Blaming the Others

Blaming the Others

One of the main perversions in a person’s life is that he excuses himself, blaming the others, God, and circumstances instead of judging himself and turning away from his foolishness. Every man has to answer for himself for what he has done and for his own reactions.

We have an especially good text for this that is specifically designed to give us understanding: Genesis 3:11-12, together with 1 Samuel 15:13-14. In Genesis 3, God asks, “Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Adams reply is very typical: “The woman . . . .” God did not ask him what the woman had done. Then Adam made it even worse by continuing with, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree . . . .”

It was Adam’s opinion that it was, first of all, her fault and also God’s own fault, because it was God who had given him Eve. Finally he admits, “And I ate.” It was this last act that God had asked about; this was the thing that was forbidden and which he should not have done and which he had no reason whatsoever for doing and which no one else had the right to decide except himself.

It is so perfectly comforting that no person or spirit or any circumstance or any situation can get us to commit sin. It is entirely our own decision! If we do not agree to it ourselves, it can never result in sin! Hallelujah! It is indescribably strengthening and productive to consider this.

Adam was not at all required to eat of the forbidden fruit that Eve had handed him!!!! Thanks and praise!!!!

The ever-present question is always: “Have you eaten . . . ?” Then it is always total madness to begin to talk about what others have done.

Saul did exactly what Adam did. When it was mentioned to him what he had done, he answered: “They have brought them . . . .” (1 Sam. 15:15) and, “The people spared,” and in verse 21, “But the people took,” and only at the very last, in verse 24, does he admit, “I have sinned . . . .”

He should have said right away what he said at the last, and the rest he should not have mentioned at all—not even the least intimation of it, not a single word!

How wise and virtuous everyone is who judges himself immediately, keeping Jesus’ word, “Judge not!” This means that you must not judge the others! Make no excuses and dispense with all rationalizing!