The Blame Game

THE BLAME GAME

Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

The way we think and feel about ourselves affects our destiny, we need to see ourselves as God sees us.

Guilt is described as: an emotional reaction we experience over the disparity between who we are or how we act and who we think we ought to be.

ALL OF GUILT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE FOUR THINGS:

1. FEAR OF PUNISHMENT

2. LOW SELF-ESTEEM

3. FEAR OF REJECTION

4. FEELINGS OF CONDEMNATION - Difference between condemnation and conviction Romans 8: 1 is certainly true, but read in light of Romans 7: 18 - 25

UNRESOLVED GUILT WILL PRODUCE THESE THINGS IN OUR LIVES:

1. Distress and anxiety

2. Depression

3. Legalism or religious activity

4. Rebellion

5. Fear

6. Condemnation - which in reality is self blame - Condemnation leads to blaming and condemning others because of a felt need to be right with ourselves.

7. Low self-esteem

8. Feelings of rejection

Which leads to anxiety, doubt, fear, negativity, anger, pessimism, criticism, judgmental, failure, apathy, procrastination, shame, insecurity, trying to please, doing anything to be accepted

Every disturbance within the human experience can be traced back to what is considered “the fall”. The fall is a theological expression that denotes man losing the well being or completeness for which he was created because of sin. Before sin entered the human race Adam and Eve had unbroken, intimate fellowship and communion with God. After sin man was painfully aware of shame, guilt and fear which disturbed every part of his being in relationship to God and the purposes for which God created him.

Genesis 3:1-21 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; “but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, And to dust you shall return.” And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.