A common problem
One of the oldest human reactions is to justify our misconduct. Adam did it. “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”
Any employer knows the problem: criticize an employee’s performance and he will offer a list of rationales. Teachers and parents are all too familiar with the myriad of excuses children throw up as they blame each other, their elders and a variety of circumstances for their misconduct. Ecclesial members will sometimes use someone else’s misconduct as a rationale for their own.
When one thinks about the ecclesial situation, it is rather extraordinary. Why would a person who has repented of sin look for an excuse for wrongdoing? Nobody made us repent of sin and forsake the way of the flesh; it was our own freewill choice, made because we were convinced “the wages of sin is death.”
Yet we all feel the problem inside of us. We sin and seek to find excuses for it. We see some other believer devoting their resources to their own pleasure and we resent the fact that we sacrifice and work hard for the sake of the ecclesia. If they can indulge themselves, why can’t we?
Great ones don’t do it
It is interesting that the great ones didn’t look for excuses. David didn’t blame his sin on Bathsheba. He confessed it and admitted his guilt. Peter did not blame his denial of Christ on frustrated hopes. He knew the only remedy was forgiveness, not self-justification. Paul didn’t use the weakness of others to rationalize indulging himself. And Jesus never looked for any excuse to sin. He successfully overcame sin although struggling with our very nature.
The great ones knew they were going to be judged alone, on what they did. They also knew the only acceptable response when sin is exposed is contrition, humbly seeking forgiveness and true repentance. Whatever excuses are available will be irrelevant in the final reckoning.
We can find excuses
That doesn’t mean they were blind to the excuses they could have used. Paul saw the weakness of some and modified his own behavior so the others would not be tempted. Some of us may need to deliberately modify our own spending patterns, for example, so that others are not resentful. This is the opposite of using the other’s so-called weak attitude to justify doing what we want.
David heard Shimei’s ungodly cursing but was lenient because he remembered his own failures. Frank admission of our own guilt helps us toward right responses.
Jesus had a penetrating perception of sin in others. His response was to pray they might be forgiven and to sacrifice himself on their behalf. Here is an example to follow: “If any of you should see his brother committing a sin (I don’t mean deliberately turning his back on God and embracing evil), he should pray to God for him and secure fresh life for the sinner” (I John 5:16 J.B .Phil lips).
Let us not seek to justify misconduct. Let us respond with contrition when our sins are exposed. Let us not use excuses to rationalize wrongdoing and let us help others who are struggling with their own weaknesses.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One