Self Responsibility, You ARE Responsible

 The Soul Who Sins Shall Die

We are talking about Self or Personal Responsibility. This is not a popular topic. As a matter of fact, it is one of those topics that become more and more whitewashed as time goes on. We have a whole industry that attempts to point the blame for everything we do onto others. Or onto environments. Or onto mental disorders and diseases. ANYTHING to take the responsibility away from the one it is to be granted to. The one who did it.

We talked the last time about how it is our obligation as children of God to share the gospel, however, it is not our responsibility if they accept it or not. It most definitely IS our responsibility as to how WE act and live.

Look at Ezekiel 18

"The word of the Lord came to me: What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge’? As I live, declares the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die."

This seems pretty clear. Does it not? continue on. Ezekiel 18:5

“If a man is righteous and does what is just and right, if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman in her time of menstrual impurity, does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, does not lend at interest or take any profit, withholds his hand from injustice, executes true justice between man and man, walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully, he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord God."

Put it into today's terminology, if we, accept Jesus, live by faith, and do the will of our Father, we shall live. If we do not? Continue verse 10

“If he fathers a son who is violent, a shedder of blood, who does any of these things (though he himself did none of these things), who even eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbor's wife, oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination, lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself."

Translation, if you do not accept Jesus, live by faith, and do the will of the Father, you will die in your sin. God makes it very clear. Continue in Verse 14

“Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise: "he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor's wife, does not oppress anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, withholds his hand from iniquity, takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father's iniquity; he shall surely live. As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, behold, he shall die for his iniquity."

We are only responsible for our own actions. Not those of our parents, or even that of our children. Now secular law states that in some cases, the parents can be held accountable until a certain age is reached by the child. But God holds the individual accountable always. Verse 19

“Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffers for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself."

However, we have some good news, and also some kinda scary news. You see, there are some "Christians" that truly believe once saved always saved. Some who disagree and say you CAN lose your salvation. Read the following with me. Turn to verse 21.

“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done, he shall live. "

Why? This is God talking here.

"Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?"

Here is a prickly point of scripture.

"But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them, he shall die."

I want to stay with this thought for a second. Turn to 2 Peter 2:20-22

"For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”"

In Hebrews 10:26-29

"For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? "

Can you lose your salvation? According to this? It seems to be a possibility. Look at the scariest, at least to me one of the scariest passages in the entire Bible. This is Jesus talking.

"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" Matthew 7:21-23

Be careful, child of God. Do the will of the Father. Live by faith. Read the Word of God, Pray and get to know your Daddy. We will talk more in-depth on this topic of consequences and actions next time. Go back to Ezekiel 18, pick up in verse 25

“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done, he shall die. Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?"

We might as well finish up Ezekiel 18

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”

We have something that they did not have back then. We have Jesus. Jesus came and died for our sins. That is how simple God made it for us. Accept Jesus and live, or reject Jesus and be rejected by Him on the last day.

Although you are not responsible for anyone else's actions, you are most assuredly responsible for yours. The word even declares this. in Matthew 12:36

"I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,"

More on consequences and actions next time. But make no mistake about it. You ARE responsible for yourself. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He raised from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!