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:11; Titus 3:8.)” ---John Walvoord

·        “Here we come to the very heart of the difference between true Christianity and all other teachings. False religions tell man that there is something he can do or be in order to win favor with God. The gospel tells man that he is a sinner, that he is lost, that he cannot save himself, and that the only way he can get to heaven is through the substitutionary work of the Lord Jesus on the cross. The type of law teaching which Paul described earlier in this chapter gives a place to the flesh. It tells man exactly what he wants to hear, namely, that he can somehow contribute to his own salvation. But the gospel insists that all the glory for the work of salvation must go to Christ alone, that man does nothing but the sinning, and that the Lord Jesus does all the saving.”  ---William MacDonald

B) We Admire Paul's Humility!

·        We note that he considered himself to be the "least of the apostles" (1 Cor 15:9).

·         And he referred to himself as the "least of all saints" (Eph 3:8).

·        Notice that Paul did not write "of whom I was chief" but "of whom I am chief." He was “first,” in rank.

·        Paul saw the degradation of sin and understood the sinfulness of human beings. Because of this, he placed himself first among sinners.

·        Few could be considered a worse sinner than someone who blasphemed God and persecuted His church (see 1 Cor. 15:9; Eph. 3:8). Paul’s attitude toward himself dramatically changed (Phil. 3:7–9; Rom 7:7–12).

Clearly God in His infinite grace and mercy can save anyone who realizes their sinfulness and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. Beloved, this is one of the primary reasons Jesus Christ came into this world! Yes, God has you and me in mind for our salvation and good. He took responsibility to provide a means for people to be reconciled to Him and forgiven of their sins. Jesus is His provision; it is Christ who died, was buried, and rose again the third day capable of saving all who will repent believing the gospel.

In the following article, I will further explore the question: Can God Use Someone Like Me?