Text: Romans 3:5-8
Within the first month of my marriage, I made a commitment to my wife. I told her I would take a day of rest every week, since it would be good for our marriage, and it's one of the 10 commandments (Exodus 20:8). I took Mondays off, and for the first few months I did well.
Then one week, as things piled up on my task list, I found myself thinking If I just work this Monday, I can get it all done. So despite the fact that I was breaking a promise to myself and my wife, I was also breaking a commitment I had made to God to honor his commandment. I willfully broke my promise thinking I have a really good reason.
The truth is, there are never any really good reasons to step over the boundaries that God has set in our through the Bible. There are no good reasons to get drunk, have promiscuous sex (including looking at porn), steal, covet, dishonor the Sabbath, take God's name in vein, or worship other gods before Him. But we do it all the time. And to make matters worse, we make excuses for our sins.
I dishonored the Sabbath because I could get everything done by working one extra day during the week. And in the same way I made an excuse for my sins, we all try to explain away the things we've done. We do this in the same way that Paul's hypothetical arguer does in Romans 3:5-8. He argues that God shouldn't punish him for his sins, since they bring God's greatness into light. But his argument is just an excuse. And, as Paul says, "Those who say such things deserve to be condemned."
Question for personal reflection: What sins have I been explaining away in my own life?
Prayer: Lord, please help me see where I've excusing away my sin. Please bring my destructive thoughts and actions to my attention, and give me the power to confront my own deception. Amen.
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