It's not My Fault

"If we say that we have no sin, we decieve ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (I John 1:8)

It is human nature to deny guilt. We do not like to admit wrong doing. A little child will deny any guilt even when it is obvious he was the only possible culprit. Bill Clinton denied sexual sin right to the last moment. Former New Mexico House speaker Manny Aragon continued to deny any wrong doing in a corruption scandal until all his co-conspirators confessed or were convicted and agreed to testify to his involvement.

As long as we deny guilt, we can excuse a lack of effort to rectify the problem. This is one reason why people would rather blame George Bush for the econonic situation than admit they contributed to the problem. Bush could only sign or veto the bills presented. Financial bills must be supmitted by the House of Representatives, and approved by both the House and the Senate before he can take any action. Congress must take responsibility for the economic situation.

Bailing out the banks will accomplish nothing if they do not accept that their lending practices have been a major part of the problem, because they will continue to do the same thing.

Consumers will need to recognize that the banks could not have loaned them the money unless they took it, so their actions were crucial to the problem developing. Clearly all are guilty of causing the problem, and it will never be completely resolved until all accept their responsibility.

Every situation where there were problems in a marriage has involved one or both parties denying that they contributed to the problem. Until they acknowledged their responsibility, no resolution was attained. They made no effort to rectify their harmful actions, demanding that their mate make all changes.

Alcoholics and drug addicts refuse help and counseling until they acknowledge that there is a problem. They don't have a problem. As more than one has said, the ones complaining have a problem with me. It's gotten so that when I hear "he has a problem with me", I wonder what they're doing to cause the problem.

As long as we deny any sin, we will not seek reconciliation with God. We convince ourselves that we are good enough. We don't see any need for change on our part.

By contrast, Romans 3:10-12 tells us, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that undersatandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable: There is none that doeth good, no, not one." 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

Until we acknowledge our sin, we cannot and will not recieve God's forgiveness, which is the essential first step in being Christian.

According to I John 1:10, "If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." In other words, we accuse him of lying, and we have no part in his promises.

This principle of personal responsibility is key in every aspect of being Christian. We cannot abdicate our responsibility, nor can any one take it for us.