5 Minute Friday--EXCUSE

I’m a teacher so when I hear the word excuse, I think immediately of:

        

    -Excuses why your homework wasn’t done.
If you don't have an excuse, there is a consequence.

or

            -Excused and unexcused absences

(Meaning if you have a good reason or someone like a parent to vouch for you, your absence is not counted against you.  If not, it is "unexcused," and you are penalized.)

or

            -Being tardy without an excuse…

If you come into my class late without an excuse, I mark you tardy.  After 3 unexcused tardies, you receive a detention from the Dean.

(Don't you miss high school and all of its rules?)

As a teacher, when someone is absent, tardy, or without his homework, I want to know “What is your excuse?”

The Bible says in Romans 1:20, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."

In my opinion, this means that God's Creation and his eternal and invisible qualities are enough to show all of us that he exists.  Those who choose not to believe in him are without excuse. 

So what happens if you are unexcused with God?  The Bible is clear that just like a “late” student without a pass/excuse deserves detention, "the wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23a

Thank God there is more to that verse.

"but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23b

He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for our sin.   He paid it to “excuse" or pardon our sin by having Jesus die on the cross in our place. By placing our faith in what Jesus did on the cross, we receive forgiveness (our excuse) and eternal life.

Thanks be to God!