This is a hard thing for children. It might be because a child thinks that if he admits he has done wrong, there will be consequences. In fact, some children will continue to proclaim “I didn’t do it” or “It wasn’t me” even if they were caught red handed!
It can be the same for Christians as well. Why would a Christian who has sinned deny, or rationalize, or excuse their actions? Well, it may be that they fear what others may think if they admit to not being perfect! But, no one is perfect, and that shows too much concern for what others think, rather than what God thinks! “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6).
It may be arrogance. We can see the splinter in the eye of another, but for some reason we are not aware of the beam in our own eye! (cf. Matthew 7:15). This is reminiscent of the Pharisee in Luke 18:11 who proclaimed in prayer to God, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men…”
It may be simple ignorance. They may have no idea that they have committed sin! Unfortunately, ignorance is not an acceptable excuse for lacking accountability for sin. Ignorance may have mattered before Christ came. But, it matters no longer. Paul made that clear to the Athenians in Acts 17:29-31, “Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
One of the best illustrations of this was Cornelius. He was a sincere man, striving to serve God. But, he was lost! God sent Peter to “tell you what you must do” (Acts 10:6).
There simply is no acceptable reason not to take accountability for our sin. Our eternal relationship with the Lord is at stake! “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).
Paul explained what happened when the Corinthians did just that. “For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter” (2 Corinthians 7:11).
God rightfully expects nothing less from us. Have you sinned? Face it head on and take responsibility!
