Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 February 1914 — Dealing With Excuses [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Dealing With Excuses

By REV. HOWARD W. POPE

Superintendent of Men Moody Bible Institute. Chicago

TEXT —I pray thee have me excused.— Luke 14:18. ‘

Let us begin the most common of all excuses. “I Am „ Not Very Bad.” The mistake which this man is making is that of judging himself by a false standard. The remedy l Is to porrect his standard. Say to him, “It may be that you are not very bad in your own estimation,‘or > in the opinion of

others , but let us see what God saya about you. His Word is the only true 1 standard.” Open your. Bible and ask him to read aloud Romans 3:10. There la none righteous, no, not one. After he has read it, ask him a few questions: 1 “‘Whose words are these which you have read 1 ?” “God’s Words.” ~ “Does ife know the real condition of a man’s heart?” “Yes.” “Does he know a man’s heart hotter than the man himself?” “Probably.” ; “Who does he say is righteous?” “He Bays that there is none righteous.” “What, not one?” “No, not one." “Are you an exception to this rule?’" “I suppose not." —- “Then you that you are not really righteous?” “I suppose 1 must.” Ask him to read Romans 3:23. f Then say to him, “Who does God say have sinned?” “All have sinned.” “Are you an exception?" "No.” \ “Then you admit that you have sinned and come short of the glory of God” By this time the man is becoming uneasy. He is beginning to realize that whatever he may be in his own estimation, in God’s sight he is a sinner. You have,withdrawn his attention from the inconsistent church members with whom he haß formerly compared himself, and you have fixed his mind upon the great God to whom he must give an account. Another good verse to use with this class is Isaiah 63:6. After the man has read it, ask him, “Who does God «ay has gone astray?” _ “AIJ of us.” “Does that include you?” “I suppose it does.” “What does he say we have done?” “We have turned every one to hie own way.” “Then, according to God’s Word,” having one’s own way is sin?” “So it seems.” It is well to emphasize this point strongly, for, to the average person the word “sin” means some form of vice or erlme. According to this verse however the real essence of sin consists in having one’s own way, instead of walking in God’s way. It may not be an immoral way, or a dishonest way, or an untruthful way, but it is his way and not God’s way, in which he ougftt to walk. Returning to the verse you can ask, "What do you say of a sheep which has gone astray?” “It Is lost." “Then if * you have had your own way through life instead of doing God’s will, you too are lost, are you not?” “So it appears.” ' “Admitting .then that you are a lost sinner, whdt does God say that he has done with your sins?” “And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” j “Then your sins have made it necessary for Jesus to die on the cross?” “Yes.” “When Jeßus took your place on the cross and died for your sins, you refused to acknowledge him as your Saviour, did you not?” “Yes.” “And you have sever is)ice thanked him for what he has done for you, have you?” "No.” ' “And yet you s*y you are not very bad. If this Is not bad, will you tell me what is? There is only one thing worse, and that Is to continue rejecting puch a Saviour.” In dealing with self-righteous people it is well-nigh useless to argue. Neither would it be a very gracious thing to tell them that you thought they were great sinners. They would not believe it if you did, and quite likely they might retort “And you are another.” The only effective way of dealing with them is to bring them face to face with God, and make them realize ♦hat they are dealing with Him rathen than with you. Another way is to ask a person if he knows that he has committed the greatest sin a man can commit He will probably answer, "No, I have not” Ask him to read Matthew 12:27, 38.