No Excuses

If there ever were people with reasons to have excuses, it would have been the Roman Christians. They faced enormous obstacles. They were outnumbered in the heart of an alien culture with pagan standards. Nero, the leader of their empire, could be unstable.

They easily could have blamed their problems on this culture and their circumstances. Just imagine trying to live a victorious Christian life when surrounded by people living the way Paul described in Romans 1! This was a world of ungodliness, unrighteousness, and vile behavior. People given over “to uncleanness” and “the lusts of their hearts” (Romans 1:24). “Whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things” (Romans 1:29-30).

But instead of thinking about this evil culture, Paul wanted them to realize that they had “no excuses” before God. In Romans 1, he had focused on “them.” The people living around them. But in Romans 2 he began talking about “you.” He was focusing on the Roman Christians themselves.

These Romans could not feel superior or even judgmental. In fact, Paul was leading them to realize the great truth that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That we are justified before God not because of anything we have done but “as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24). That all of us deserve death, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Today, remember that you owe everything to God. How wonderful to have your sins forgiven! To be clean and pure, and freed from guilt! Thank Him for His Word! His love! His mercy and grace! And offer yourself as a “living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God” (Romans 12:1).