I Am the Vine--verses 21 & 22

Good Morning Everyone!

Each week seems to go by faster and faster, doesn't it?  It must have something to do with the fact that our home school has started up again--but I am still determined to complete this John 15 project. And we are almost done!  As mentioned before--I may not have it all word perfect, but I have much more of this passage hidden in my heart now than I ever had before!  And all time spent in God's Word is a blessing!

This week our verses are 21 & 22:

"But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin."

Did the same thing stand out to you that did for me?  The phrase "but now they have no excuse for their sin" seemed to leap off the page when I first read it.  I couldn't help but ask myself what WOULD be a "good" excuse for sin???  Is there EVER an excuse for sin???

We were all born into a sin-filled world.  It is what we are used to.  What we grew up with.  Does that mean we have an "excuse" for sin?  What about Adam and Eve?  They were completely unfamiliar with sin, having lived in a sin-free garden.  So just because they had had no way to understand how terrible sin was--did that mean they had a "good" excuse for sinning?  I don't think so. . .

As I thought about this phrase, I really could not think of what might be a good excuse for sin.  Oh, I am not talking about someone who has sinned in total ignorance--I do understand that sometimes that does happen.  But for most of the time--the reality is that there just isn't a time when sin is excusable.

I ran across this quote as I was doing a bit of research on these verses, and thought I would share it here:
"Those who have an opportunity to hear the truth, and yet take no pains to hear or understand it, thinking that if they do not hear they will not be accountable, will be judged guilty before God the same as if they had heard and rejected.  There will be no excuse for those who choose to go in error when they might understand what is truth.  In His sufferings and death Jesus has made atonement for all sins of ignorance, but there is no provision made for willful blindness. . . "  SDA Bible Commentary Vol. 7A p. 1145

No provision made for willful blindness.  Oh Lord, take away my stubborn spirit--and open my eyes to You and Your love today.

~Susan