I have a friend who blames the Devil whenever she acts up or things get out of control.  It seems to me more likely she makes bad decisions and doesn't want the responsibility of what she's doing. 

Doesn't the Devil have more important things going on than bothering with a random chick in the middle of nowhere in the U.S?  Where does the line fall between the Devil actually doing something and a person just being a moron?

You're right. That is bad theology. Unless we are talking about actual demon controlled possession here, the Devil is not to blame for a person's sin. Does Satan tempt? Yes, but the actual action of sinning is the responsibility of the person who commits it. Even the Apostle Paul, after his conversion, blames his own body if his body were to struggle in sin (Romans 7:13-25). 

play4fun : Thank you.  This is exactly the response I was looking for, including citations.

I appreciate the knowledge and education you have, P4F.  I enjoy your posts.

My lack of personal responsibility made me do it!

When I was younger, maybe four or five, I once asked my grandmother if God is in charge of everything. "Of course," she replied. This made me associate that God makes sure everything that happens, happens. You get to school safely? God. You get an extra cookie? God. You sin? God. 

BUT this was extremely simplistic, flawed theology of a kindergartner. By now, I know God does not cause you to sin. Likewise, neither does the Devil. Temptation can be placed in front of you, but being tempted is not a sin. It is giving into temptation that counts as a sin. 

A really great thread, warmaker! I think this is something that hasn't been discussed here, and play4fun nailed it on the head. Satan tempts, but in the end, it is we sinners that make the decision to give in to or fight the temptations.  God also tells us that He will not place us with temptations we cannot avoid.

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

My husband likes to tell a humorous story about when he was a little kid.  He had gotten into trouble after a church sermon on temptation, and when his mother asked him why he had done whatever it was he had done, he promptly thought he could get out of trouble with a 'truthful' response:  "Satan told me to do it." His mother responded back just as quickly "Then maybe this will teach you not to listen to Satan." After that whooping, he learned to take responsibility for his choices.  

warmaker : I'll have to agree with you on this one, the Devil really cannot force a believer to do anything. Too many people just blame him for everything that they do wrong, when the responsibility lies on you. It reminds me of the faulty saying that was extremely popular at one point..."The Devil made me do it." The Devil doesn't make you do anything, he just likes to sell you the idea. In today's world, and really in all times past, people are far too prone to lay the blame on someone else for the mistakes that they made. They will blame everything from the Devil to GOD and everything in between. I really wish more people would just say: "I screwed up big time, and it was all me." It is so much more honest, and is more admirable than just trying to blame someone else.