RATIONALIZATION
WHAT ARE SOME COMMON PATTERNS OF RATIONALIZATION?
BIBLE READING: Genesis 39:1-23
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do! He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I ever do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”
(Genesis 39:8-9)
WE OFTEN RATIONALIZE WHEN WE ARE BEING TEMPTED TO SIN.
Potiphar’s wife failed to seduce Joseph, who resisted this temptation by saying it would be a sin against God. Joseph didn’t say, “I’d be hurting you,” or “I’d be sinning against Potiphar,” or “I’d be sinning against myself.” Under pressure, such excuses are easily rationalized away. Remember that sexual sin is not just between two consenting adults. It is an act of disobedience against God.
BIBLE READING: Ezekiel 9:1-11
KEY BIBLE VERSE: The sins of the people of Israel and Judah are very great. The entire land is full of murder; the city is filled with injustice. They are saying, “The LORD doesn’t see it! The LORD has forsaken the land!” (Ezekiel 9:9)
WE OFTEN RATIONALIZE AFTER WE HAVE SINNED.
The people said that the Lord had forsaken the land and wouldn’t see their sin. People have many convenient explanations to make it easier to sin: “It doesn’t matter,” “Everybody’s doing it,” or “Nobody will ever know.” Do you find yourself making excuses for sin? Rationalizing sin makes it easier to commit, but rationalization does not convince God or cancel the punishment.
BIBLE READING: Matthew 4:1-11
KEY BIBLE VERSE: The Devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ’He orders his angels to protect you. And they will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.’ ” (Matthew 4:5-6)
WE OFTEN RATIONALIZE FROM SCRIPTURE TO COVER OUR SIN.
The devil used Scripture to try to convince Jesus to sin! Sometimes friends or associates will present attractive and convincing reasons why you should try something you know is wrong. They may even find Bible verses that seem to support their viewpoint. Study the Bible carefully, especially the broader contexts of specific verses, so that you understand God’s principles for living and what he wants for your life. Only if you really understand what the whole Bible says will you be able to recognize errors of interpretation when people take verses out of context and twist them to say what they want them to say.