WHEN DOES GOD SIMPLY EXCUSE? (1)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   The word “excused” means:  “to overlook a fault or error” and “to regard with indulgence.”

 

B.   Have you ever been excused?

1.    You were late to work, but the boss did not say anything.

2.    You were $1.50 short on your tab, and the waitress let it slide.

3.    You didn’t get your chores done, and your parents gave you another day.

4.    You were late on a payment, but they dropped the late fee.

5.    You forget her birthday, and she was appreciative of the gift a couple of days late.

 

C.   To be excused is a wonderful feeling.

 

D.   There are many people who have the belief that God will simply excuse some things on the day of judgment.  Let’s look at this topic using this question:  “When Does God Simply Excuse?”

 

I.             WHEN A PERSON ACTS OUT OF IGNORANCE

 

A.   There are some people in this world who will never know the will of God.

1.    Their parents will not teach them.

2.    They are perhaps in remote areas of the world where missionaries have never gone.

3.    There are those who have consumed their time learning other things, maybe some important and useful things, and never learned the truth.

 

B.   Surely, God will excuse these individuals. 

 

C.   Answer:  Luke 12:47-48

 

And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes…

 

D.   NOTE:  Even in our present society, we have this saying:  “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.”  (Ex., Getting a ticket going the wrong way on a one way street).

 

II.           WHEN A PERSON IS SINCERE

 

A.   Sincere: real, genuine, earnest

 

B.   There are thousands of people who are sincere in the religious world.

Books have been written about individuals who are extremely sincere in their service to God.

A sincere person is committed, works hard, and sacrifices for his beliefs.

When you meet a sincere person, they are confident, happy, and hopeful.

 

C.   Answer:  Acts 9:3-4

 

And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:  and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutes thou me?

 

1.    Saul was manifesting his sincerity to the Jewish religion when he was on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-2).

2.    In Galatians 1:14, he tells us that he was “more exceeding zealous of the tradition of the fathers.”

3.    However, in 1 Timothy 1:13, he describes himself as “a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious.”

 

D.   NOTE:  There is another saying we have in our world today:  “It is possible for a person to be sincerely wrong.”

 

III.         WHEN A PERSON IS GOOD

 

A.   There are many people in our world who are not religious, but we would describe them as being “good.”

1.    They are moral individuals.

2.    They are honest neighbors.

3.    They are upright citizens.

4.    They are committed to family.

5.    They work extremely hard.

6.    They mind their own business.

7.    They would help another if he were in trouble.

 

B.   Answer:  Acts 11:13-14

 

…Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall saved.

 

1.    Most people would describe Cornelius as a good man (Acts 10:1-2)

 

There was a certain man in Cesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.

 

2.    Not only was he devout and giving, he also feared God and prayed to God always. 

3.    You don’t get much “gooder” than that.

 

C.   Another saying goes something like this:  “Being good is not the same as being saved.”

 

IV.         WHEN A PERSON AT LEAST TRIES

 

A.   Try:  to attempt to do or to accomplish

 

B.   In our society, we have developed a huge heart for “the triers.”

1.    Well, at least you tried.

2.    Everyone gets a participation trophy.

 

C.   When I think of those who have tried, five of the ten virgins that went out to meet the bridegroom come to mind (Matt. 25:1).

 

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

 

1.    They had their lamps.

2.    They went forth to meet the bridegroom.

3.    They continued to wait even when the bridegroom tarried (Matt. 25:5).

4.    The only thing that distinguished the other five from them was some extra oil. (Matt. 25:3-4).

 

D.   Answer:  Matthew 25:10-12

 

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage:  and the door was shut.  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

 

E.   Another saying that I have heard goes like this:  “There is big difference between trying and doing.”  (Ex., When we went to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and I “tried” to ski).

 

V.           WHEN A PERSON COMPLIES WITH THE THINGS HE WAS TAUGHT

 

A.   When a person grows up, he is taught many things.

1.    A person may be taught by his parents.

2.    A person might be taught the same thing by a neighbor.

3.    A person could be taught the same thing by a schoolteacher.

4.    A person could also be taught exactly the same thing by a religious leader.

 

B.   That person grows up having been taught these things and complies with the teaching.

 

C.   Answer:  Acts 19:4-5

 

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

 

1.    When you read the last several verses of Acts 18, you find that a man named Apollos had been in Ephesus.  Acts 18:24 tells us that he was “an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures. However, he only knew the baptism of John (Acts 18:25).

2.    What is also interesting is that there was a time when the baptism of John was a valid baptism, that is, prior to the cross of Calvary.

3.    These men were doing exactly what they were taught to do by a reputable teacher.

4.    However, the fact that they had not even heard of the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit caused Paul to question their baptism. “Unto what then were ye baptized?”

 

D.   There are two familiar statements that can be applied to this point.

1.    Man’s ways are not God’s way.

2.    Proverbs 16:5

 

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   We have looked at five instances that many believe would cause God overlook the sins of individuals.

1.    When a person is ignorant.

2.    When a person is sincere.

3.    When a person is good.

4.    When a person is at least trying.

5.    When a person is practicing what he has been taught.

 

B.   We have also seen that in every instance, God did not overlook the fault.

1.    There will be stripes given to the ignorant.

2.    Saul of Tarsus had to repent and obey the gospel of Christ even though he was a sincere Jew.

3.    Cornelius was a good man, but he was lost.

4.    The five foolish virgins tried, but were not allowed into the wedding feast.

5.    The men of Ephesus did exactly what they were taught by a religious teacher, but still needed to obey the gospel.

 

C.   God gave His Son on Calvary and revealed His precious Word to mankind so they would hear about salvation, and yield themselves in obedience to God’s Word in order to be saved.

 

D.   NOTE:  If God can excuse one, He can excuse all.  If not, why not?  And, if He can just excuse sin, then the death of Jesus was vain and His precious Word is absolutely useless to mankind.