He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate." Genesis 3:11-12
Adam's reply to God's question is spineless.
He manages to blame Eve (directly) and to blame God (indirectly) at the same time!
Adam may have been the first to play the blame game but he wasn't the last, was he? We have all done our share of blaming.
"It's her fault!" "It's his fault!" "It's my mother's fault!" "It's my teacher's fault!" "It's my boss's fault!"
In contrast to Adam, real men accept responsibility for their actions. Adam refused to take responsibility. But God would one day send a Second Adam who would take responsibility not only for himself but for the whole human race.
After Adam's abysmal reply, God turns to Eve and asks her a question. She does no better than Adam.
Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate" (Genesis 3:13).
Eve also blames others. She blames the serpent. One wit commented: "The man blamed the woman, the woman blamed the serpent, and the serpent didn't have a leg to stand on!"
Blaming doesn't work. Blaming doesn't help matters. There is a better way, God's way. It's called confession.
God wants us to accept responsibility for our sin, own up to it and confess it to God. When we do that, God promises to pour out grace and forgive our sin.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Notice the contrast between our way to deal with sin and God's way.
Our way: Sin → shame → fear rejection → hiding → blaming
God's way: sin → confessing → grace
Where does our way leave us? It leaves us alienated from God and each other, feeling isolated and alone, blaming and bickering. It destroys marriages, among other relationships. This is where Adam and Eve were.
Where does God's way leave us? Forgiven! Right with God and free to love others, free to be open and honest and real - with God and with others.
Choose God's way. Take responsibility for your sin. Take your sin to God for liberating grace.
