August 20
Ezekiel 17:1-19:14
The "Blame Game" is not new, but it is now rampant in our culture. Many years ago, one of my children was struggling a bit in her high school years. We sent her to a psychologist for a few sessions (one that I knew personally from my practice). After a few sessions, my daughter asked if she could stop going since that psychologist was constantly trying to pin the blame for her problems onto my wife, and my daughter said that she loves her mother and doesn't believe it, but she keeps on going after her. This is but one example of a much broader problem. It is the problem of victimization. You might be led to believe that you are a victim of your parents, your circumstances, your race, your society, your gender, etc. Those who encourage this victim mentality are often seen as compassionate and loving, but this is the furthest thing from the truth. They have imprisoned that individual into casting blame on someone or something else. Pastor Chuck Smith reminds us all, "Like it or not, you are responsible for the person you are and the things you do. Every man is judged for his own ways. When you stand before God you will answer for only one person - and that is you." This does not diminish true problems that we may have encountered from our past. In fact our past might have been horrific. You might have experienced a traumatic childhood with irresponsible or neglectful parents. You might have grown up in circumstances and faced situations which were horrific. But, never forget that we serve a sovereign God who can heal past hurts, and He can use everything to make that person the person He wants you to be. Victimization will never allow this as you are taught to point your fingers at others for all of your problems. But if we learn to point our fingers at ourselves and repent of our own actions, then we can learn to point to God who sent His Son, who gives us all that we need to save and restore us.
As I said, this is not a new issue, as we read in Ezekiel 18:2-4, "“Why do you quote this proverb concerning the land of Israel: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste’? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you will not quote this proverb anymore in Israel. For all people are mine to judge—both parents and children alike. And this is my rule: The person who sins is the one who will die." After giving a few illustrations of this, we see the summation of this in 18:20-22, " The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness. But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die. All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done." Realize that God wants each and every one of us to come to a saving knowledge of His Son, Jesus Christ, as we read in 18:23, " “Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live."
Essential to the walk of faith is repentance, a realization that we stand guilty before God, and that we are not victims. He seeks to empower us, not imprison us. Realize that Jesus did not come to give us a guilt trip. We read in John 10:10 (NKJV), " I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." This is why He came, as we read in Matthew 4:17, " From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near." Though we can never and will never be good enough, He is, and when we accept our true standing before a perfectly holy God, we will stop blaming Him and anyone else for our own situation, and instead realize that He is all that we truly need, as we read in 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV), " For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." This does not diminish your past, but hopefully frees you for your future.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: