It seems so obvious, but the blame game is no game. It is the most obvious problem in politics (If only the Democrats “or Republicans” would do things right!). It is the most obvious problem in economics (If only people would be responsible or greedy capitalists weren’t so greedy!). It is the most obvious problem in our moral disintegration (If only Hollywood wouldn’t produce such smut or judges wouldn’t be so “politically correct”!). Blaming someone else is the most natural, human and sinful response when things don’t go as planned.

Genesis 3 is a fascinating read.  When it says the Lord walked in the garden looking for the man, the verb “walk” is in the hithpolel tense, which means intensively walking about while looking around.  It wasn’t a direct path to Adam.  It was as if the Lord took some time before He finally said, “Where are you?”  It is not that God didn’t know.  God is omniscient.  He knew all the time, but Moses the author, under the ministry of God the Holy Spirit, used language of accommodation and that verb tense to help us understand Adam was not where he was supposed to be!  Adam was not waiting on the Lord for Bible class. Adam ran off trying to hide from God.  God asked the question, “Where are you?” so Adam would realize he was not where he was supposed to be – in Bible study discipled by the Lord! Here is the passage,

⁹ Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” ¹⁰ So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” ¹¹ And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” ¹² Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” ¹³ And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Gen. 3:9-13 NKJ)

Okay, so under pressure, Adam resorted to the blame game to “excuse” his error of not being in discipleship class.  The man blamed the woman and the woman blamed the serpent.  It demonstrates how men and women will blame others for their failures any way they can to make themselves look better. Rather than take personal responsibility for the part Adam played, he blamed the woman. Yes, the woman was wrong in being deceived, but Adam was responsible for the sin. Paul clearly lays the responsibility for sin in the human race on Adam, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—“ (Rom 5:12 NKJ)

Blame may be obvious, as here in Genesis 3 or between politicians, or it may be very subtle as between a husband and wife.  Subtleties between spouses can be easy excuses, but personal responsibility is the only way to move forward.  Blaming others is never the spiritual solution!  Blame is a smooth step to deception, deceit and devilish livin’!