Man's Excuses and God's Commands by H. A. ROBINSON

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Jul 23, 1908

Man's Excuses and God's Commands

By H. A. ROBINSON

H. A. ROBINSON

MANY men and women, when shown the truth of God's Word, make excuses as to their inability to comply with the plain demands of Jehovah, their Creator. When presented with the truth of the Sabbath, they make some of the excuses I have given below, and you will notice that the Lord caused the answers to them to be written hundreds of years before these persons were born.

1. The Sabbath is the day for the Jews.

“But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” Ex. 20:10.

2. The old law is done away.

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law; . . . I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” Matt. 5:17.

3. This law was nailed to the cross.

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, . . . nailing it to his cross.” Col. 2:14.

4. We have nothing to do with the law of Moses.

“Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely?” Jer. 7:9.

5. We are now under grace.

“What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” Rom. 6:15.

6. Christ made us free from the law.

“But he [Christ] answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” Matt. 15:3.

7. It is not the custom to keep Sabbath in this country.

“Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.” Ex. 23:2.

Then there is a class that accept the truth that the seventh-day Sabbath should be kept, but they are lacking in faith, and so they make some of these excuses:—

1. All my friends will leave me.

“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” John 15:14.

2. All my relatives will leave me.

“Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Matt. 28:20.

3. My father and mother will forsake me.

“When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.” Ps. 27:10.

4. I have no family. Who will help me if I give up my employment?

“He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; . . . he shall dwell on high: . . . bread shall be given him; his water shall be sure.” Isa. 33:15, 16.

5. It will interfere with my business.

“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Matt. 16:26.

6. I shall not be able to earn any money.

“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:8.

7. I shall lose my present situation.

“Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Prov. 27:1.

8. My parson and church teach me to keep Sunday.

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa. 8:20.

9. I shall be hissed when going to church on Saturday.

“Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment.” Isa. 51:7, 8.

10. I will keep one day out of the seven.

“But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work.” Ex. 20:10.

11. God will excuse me if I can not do better.

“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received a knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” Heb. 10:26.

12. But your people are illiterate.

“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.” 1 Cor. 1:27.

13. I will keep every day holy.

“Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.” Ex. 20:9, 10.

Tampico, Mexico.