MAN -- A CREATURE OF RESPONSIBILITY

     Thank you. Once again, I wish each one a very pleasant good
morning. How good it is to have you in the audience. It is my
prayer that each one of us has a deep respect for the Word of God.
There are many things which we may ignore without any dire
consequences; but, if we ignore the Inspired Truths of God's Word
we will suffer consequences which will be unbearable. Jesus Himself
said, "Except ye believe that I am He, ye shall die in your sins"
(John 8:32).
     One of the basic facts of God's Word is that each person has a
responsibility to Jehovah God.  Each one of us must answer unto our
Creator for all that we do. The apostle Paul states, "So then each
one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12).
There is coming a day of judgment when we shall all stand before
the presence of Jehovah God and answer for the things which we have
done while here in the flesh. I will be there. You will be there.
In our study this morning I wish to emphasis some of the things for
which man is responsible; things for which I am responsible; things
for which you are responsible.
     FIRST. Man is responsible for his personal influence, whether
we are good or bad. The F.B.I. states that you cannot go into a
room without leaving a trace that you were there. Though our days
in the flesh may be short, we shall leave evidence of our having
been here. The one who says that is not so just isn't thinking
clearly. Our lives do indeed influence others. It may be a good
influence. It may be a bad influence. But, our influence of others
is very real. Jesus desires that our influence be for good. Listen
to Him in Matthew 5:13-16, "Ye are the salt of the earth; but if
the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is
thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under
foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill
cannot be hid. Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the
bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the
house. Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
     Our every deed influences others. We just simply cannot escape
it. What kind of influence do you have on your fellow traveler in
the flesh?  Are you an influence for good, or an influence for
evil? You are responsible for your influence.
     SECOND. Man is responsible for the words which he speaks. Hear
Jesus again, "And I say unto you, that every idle word that men
shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of
judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy
words thou shalt be condemned" (Matthew 12:36-37). Paul states in
Ephesians 4:29, "Let no corrupt speech proceed out of thy mouth."
And again he speaks, "Let your speech be always with grace,
seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each
one" (Colossians 4:6). Words are so small, easily spoken; yet, can
yield a great influence. Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg; the
Declaration of Independance, brief and to the point, but so very
lasting. Our words can cheer someone; our words can dishearten. Our
words can build up; our words can tear down. Hear James speak, "So
the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things.
Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire! And the
tongue is a fire: the world of iniquity among our members is the
tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the
wheel of nature, and is set on fire by hell" (James 3:5-6). How
careful then we should be when we open our mouths. How tragic it is
in the generation in which we live that the tongues of men and
women have become so filthy. Vulgarity, cursings and swearings seem
to be cry of the day. The filthier the language, the more the
audience applauds. Our modern television knows no restraint. What
the world does not seem to grasp is that they will give an account
unto Jehovah God for the language that proceeds from their mouths.
     THIRD. Man is responsible for the way he uses his worldly
goods. We are stewards; given these possessions for only a short
period of time. Someone has rightly said, "The pockets of a shroud
are empty." Paul states that "we brought nothing into this world,
and we shall take nothing out" (1 Timothy 6:7). Whatever
possessions we accumulate will be left behind. How wise we must be
in the usage of our material possessions; for indeed we are
responsible for how we gain them and how we use them. Jesus taught
a very valuable lesson in Luke, chapter 12, verses 16 through 21:
He states that a certain rich man made a successful crop. Not
having room to store all his goods, he tore down the old barns and
built greater ones. He then said to his soul, "Soul, thou hast much
goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink and be
merry." But the Lord said, "Thou fool, this night is thy soul
required of thee; and the things which thou hast prepared, whose
shall they be?" This man thought that the soul could feast upon the
corn. How wrong he was. He, too, was responsible for the way he
used his material goods. You, too, my listening audience are
responsible for how you use your material possessions. If we waste
our possessions, Jehovah will hold us responsible.
     FOURTH. Man is responsible for his/her soul. The Bible clearly
teaches that man will go to one of two destinations; either Heaven
or Hell. I may be talking to someone who does not believe that, but
that does not change the matter. There is clearly a place of
paradise, and there is clearly a place of torment. Where we go is
being determined by the way we are conducting ourselves right now.
The eternal destiny of my soul is within my grasp. I can do that
which will prepare it for salvation, or I can do nothing and it
will end up in a Devil's Hell. You, too, my listening audience have
the same choice. You can chose to serve God; obey His commandments
and live in harmony with His Word, or, you can go your merry way in
search of the pleasures of the flesh and be lost. That is a choice
which Jehovah grants to each one of us. We can choose to serve God,
or we can choose not to serve Him. But, if and when, we choose to
serve Him, we have no choice in how that service is to be done. His
Word clearly teaches us how to become the child of God. God's Word
says that we must hear the Word of God in order to have faith
produced in our heart. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the
word of God" (Romans 10:17). A believer in Christ Jesus will then
ask the question, "What must I do to be saved?" The answer was
given in Acts 2:38, "Repent ye and be baptized everyone of you for
the remission of your sins." Thus a believer must repent of past
sins and submit to the command to "arise and be baptized and wash
away your sins" (Acts 22:16); as we discussed in last Sunday's
lesson over this station when we talked about the conversion of
Saul of Tarsus.  Rising from the watery grave of baptism, having
been cleansed by the blood of Christ, one then is to live a life of
service and obedience to every command of the Lord. Truly, we are
responsible for our soul. No one else can save your soul for you.
You, and you alone, are responsible for its salvation. Have you
obeyed the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? If not, I
would be more than happy to discuss this matter with you.
     Let us notice another point just here. Why does God hold us
responsible? No other creature is so accountable. Man is the only
creature that has been made in the likeness of God, in His image.
We have been given the ability to know God, to know right from
wrong; we have been given a conscience. The animal world has not
been so endowed. We have been given God's revelation, that we might
know the mind of God. Without that revelation, God's Word, man is
ignorant of his origin, of his duty, of his destiny.
     Evolution brings man down to the brute level, it makes man no
more than another beast. Revelation lifts man up to the image of
God. That same revelation shows the necessity of obedience to Him.
John states, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light,  we
have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son
cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). But, to walk in the light
is to walk as the light directs that we walk. And that light is the
radiance of His Divine Word. Thus, how carefully we must study and
apply that Word to our lives. The very purpose of these radio
lessons is to assist all who listen to come to a better
understanding of God's Word and how it should be used in our daily
lives.
     LASTLY. Man is responsible to know God's will.  If we shall be
judged by His word, and He very clearly states that in John 12:48,
how careful we must be in rightly dividing or handling aright the
Word of Truth. God has spoken through His word. I must listen to
Him. If you would be saved, you too, must listen to Him.
     I urge each listener -- recognize your responsibility in the
matters mentioned in this brief lesson this morning. Be careful as
to the choice of words that flow from your brain by way of your
mouth. Guard carefully your influence upon those around you. Live a
good life and assist your fellow man to be good also. Use your
worldly possessions wisely. And above all else, seek the salvation
of your eternal soul. Become students of God's Book. Never let
anyone tell you that you cannot understand the Bible. If you allow
one to convince you of that lie, you become their subjects, you
become their slave, you must depend upon them for knowledge. What
if they make a mistake?  Shall you go down with them?

Return to Index
Home