Recently in the U.K., the Butler report on the Iraq war was released to the public. Lord Butler concluded that in spite of billions of pounds spent, scores of British soldiers killed, 11,500 civilians dead, no weapons of mass destruction found, no immediate threat proven, flawed intelligence, Parliament and the British public having been misled — no one was to blame.
It appears that it is never our fault. Today, taking responsibility for our actions is so rare that it provokes comment. As one commentator said, “It is a cruel irony of modern life that the only people who can regularly be relied on to accept – indeed, to claim – responsibility for their actions are terrorist bombers. Elsewhere, in almost every sphere of activity, society seems to be in retreat, in denial.” However, while terrorists who bomb innocent civilian targets usually do accept responsibility for doing their terrible deed, they then blame the target for what they’ve done. For example, the 9/11 attacks in New York “had” to be carried out because of the “great Satan” (America).
Where did this all begin? Right at the dawn of civilization! Right at the beginning – where else? Genesis 3: 12 states: “Then the man said, ’The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.'”
The first man, Adam, said in effect, “It’s not my fault – YOU, God, made the woman – it’s all Your fault – here I was, after naming the animals, You took a rib out of me while I was asleep and made the woman – and she made me do it. SHE gave me the fruit – it’s not my fault! And if You hadn’t allowed the serpent into the garden, none of this would have happened!” Doesn’t that approach sound rather familiar?
And in the following verse, it states: “And the Lord God said to the woman, “‘What is this you have done?’ The woman said, ’The serpent deceived me, and I ate.'”
Now Eve climbs on the “no fault” bandwagon. No hint of apology or admission of wrongdoing. No sign of it whatsoever from either Adam or Eve. And that’s where the attitude of “It’s not my fault” all started from. It has shown no signs of abating in the last 6,000 years, although there have been honorable people, at times, who admitted when they were wrong. There have been some who have taken responsibility for the consequences of their actions. But they were the exceptions — and today, we live in a “no blame,” “no fault” society where other things or other people are the problem – never the self. That is how the world reacts and behaves. It is a blatantly dishonest approach when people are clearly at fault. But human nature, being what it is, doesn’t like to admit guilt.
Our approach — the approach of truly converted Christians — must be diametrically opposite. When we are wrong, we should admit our failings and guilt. Anything other than that would be lying – and therefore breaking one of the Ten Commandments. We may look at the ways of this world and make the commitment not to follow them. We are to be different – and this is just one area that proves the point.
Next time we are wrong on some matter and we may think – even for just a fraction of a second — that we can get out of it, by blaming someone or something else, let us remember that we will have to give account to God for OUR actions and reactions. That should really motivate us to admit our wrongs and change for the better. Let us not deceive ourselves. When we sin, it is our fault!
