"The Blame Game" by Margaret Slaughter

“The man replied, ‘It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.’  Then the Lord God asked the woman, ‘What have you done?’  ‘The serpent deceived me,’ she replied.  ‘That’s why I ate it.’”

Genesis 3:12-13

Has God ever told you something that you heard very clearly?  There was no mistaking it was from Him, for you, yet you disobeyed.  And when He calls you into account, you blame something, someone for your disobedience?  Then you’re just like Adam and Eve.

In Genesis 2, God gave Adam the instruction, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden – except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”  (Genesis 2:16-17) Now that’s pretty clear.  Eat it, and you will die.  Adam is alone with God.  There’s no one else on the earth, literally.  So there is no mistaking God is talking to him.  Eve is not created until verse 22.  So how was Eve to blame for Adam’s disobedience?

Ok, let’s get to Eve.  Your husband has relayed a clear instruction to you, directly from the mouth of God.  There’s only you and him on the earth, literally.  Again, no mistaking the instruction was from God.  Who does Eve blame for her disobedience?  The serpent.

Let’s not even explore how different the world would be if Adam and Eve had just obeyed God’s clear instruction.  But what blessings did they miss by lying and not accepting responsibility for their disobedience?  One we know for sure – they were banished from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23).  A lush paradise created by God.

⁹ If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose]. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned [refusing to admit acts of sin], we make Him [out to be] a liar [by contradicting Him] and His word is not in us.  (1 John 9)

Don’t play the blame game like Adam and Eve.  Confess your sins, and receive God’s forgiveness.

Margaret Slaughter