Who is to Blame?

“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”  James 1:12-17

“In the Scriptures the devil is called the tempter, and other things may sometimes concur to tempt us; but neither the devil nor any other person or thing is to be blamed so as to excuse ourselves; for the true original of evil and temptation is in our own hearts. The combustible matter is in us, though the flame may be blown up by some outward causes.

The word translated enticed signifies being beguiled by allurements and deceitful representations of things. There is a great deal of violence done to the conscience and to the mind by the power of corruption; and there is a great deal of cunning and deceit and flattery in sin to gain us to its interests. The force and power of sin could never prevail, were it not for its cunning and guile.”
                                                                                                 - Matthew Henry

Who is to blame? Can we blame the devil for tempting us? Can we blame our circumstances? Can we dare blame God? Clearly, we have ourselves to blame for our response to temptation’s “cunning and guile.”

There is no excusing ourselves at the point of temptation.