Without Excuse

Today's Three-minute Bible Study
Print, Study and Apply

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Title: Without Excuse------------------------------ Date: 1/31/2001
Keywords: "behavior" "belief"

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Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation.

Passage: Romans 2:1*

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

Questions

1. How does Paul's axiom govern human relationships?

 

2. How does it apply to you?

 

Practical help

Thanks to authors like Sherwood Anderson and Sinclair Lewis, Americans have another enduring literary archetype: hypocritical Christians. (Hollywood also picked up on this; click here to see yesterday's study.)

Well, everybody sins. But that's not Anderson, Lewis -- and the apostle Paul's -- concern. The trio don't approve of ongoing hypocrisy. But Paul takes the point one step further: Belief precedes behavior. In verse 8, he writes "for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger," linking the rejection of truth with the sinful actions that come afterward. Christians, he says, should know better. We have no excuse.

So if you find yourself making excuses about Web porn -- "a little won't hurt me;" "I only look at it for a marital aid;" "it's my only vice" -- face the facts. Instead of ignoring your conscience, plead with God for help. That one action will demonstrate your core faith. Eventually your behavior will fall into line.

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Copyright 2001 by eXXit
*Scriptures are from The Holy Bible: New International Version © Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved.