Excuses by Chas. L. Boyd

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 30, 1875

Excuses.

By Chas. L. Boyd

Many, when led to notice a fault or sin, acknowledge the transgression, but commence at once to justify themselves. But what is sin? “Sin is the transgression of the law.” Then whosoever sins against God transgresses his law. What does the law contain? We are told to “fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.” If circumstances are such as to justify a person in committing an act, it is not a sin.

If this reasoning is correct, it is plain that for sin there is no excuse. Through ignorance we may make mistakes, but we are not speaking of mistakes. We present to the people the law of God. They acknowledge its claims, that it is like its Author, unchanged and unchangeable. We then call their attention to the fourth commandment. Now their ideas in reference to the immutability of that law are changed. The observance of the Sabbath conflicts with established customs, and they ask, “Has not the law been changed? or will not some other way do as well?” A sacrifice must be made and their customs changed, or some other way must be devised. Great efforts have been made and long researches have been undertaken, to find some authority for establishing Sunday observance on a Bible basis. These attempts have all failed. Sin being the transgression of the law, those who break the law are of necessity sinners, either ignorantly or willfully.

Excuses for Sunday-keeping are soon framed. “To keep the Sabbath will interfere with my business, with my influence in the church and community, and with my privileges in many ways.” But how is it with Sabbath-keepers? Come into our social meetings. Here is a confession: “I treated Bro. A. very unkindly, but he provoked me.” “I have neglected meetings, but the weather was bad.” “I attended a place of amusement, or permitted my children to go, but I thought it not very wrong.” “I have not spoken a word in honor of Jesus or to promote his cause; for the world has lulled me to sleep.” What a terrible state to be in! Our fellow-men going to ruin, and we too sleepy to warn them of their alarming condition!

There was a time when almost all nations were guilty of breaking the second and seventh commandments. This was especially true of those sitting at the head of the nations. At this time of moral darkness the king of a powerful nation was overcome by temptation. A servant of God was sent to point out his sin. He first presented to him a parallel case. Justice shall be administered, is the decree. Says the prophet, “Thou art the man.” The king saw his sin. The victorious warrior, the mighty monarch, bowed his head in humble contrition, acknowledged his guilt, offered no apology, but entreated the seer to pray for his forgiveness, and most humbly called on God to blot out his transgression. Other monarchs would have marched the reprover to the dungeon or the scaffold; other men would have made many excuses, but instead of trying to conceal his guilt, King David composed hymns to be sung in public assemblies, and by future generations, pointing out his weakness in yielding to temptation, and his guilt in the sight of God and man, without an excuse or an apology for his crime. Here is a case from which we can learn a lesson.

May God help us to see our faults, and instead of covering them by justification confess to God and man, wash in the fountain open for all penitent sinners, and make clean work for eternal life. CHAS. L. BOYD.