Accountability and Responsibility
Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God….”
And all our beginnings must be traced back to God.
(It is interesting to note, that in the first chapter of Genesis….only God in His trinity is seen. He creates….and even when it becomes void…still nothing is directly said about anyone else.
Adam is seen being formed in chapter two, altho all the creatures…us, through Adam are created in chapter one: yet….no other Presence is spoken of in chapter one…..till God Himself proclaims all He has made as….”very good”.
It is as if God is making sure that He is seen in every aspect of creation. In sun, moon, stars, air, earth, birds, fish, animals….and man. He, and His creative Will is sovereign….and “very good”)
Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure (determination) they are and were created.”
At the beginning of the vision in Heaven….the Lord is praised concerning His creation….and His determination…and Purpose for each of us.
We will indeed praise Him around the throne for this, then….let us also, in submission, do it now.
Let me just say that God has set each of us…men and women….on a footing of accountability and responsibility…. to Him.
He created us as rational creatures:
Having reason and understanding to think after Him.
Having affections to love HIm reasonably.
Having will to place into action our thoughts and love.
We are accountable because of the individual gifts He gives us.
We are responsible because of His Word to us.
1 Peter 4:5 “Who shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.”
Romans 10:18 “But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.”
We are the only creatures in His creation to be so made!
We are not animals with God given instincts only.
He could have made us so….but He did not.
He placed us on a footing that we may be raised above every other creature, to have communion with Him,….because of the choices we make.
It is His determination….which He willed for us, individually.
We are placed in the circumstances and parentage… “as He pleased”.
Given the ability… “as He pleased”.
Given the external circumstances and the internal understanding of them…”as He pleased.”
Yet we are indeed accountable to use our will, ability, understanding, and reason to learn of God, and serve Him…..with all the gifts He has given us….physically and spiritually.
1 Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”
A steward is one who is placed over the goods, or services of another. He is in charge of them, and to use all that is given, to bring forth an increase. (Matthew 25:14-29)
We are stewards of the manifold grace of God….to use all we get for the Lord:
1 Peter 4:10-11 “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to Whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
We are responsible to HIs Word to us. To hear it….however it comes….and to do His commands.
For that is how we love Him….and we are responsible to love God “with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matthew 22:27)
And that is when we obey His Word to us.
John 14:15 “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”
(I want to say here, that every person….saved and lost….is accountable and responsible to God.
Ecc. 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
But the wonderful difference is: when we are born again, we are given the Holy Spirit to enable by His grace to bring forth fruit unto eternal life. To guide and help, to encourage and strengthen, to settle and make our hearts rejoice…in the privilege of serving the Lord.
Philippians 3:8 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”)
What is better than to love God? What is more satisfying than to know that we, by His Spirit, have honored Him? What can’t we praise and glorify Him in?
For He has given us Himself, HIs determination, His Purpose, and HIs Will….let us seek to be faithful in our gifts, and to His Word.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 