Ever since the scene in the Garden of Eden when the “blame game” started, rather than accepting responsibility for their actions, people have tried to put the blame on others either from their past or from the present. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and were confronted by Him. Adam’s response was “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate” (Gen. 3:12).  Eve tried to pass blame as well, saying, “The serpent deceived me and I ate” (v. 13).  Thus began the “blame game” that continues to this day.      

Secular psychologists, in counseling a troubled patient, often delve into their past, trying to find a reason for his or her poor behavior or emotional struggles, looking for someone to blame, such as a parent who was physically or verbally abusive.  Not only does this not solve the patent’s problem, but it gives them someone to have bitterness toward, just adding to their struggle.      

The same thing is happening with the current “Cancel Culture,” “Reparations Issue” and “Critical Race Theory.” Some politicians are attempting to convince us that our problems are a result of our mistreatment of black Americans (or Native Americans, or Asians, or….) and that we need to erase our nation’s history rather that learn from it.  We tear down statues, remove books from libraries, change the names of sports teams, and food products, etc.  All of this is a distraction from dealing with the real issue—individual responsibility in the present.  If you want to avoid accountability for your wrong behavior, just redirect people’s attention to someone else by accusing  them of the very thing you are doing.  Just think about what takes place when a child gets in trouble for bad behavior. Their first response is to put the blame on someone else who caused them to do what they did.  Guess where they learned that! That is the very sin nature passed down to us as a result of sin in the Garden.     

What we need to do is to acknowledge that we are individually accountable for our behavior and cannot blame anyone else. God gave us free choice and, no matter our past or the history of our nation or our current culture, we are individually responsible for the choices we make.  We have the power and responsibility to choose how to live. When we stand before God to give an account of our lives, whether at the Judgment Seat of Christ as a believer (II Cor. 5:10; I Cor. 3:11-15), or at the Great White Throne Judgment as a non-believer (Rev. 20:11-15), we will not be able to pass blame to anyone. We will be without excuse.  In reference to the judgment of believers, Paul writes: “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, ‘As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.’ So then EACH ONE OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF TO GOD” (Ro. 14:10-12).

No matter what our past was like, no matter how difficult a time we had growing up, no matter how many people or people groups we might like to blame for how we are and what we do, we cannot blame anyone else for the choices we make, and praise God, we can always choose a new start with Him and begin a new “legacy” of godliness.  When we come to Christ and acknowledge our own sin (not the sins of others!), and ask Him to save us through His death and resurrection on our behalf, we have eternal life and “pass out of death into life” (Jn. 5:24).  We become new creatures in Christ; “the old things have passed away and new things have come” (II Cor. 5:17). We can now “walk in newness of life” (Ro. 6:4).  We now have the power to overcome sin in our lives through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and Christ.      

That is the solution to our cultural and racial problems, not “reparations” or “cancel culture” or teaching “critical race theory” to students in school, or some kind of “re-programming” (brain-washing) of our youth causing them to hate our country and its past. What people need is the Lord, not someone or something to blame for their problems.  That wasn’t the solution in the Garden of Eden after sin and it still isn’t. God provided covering for Adam and Eve from the shedding of blood of innocent animal substitutes.  Then He sent His Son to become the final sacrifice for sin so we could be forgiven, have assurance of heaven and have a whole new life in Christ.  I trust you are experiencing that new life. If not, it could begin for you today. Just trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life. “And the witness is this that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life”  (I Jn. 5:11,12).           

Forever His,            

Pastor Dave