WHY WE ARE RESPONSIBLE
“Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay….”– Rom. 9:20-21
Man’s most foolish choice is to set himself in a confrontation with God– to oppose and resist what God does, allows, or requires. We are out of place when our attitude or actions are against God who made us. As created beings we don’t have the right to resent, resist, and reject the will of our Creator. We are under obligation to the One who by His wise design made us with a will. He also created us with a need to be guided by His infinite wisdom. That’s why He gives us rules to regulate our behavior. But He also gives us the ability to resist what we need– an ability we have terribly misused. We do ourselves the greatest favor when we choose to be controlled by our Creator. Such submission is not only what He demands it is also what He deserves.
That is clearly true when you consider that there is something more than a creature/Creator relationship, something more compelling — we belong to God by way of redemption (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Christ redeemed us with His “precious blood” (1 Pet. 1:18-19). So our obedience ought not be just the discharging of our duty. it should be our great delight. We should cheerfully surrender to the Lord out of love because it is both right and best. When God’s will becomes our will we win! When governed by self-will we lose– and have only ourselves to blame.
Rather than blame our circumstances we need to put the blame where it should be– on the unwise choices we’ve made. The freedom to choose is a great privilege, but it also carries with it a great responsibility. We must give an account to God for the decisions we make. We belong to Him by creation and redemption and have no right to do as we please when it doesn’t please Him.
Here’s the good news. Having been redeemed you not only have a great responsibility, you have great potential by virtue of your relationship with Christ. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells within you. He enables you to do as God commands. As Paul said, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” ( Phil. 2:13)- HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
