No Excuse for Sin.

 

“The Devil made me do it”.

 

This is a statement we have heard many times.
Man always wants an excuse for his sin. It is not something new, it is the oldest excuse in the world.
Right from Genesis, we see this being given as the reason for sin.
 

Gen 3:13  And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 

Whether it is Satan or someone else, it is never our fault.
When God confronted Adam, Adam’s excuse was just the same. It was someone else’s fault.

Gen 3:12  And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 

 

Eve blamed the serpent and Adam blamed the woman.

 

Is this true? Is the devil or another person to be blamed for our personal sin and disobedience towards a holy God?

Where does the Bible lay the blame?
The scriptures lay the blame firmly and squarely on the one who is responsible. Oneself.
 

James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

 

True, the Devil is the tempter and the Devil is guilty for his own actions but he is not guilty for our actions, we are.

If we are not guilty of our own sin, then we are not to be condemned but the scriptures say that we are condemned. Condemned to eternal death and judgement, unless we repent of our sins.

Joh 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

Jesus was delivered up unto death for our sins.

Romans 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

So the guilt is ours.
Remember, Jesus took our sin onto Himself. He bore our sins on the cross at Calvary. He died that we might be forgiven.

Of course we are sinners.

Not only are we sinners but we are dead in our sins and totally unable to do anything about it.

Eph 2:1  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 

Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 
 

We are sinners and that is why we sin. We are not sinners because we sin.

 

No, the Devil is not responsible for our sin. However, he is responsible for tempting us to sin and he is guilty of blinding the eyes of sinners, (unbelievers) to keep them from seeing the glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

2 Cor 4:3,4 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 
4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

As Christians, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us overcome sin.
 

1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 

We have everything we need for life and godliness and to overcome the power of sin.

2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

 

If we sin, we have no excuse. We cannot blame the devil. We cannot blame our circumstances. We can only blame ourselves. And, until we recognise that the problem resides within us, we will never arrive at the solution.
 

Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me
 

To find the answer to the problem, one must have the correct diagnosis.

If I go to the doctor with a persistent bad cough, the doctor may say, “Your problem is due to your heavy smoking”. What he would not say is, “your problem is down to the cigarette manufacturer”.

You are the one that needs to stop smoking, it is you that is to blame for your physical condition.

It is not God’s fault, it is not the manufacturers fault, or the devils fault. It is your fault.

Until one sees this truth, the sinner will continue in his sin.

But, I am a believer, you may say.
Well! The same thing applies to you.

If you are a Christian and you commit a sin, the devil did not make you do it.
He may have played his devilish part and tempted you to do it. He may have even influenced you to do it, by catching you at a weak moment in your life and presenting the opportunity to sin.
But he did not make you do it. You still had a choice.

The Bible tells us that God never allows you to be tempted beyond your ability to withstand, and He always provides a way of escape.

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

So, Satan is not responsible for our unbelief, nor is he guilty for our sin. We were born in unbelief. We were born in sin and we had a natural bias to sin from our mother’s womb.

Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

It is true though that Satan is the one who keeps us enslaved to sin. He blinds our eyes to the truth and we, because of our natural sinful desire, fall prey to his subtle, devilish wiles.

 

In what ways does Satan keep us blind to the truth of the Gospel?

One of Satan’s master strokes is to convince the unbeliever, that he, (Satan) does not exist.

If he can get people to doubt his existence, then he can do much of his work without their knowing.
One way he does this is by disguising himself.
Example, he came disguised as a snake in the Garden of Eden.

He appears in the world as an angel of light.

2 Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 

He applies his craft through spiritual and human agents.

2 Co 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

 

He works through false teachers and false prophets and influences evil men, to carry out his detestable deeds.

Satan has the ability to control minds and hearts. To whisper and influence our thoughts and actions.

Luk 22:3  Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. 

According to scripture, Satan can hinder the propagation of the gospel.
This is what Jesus spoke about in the parable of the sower.

Mat 13:18  Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 

Mat 13:19  When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 

Mat 13:20  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 

Mat 13:21  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 

Mat 13:22  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 

Mat 13:23  But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 
 

Satan is the one who encourages of false teachings and false religion.
His method is to get people to trust in their own righteousness or in false messiahs.
To choose another way other than the one true way, Jesus Christ.

Pro 16:25  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 

It is up to those who are of the household of faith. To stand firm in the strength of Christ.

Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Never give Satan a foothold. Fill your life with good, Godly things and stay away from evil.
Guard your eyes to what you see, your ears to what they hear and your feet to where they go.

Arm ourselves with the Word of Truth and as Christ did in the wilderness, reject the wiles of the devil.

 

Remembering that Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.

 

Constantly praying and working for the furtherance of the kingdom.

Keeping short accounts with God. Confess your sin, repent and receive the forgiveness of God through Christ.

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 

Col 3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 

Col 3:4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 

Col 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 

Col 3:6  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 

Col 3:7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 

Col 3:8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 

Col 3:9  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 

Col 3:11  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. 

Col 3:12  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 

Col 3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 

Col 3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 

Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 

Col 3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 

Col 3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 
 

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