HY are you not a Christian? You know many who profess the name of Christ. Some, no doubt, are sincere and honest in their profession. Have you never asked yourself seriously, Why am I not a Christian? Of the many millions who make no profession of Christ, nearly all dodge this question. If they would only think seriously upon it, many more would be converted; but in our fast, pleasure-loving, money-getting age, men refuse to think.

This is not true of all non-professors. God's Spirit still strives with the human heart. His long-suffering love still appeals to every attribute of man's nature, to cause him to repent. Yet many persist in offering themselves some excuse for not yielding their hearts in full obedience to God; and the "still small voice" grows fainter as the days go by.

We do the things in this life which we most like to do. All who are not Christians love something else better than they love righteousness. They see more reasons for acting as they do than for living the Christian life; therefore they offer these reasons as excuses.

How any man can possibly convince himself that any other way of living is more reasonable than the Christian way, or superior to it, is to me a profound mystery. Yet countless numbers apparently do so. In my experience as an evangelist both in so-called Christian lands and in those of the heathen, I have heard many excuses given for not accepting Christ.

Some for years have been making flimsy excuses for not being reconciled to God; and their hearts have become less easily impressed by the Spirit as their hair has turned gray. Most old men who are not Christians have deceived themselves so long that they have actually come to believe the unreasonable excuses they have

offered. "They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie." 2 Thessalonians 2: 10, II. Few who are advanced in age yield their hearts to God. Still there is hope for them if they will throw away their worthless excuses and accept God's plan of salvation.

Then think of the great host of young men and women and youth who are excusing themselves for not becoming Christians. Many who have not yet grieved away forever the Spirit of God walk in paths of evil. A few there are who will even admit the folly of their course, but nevertheless continue in it, so depraved is human nature and so strong the pull toward the world. And even these people make excuses.

Every excuse made, or that man can make, for not being a Christian, is, to use the words of Scripture, only a refuge of lies. "We have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves." Isaiah 28: 15. Pity the man who seeks such a refuge from an accusing conscience to-day, or in the day now soon to come, when he must stand before the Judge of all the earth!

Jesus, the world's master teacher, told a story to illustrate this man's condition. We find it recorded by Luke in the fourteenth chapter of his Gospel: "A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse.' Verses 16-18.

Notice carefully the exact words used by Jesus. The men who were invited to the supper had no excuses, so they made some "began to make excuse." There is a great deal of difference between having an excuse and making one.

"The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee

have me excused." How foolish! The land had already been purchased, and another day would have done just as well for him to go to see it. This was only an excuse. He wanted to see his land which he had probably already seen several times before paying over the money more than he desired to be present at the great man's supper.

The second man's excuse was similar. He had already paid for the five yoke of oxen. He could prove them another day just as well. But he wished to prove his oxen more than he wished to accept the invitation to the great supper.

The excuse of the third was the most disrespectful of all. He did not even ask to be excused, but said, “I have married a wife, and therefore I can not come.' Why did he not take his wife with him to the supper? She doubtless would have been as welcome as he. Or why was he not honest enough to say frankly, "I don't wish to go"?

All the excuses that ever have been made, or that ever can be made, are no better than these three. There is no excuse for sin. (John 15:22, margin.) If we could excuse sin, it would cease to be sin. Every mouth will soon be stopped. Even the devil himself, when arraigned before the judgment bar of the eternal God. and asked why he rebelled and led untold millions into sin and death, will have no excuse to offer. There is positively no excuse for being a rebel against the government of God. God's law, love, and righteousness have been fully vindicated. Satan and all his followers will stand speechless.

Do you know that you have an invitation to a great supper? If you have never heard the invitation given, I extend one to you now. The Son of the King of the universe is soon to return for His bride. "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." Revelation 19:9. Will you accept the invita

tion to be present? Eternal loss or eternal gain depends upon your decision. This invitation is not to be lightly spurned. If you are not present on this great occasion, you will have no excuse to offer then.

From various Bible texts, we know that all excusemakers will be destroyed at the presence of the King of kings. Study 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; 2:8; Jeremiah 4:23-26; Revelation 6: 15-17. Their bodies lie where they fall, amid the ruins of the earth; and to the fowls of heaven is given the invitation to feed upon their flesh. Revelation 19: 17, 18.

In the following chapters, I shall endeavor to show the unreasonableness, the worthlessness, the folly, and the guilt of a number of common excuses made constantly by those who refuse the invitation to be present at the marriage supper of God's only-begotten Son. If among them you find the excuse you are offering, may the Spirit of God help you to find your answer, and enable you to grasp by faith the promises of the Word of God, and believe on the only One who can secure for you forgiveness, peace, and eternal life.