The Blame Game
Genesis 3:11–13 (NASB95)
11And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” 13Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Confronted by God’s searching questions, Adam and Eve quickly retreat into self-justification and blame. God’s inquiry is gentle but probing, designed to give Adam and Eve a chance to confess. Yet, instead of honest admission, Adam immediately points to Eve as the cause of his failure, and even blames God by saying, “the woman whom You gave to be with me.” This ancient pattern is still alive today, as people often attempt to shift blame for their choices onto others or even onto God Himself, suggesting that He is responsible for the existence of evil or their personal downfall. Genesis challenges this perspective, making it clear that each of us is accountable for our actions and their consequences. As the book of James teaches us, each person is responsible for his own sin.
Sin’s corrosive effects are seen immediately after the first act of disobedience. Instead of caring for each other, Adam distances himself from Eve, prioritizing his own defense over their relationship. No longer does Adam see Eve as a gift or a partner, but as the source of his trouble. The woman in turn blames the serpent, highlighting that she was deceived, but she too avoids taking full responsibility. This breakdown in relationships—between humanity and God, and between people themselves—demonstrates how sin not only separates us from God, but also erodes trust, love, and humility among us. The impulse to deflect blame, to protect oneself at the expense of others, is a hallmark of human brokenness and is witnessed throughout Scripture and in daily life.
The narrative is careful to show that while deception played a role, both Adam and Eve acted by their own will. The man’s cunning response, the woman’s partial truth, and their mutual evasion of accountability reveal how deeply sin has already reshaped human hearts and relationships.
The tendency to blame others, even God, for our own choices is as old as humanity. The church must help people recognize and resist this instinct, encouraging each believer to take responsibility for their own actions and to confess rather than conceal or deflect. Sin always works to divide and distort, turning even God’s gifts into sources of accusation and pain. Healing and restoration begin when we move from blame to honest confession, trusting in God’s grace to forgive and restore what has been broken.