You know the phenomenon – someone promises you that they will do something and they don’t. After a while you realise that it will not be done, possibly after several enquiries and further promises.

First, there are the lame excuses, and then there is the justification, which does not stand up to examination. It would be better for such people not to make promises at all or to modify them realistically.

Now you have to start again. Time has been wasted and relationships are spoiled.

Christian excuses

The problem is that Christians also behave in this fleshly manner. What is worse, one has even more trust in them because they are Christians

Genuine excuses

There are genuine excuses and one often finds that people have bitten off more than they can chew. This is understandable. What is not understandable is why they do not learn to eat one small bite at a time. The godly psalmist learned how to deal with difficulties. “By my God assisting me I leap over a wall” Psalm 18:29. We need divine assistance to make progress in godliness, and the Lord uses means to this end. He mentors His people by using other Christians applying the Word of God to develop each saint through divine providence. It is as variable as providence itself, it is as certain as the Word of God, and it is as testable as the Holy Spirit’s work being unique to Himself and distinguishable from “the works of the flesh” Gal 5:16-19.

What is not excusable is deliberate lies – promising something that one has no intention of keeping. Why do people do so? 1. Some people cannot say ‘No’ because they want to give the impression of being helpful. The result is the opposite impression and a growing distrust and failure to engage in the future. Instead of being helpful, they register as untrustworthy. 2. Some people want to be helpful but bite off more than they can chew. It should not take long for such helpful people to realise this and rather than stop being helpful they should stop telling lies. Such people need to learn to modify their promises so that they do not create false hope, lose credibility and waste everyone’s time.

The children of truth

The godly are the children of truth who have sought the truth in prayer to the God of truth, have learned, tested and believed that Jesus Christ is the Way to heaven, the Truth and the Life Jn 14:6. They been born again by the Holy Spirit of truth teaching them through the Word of truth that Jesus is God’s truth so that they become the children of truth and disciples of Jesus Christ. They know that ‘no lie is of the truth’ 1Jn 2:21, that lies do not come from the Holy Spirit, and the apostle John teaches us that the Holy Spirit abides in the godly and they shall remain in the Spirit of truth 1Jn 2:27.

Although they spend their lives making excuses, at the Day of Judgment the wicked will be “without excuse” Rom 1:20 and “speechless” Mat 22:12.

“You are justifying yourselves in the sight of men; but God knows your hearts.”

Jesus Christ: Luke 16:15