Answering Excuses
Lesson Text: Colossians 4:6.
Devotional Reading: Be Ready Always with an Answer? 1 Peter 3:14-17
Aim: To point up the believer’s responsibility to arm himself with scriptural answers for the excuses of the lost.
Home Readings
Monday: None too Wicked, Luke 23:39-43; 1 Timothy 1:12-15
Tuesday: None too Good, John 3:1-7; 7:50; 19:39
Wednesday: None too Rich, Mark 10:23-27
Thursday: Three Sorry Excuses, Luke 14:16-20
Friday: Foolhardy Procrastination, Acts 24:24-26.
Saturday: Almost not Enough, Acts 26:24-29
Sunday: Know How to Answer Every Man, Colossians 4:1-6.
1. Excuses Not to Witness.
While the aim of this lesson clearly deals with the excuses of the lost, perhaps it would be in order to deal first with some of the excuses the saved use for not witnessing.
I am unworthy. One who is aware of the importance of personal evangelism will have a feeling of unworthiness. However, God has invited His followers to work with Him in bringing the lost to the new birth. And, God is please when His children accept His invitation to work with Him. Regardless of one’s unworthiness, God’s work and God’s approval are worthy of one’s work (John 15:14).
I am not bold. A screen of false modesty is not a legitimate excuse for allowing the lost to enter eternity without a witness for Christ. “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” (2 Corinthians 5:11). People will talk about everything else under the sun; therefore they should not be too modest to witness to the lost.
I don’t know the Bible. One’s ignorance of the Bible is his own fault (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16, 17). A prayerful, reverent study of the Bible will create a desire to win people to Christ. One’s sincerity in this excuse may be quickly tested by this willingness to study.
I might make a mistake. The fear of neglect should be a greater fear. “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). The believer should witness with faith and assurance in the Spirit and the Word.
I have some bad habits. If these destroy one’s influence for Christ, the believer should bread away from them. Paul’s attitude is the correct one for a believer (1 Corinthians 8:13). If a person will not give up sin or even a habit which destroys his influence, he loves sin and self more than he loves the Lord and lost souls.
I intend to witness some day. Neglecting souls is not wise. “When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.” Ezekiel 3:18).
2. Excuses Not to Be Saved.
A new excuse offered by lost people is seldom heard. If the personal worker is sincere, kind, and discreet, he can handle the excuse. “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (Colossians 4:6). If the excuse is a reasonable one, the answer should be read from the Scriptures. That should settle it.
Some use excuses to lead the personal worker away from his subject. Sometimes the prospect does not take his own excuse seriously. In such cases, the believer is wise to suggest holding that question until the discussion regarding salvation be completed. At any rate, all excuses are barriers. They should be broken down or set aside.
I am afraid I cannot hold out. The Bible teaches salvation depends on Christ’s ability, not the sinner’s (John 10:27-29; Hebrews 7:25; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24).
There are hypocrites in the church. One who hates hypocrisy agrees with the Lord, because Jesus taught the hatefulness of hypocrisy (Matthew 23:13-33). One should be more concerned with spending eternity with them, rather than worrying about spending a few years with a few of them here (John 21:21, 22; Romans 2:1; 14;12; Ecclesiastes 12:;;14).
I am as good as others. One may thing he is good enough to get by, but God look at it differently (Romans 3:10-23). Besides, man is not saved by his goodness, but by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5).
I am to great a sinner. The Lord came to save sinners (Luke 19:10; Matthew 9:13). God even saved the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15); therefore no sinner is too wicked to be saved and no sin is too great to be forgiven.
I am not ready now. A person should be saved when God is ready. God says He is ready to save right now (2 Corinthians 6:2). Tomorrow may never come in this life for the sinner. All he can deal with is right now. There is no advantage to delay, except to Satan.
I have plenty of time. Many presume to have plenty of time. They fully intend to be saved some day. Someone has correctly said, “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.” No one knows how much time he has (Proverbs 27:1; 29:1). A person should seek the Lord while He still offers, salvation (Isaiah 55:6,7).
For those who employ Satan’s tactic of delay, the soul winner should meet their excuses with the following scriptural reasoning: First, no better time will ever come for the sinner to be saved than now. Second, he will never be less a sinner than is now. Third, God will never be more ready to save a sinner than He is now. Fourth, the Gospel will never be more powerful to save a sinner than it is now.
There is no Hell. The Scriptures have so much to say about eternal death and Hell, much of which Christ spoke, it is difficult to see how one could justify his position of not believing in Hell. “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” (Psalm 9:17). The Lord described one’s existence there (Luke 16:23-26). No wise person would choose Hell over Heaven or the Devil over Christ.
A God of love would not sent anyone to Hell. A sinner sends himself to Hell by rejecting the love of God (John 3:16). In love God offers salvation so sinners may avoid Hell (Ezekiel 33:11; 2 Peter 3:9). However, one cannot love flowers without hating weeds. God loves righteousness; He hates sin (Proverb 6:16-19).
I will have plenty of company in Hell. There is no consolation in knowing others will suffer the same distress of Hell. In fact, the former rich man of Luke 16 did not mention any company there. Hell is a lonely place, and he didn’t want anyone else to come there, particularly his brother (Luke 16:27, 28).
I have sinned away my day of grace. Sin and delay must never be minimized, but one must never feel he has so sinned he has no hope. The Bible welcomes sinners to receive the Lord (John 6:37; Revelation 22:17). If a person should sin away his day of grace, it is not very likely he would know it.
I am doing the best I can. No man does his best. Even if he did, his best is not enough (Isaiah 64:6). The Bible has many examples of those trying to do their best, but each one needed to be born again (John 3:3).
I am a church member. One may have his name on a church roll and not have Christ in his heart. The Lord indicated many church workers would never go to Heaven, because He never knew them in a new birth relationship (Matthew 7:21-23; John 10:27; 2 Timothy 2:19). It is the roll in Heaven that counts for salvation (Luke 10:20; Revelation 20:15).
The Bible has an answer for every excuse. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” (Roman 1:20).
