Why Do We Blame Other People?

1. Read: Luke 18:9-14

2. About the Text:

1) In this parable Jesus really does address those who blame others.

2) This Pharisee sought to turn attention to others’ faults instead of self.

3) As a result, he couldn’t see his own problems.

4) We often do the same thing, and this destroys relationships and hurts us spiritually.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. It does not take any effort to point the finger at another.

2. We do it from the youngest age.

3. It does take some effort to resist the devil, but that is what we must do.

4. “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

5. We don’t necessarily want to do the easy thing, but the right thing.

6. “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

1. We jump to the conclusion that if someone else is wrong, then we are right.

2. That isn’t necessarily true.

3. It also makes us feel good, but in a wrong way.

4. The Pharisee of Luke 18 was right that extortion, adultery, and injustice were wrong, but this did not make him right.

5. “Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others” (Luke 18:9).

6. Paul said that when we do this, we don’t submit to God’s righteousness.

7. “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3).

1. This point really goes along with the one above.

2. Efforts of self-righteousness are efforts to make ourselves look better at others’ expense.

3. We think that by pointing out others’ faults, by comparison, we will look better.

4. Comparing ourselves with others is a false standard of righteousness.

5. “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” (2 Corinthians 10:12).

6. “It is not good to eat much honey; So to seek one’s own glory is not glory” (Proverbs 25:27).

1. Many times when we blame other people, we are hiding our own sins in the process.

2. When we start blaming other people, we need to take a good hard look at ourselves to see what is wrong in our life.

3. It requires honesty and integrity to examine one’s own life, and many do not have this.

4. We have got to accept correction because we all need it.

5. “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction; For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3:11-12).

6. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” (Revelation 3:19).

7. Before we blame someone else, let’s take responsibility for our own behavior first.

1. Some people point to others problems so they don’t have to help them.

2. This is a lack of love on their part, because we should want to help others.

3. “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” (Galatians 5:13-15).

4. Sometimes we don’t know how to help others and so we just blame them.

5. If we don’t know how to help, we should learn.

6. Often we misinterpret helping others with doing for them.

7. Sometimes we just need to sit and talk to someone to help them.

1. Sometimes we blame others because we don’t want to talk to them.

2. This is also a lack of love on our part.

3. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:15-17).

4. Let’s not blame others just because we don’t want to talk with them.

1. This is really at the heart of everything.

2. Many times when we blame others we are just looking for an excuse not to confront our own sins.

3. As Christians, we really have no reason to do this because we have forgiveness in Christ.

4. However, our pride often prevents us from admitting the sins in our own life.

5. We cannot afford for pride to prevent us from dealing with sin.

6. “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

7. “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

8. Let’s own up to our own sins and seek forgiveness.

1. Why do we blame other people?

1) It is easy.

2) We want to be self-righteous.

3) To make ourselves look better.

4) To avoid self-blame.

5) So we don’t have to help.

6) To avoid needed discussion.

7) We don’t want to acknowledge our own sin.

2. Invitation