The story is told of a man in a parking lot who backed into another car behind him, simply because he didn’t look behind him to make certain the way was clear. The cause of the accident was clearly his, but it didn’t stop him from jumping out of his car, yelling furiously at the woman driving the car he hit. He told her in no uncertain terms, that it was her fault for getting in his way.
He continued to blame her even when he spoke to his car insurance agent. Eventually she was cleared of any wrongdoing, but only after being put through tremendous mental anguish.
The above incident is similar to what happened in the Garden of Eden. After Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he said he wasn’t to blame. It was the fault of the woman who God had made (Genesis 3:12). Then Eve blamed the serpent (Genesis 3:13). It was everyone’s fault but their own.
Sometimes we respond like that, don‘t we? When we do something wrong, we immediately look for someone to blame, even if it’s God. But James says we sin because we listen to our own selfish desires (James 4:1-3).
Are we troubled by a sin that won’t go away? Maybe we’re not overcoming it because we are blaming someone else. We might even be blaming God because of something that is not His fault, but our own fault.
Beloved, we’ll never conquer our sin until we’re first willing to say, “I have sinned” (cf. Numbers 22:34; 1 Samuel 15:24; 1 Samuel 26:21; 2 Samuel 12:13; 2 Samuel 24:10,17; Micah 7:9; Matthew 27:4; Luke 15:18,21).
—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets
He continued to blame her even when he spoke to his car insurance agent. Eventually she was cleared of any wrongdoing, but only after being put through tremendous mental anguish.
The above incident is similar to what happened in the Garden of Eden. After Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he said he wasn’t to blame. It was the fault of the woman who God had made (Genesis 3:12). Then Eve blamed the serpent (Genesis 3:13). It was everyone’s fault but their own.
Sometimes we respond like that, don‘t we? When we do something wrong, we immediately look for someone to blame, even if it’s God. But James says we sin because we listen to our own selfish desires (James 4:1-3).Are we troubled by a sin that won’t go away? Maybe we’re not overcoming it because we are blaming someone else. We might even be blaming God because of something that is not His fault, but our own fault.
Beloved, we’ll never conquer our sin until we’re first willing to say, “I have sinned” (cf. Numbers 22:34; 1 Samuel 15:24; 1 Samuel 26:21; 2 Samuel 12:13; 2 Samuel 24:10,17; Micah 7:9; Matthew 27:4; Luke 15:18,21).
—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets
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