INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY EZEKIEL 18:19-22

Ezekiel, along with Jeremiah, are considered the prophets of “Individual Responsibility.” Jesus throughout His ministry emphasized the importance individual responsibility. Although the Bible does not use these two words together the thought is found throughout the Word. Many today are content just sit back and look on while the cause of Christ suffers for a lack of enthusiastic workers. Why does this happen? Because they are not Assuming Their Individual Responsibility Toward God!

The Parables Of Judgment We should consider the fact that every parable of judgment of condemnation spoken by the Lord Was a failure to doNot wrong-doing The Marriage Feast Matthew 22:1-14 The Great Banquet Luke 14:15-24 Those who were bidden to come didn’t. Some made excusesOthers just didn’t care The easiest way to be lost is to do nothing. The Ten Virgins, Matthew 25: were wise5 were foolish All the virgins put oil in their lamps.

5 didn’t put enough oil in their lamps. They failed to make the adequate preparation They tried to barrow. But the 5 wise had just enough for themselves. What a powerful lesson on each person assuming their individual responsibility before God. The other 2 went out and produced more talents. The one talent man did nothing The master expected something He failed to use his talent and he was condemned The master gave out the talents “each according to their ability” The Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:14-30

The Sheep and The Goats Matthew 25:31-46 Those on the left-hand were condemned because they did nothing to help those who were in need. The Rich Farmer, Luke 12:13-21 He made the mistake of living only for himself. He forgot about God and his fellow-man. He made no preparation for the life to come. The Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16:19-31 The rich man was guilty of the same mistakes the rich farmer made. He never once lifted a finger to help Lazarus. We will be condemned for doing what is wrong We will also be condemned for failing to do what’s right

In Every Age God Has Had A Law For Those Who Would Follow Him Adam and Eve Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.'' They had only one law. Their disobedience brought sin into the world along with death and every bad and evil thing. The People Of Noah’s Day Noah preached God’s righteousness. To obey would have meant eternal life/perfectness

II Peter 2:5 And did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; If only they had listen to the preaching of Noah they could have been saved. But they failed to listen The children of Israel Deuteronomy 11:26-28 "Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known.” This was the responsibility of each individual in Israel.

Today each individual also has a responsibility to God. The non-Christian has the responsibility to become a child of God. Every Christian must consider their commitment to and their responsibility toward God. God wants no one to be lost. I Timothy 2:4 Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. II Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. That is to put Him first in everything you do.

WE ALL HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY TO GOD! HAVE YOU ACCEPTED YOUR RESPONSIBILITY?

Given by David Hamlin on am Hollister, Missouri church of Christ