Excuses emerge as the second major deterrent to overcoming sin, following directly from self-deception. Once a person begins stripping away the self-deception that has hidden his faults, he dislikes what he sees when comparing himself to God's perfect Word, and rather than repenting, he tends to make excuses, casting his wrongdoing as good or at least not as bad as it seems. This self-justification leads him to defend either his behavior or his unwillingness to overcome it. This tendency is not new; from the first humans onward, people have tried to hide their sins from God, others, and even themselves, as seen in the reactions of Adam, Cain, and Ananias and Sapphira. Herbert W. Armstrong observed that the hardest thing for a human being to do is admit he is wrong, and people will concoct many justifications for their thoughts, words, and deeds rather than truly owning their faults. Scripture recognizes this pattern, noting that people will blame even the weather or wild beasts to avoid responsibility. Solomon warns that self-justification can destroy a person, and because punishment for evil is not always immediate, the human heart becomes fully set on doing wrong. Common excuses—such as claiming something is too hard, blaming lack of time, insisting one tried, or asserting unfairness—do not impress Christ. In the Parables of the Minas and the Talents, the servant who hid what was entrusted to him and offered excuses was called wicked and lazy, since Christ judges according to works and fruits, not intentions. This pattern of excuse-making is often passed to children, as parents who sin themselves teach their children to justify wrongdoing, a dynamic illustrated by the influence of Judah's kings on their heirs. Society similarly excuses serious wrongdoing, such as through pleas of temporary insanity, which may succeed in man's court but not in God's. Another common excuse is the claim that one is simply human, or that all have sinned, used as a shield against admitting specific faults for fear of having to give them up. While it is true that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory, God is interested only in each individual's personal repentance, overcoming, and growth, not in excuses. Forgiveness comes only through genuine repentance, not through the claim that everyone else is doing it as well. Ultimately, self-justification gains nothing, since the penalty for sin remains death; only the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ can justify a person, not his own excuses. God seeks those who will admit their faults and work daily to overcome them, rewarding such overcomers with eternal blessings. David exemplifies the proper response: rather than continuing to justify his adultery and murder as many would, he allowed the prophet Nathan to strip away his self-deception, bitterly repented, sought cleansing, and dedicated himself afterward to serving God rather than himself, standing as a model of forsaking excuses and truly overcoming sin.