Personal Responsibility Alert; Warning, You Are in God’s Spotlight!

Take personal responsibility for what you do and say. Because one day you must account for your actions. God’s spotlight is on you, my friend. However, there is no need to worry, get the details in this revealing Bible study.

Summary

In the night I remember your name, LORD, and keep your instruction. 56 I have made it my personal responsibility to keep your precepts [Psalms 119:55-56 (ISV)].

Think about this:

You must accept personal responsibility for your actions, choices, and decisions. The time will come when God will hold you accountable. So I urge you to be mindful of your conduct.

Key Points:

1. What you say

   Your words are important. Avoid the use of words that do not teach, inform, or nurture in a beneficial way. Jesus said “But I say to you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account of on the day of judgment. 37 “For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned” [Matthew 12:36-37 (RKJNT)].

2. Your actions

   Your actions, i.e., what you do in this life, are also important. The Father is the One Who judges you by what you do. He does not respect one person more than another. If you call Him Father, be sure you honor Him with love and fear all the days of your life here on earth [1 Peter 1:17 (NLV)].

3. What you think

   Nothing is hidden from God, not even your thoughts. All is under God’s spotlight. So please be mindful of what you think and desire. The Word of God is alive and active and sharper than any two-edged sword (Ephesians 6:17). It separates the physical person from the spiritual person, of both joints and marrow.
   And it can discern (judge) the thoughts and intentions of the heart [John 12:48]. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God.
   All things are uncovered and laid bare before him. We must account to him [Romans 2:16; 14:12]” [Hebrews 4:12-13 (NSB)].

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Personal Responsibility

The time is near when all things will end. So keep your minds clear, and control yourselves. Then you will be able to pray. 8 Most importantly, love each other deeply. Love has a way of not looking at others’ sins.

9 Open your homes to each other, without complaining. 10 Each of you received a spiritual gift. God has shown you his grace in giving you different gifts.

And you are like servants who are responsible for using God’s gifts. So be good servants and use your gifts to serve each other. 11 Anyone who speaks should speak words from God. The person who serves should serve with the strength that God gives.

You should do these things so that in everything God will be praised through Jesus Christ. Power and glory belong to him forever and ever. Amen [1 Peter 4:7-11 (ICB)].

Bad example

Adam and Eve set poor examples, they did not take personal responsibility for what they did. “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” [Genesis 2:16-17 (KJV)].

We get at least three truths from this event that apply to all people:

1. Personal responsibility

   God gave Adam a task or command. To obey and receive the reward of never-ending life. Note: one of the trees in the garden was the ‘tree of life‘ [Genesis 2:9; Genesis 3:22-24]. Or disobey (sin) with the end result of never-ending death.

2. Personal accountability

   He held Adam and Eve accountable for their decision and actions. They had to give an explanation for their actions. Not one accepted personal responsibility. Adam blamed Eve [Genesis 3:12]. Eve said it was the serpent’s fault [Genesis 3:13].

3. Judgment

   The Lord decided to punish Adam, Eve, and the serpent for their conduct. Read Genesis 3:14-19 for details.

When we pass the blame onto others, we fail to accept personal responsibility. Playing the blame game, passing the buck, making excuses or complaining will never lead to repentance. Do not be like Adam and/or Eve. Be responsible for your behavior.

Definitions

Before this Bible study, I did not think about the difference between accountability and responsibility. To my surprise, the word responsible and responsibility are not in the KJV. Nor were accountable or accountability. Does that mean we are not responsible or accountable for what we do and say?

Before going further, let’s look at the definitions of the two terms.

Responsible – able to answer for your conduct and obligations and choose between right and wrong; to be answerable or accountable, as for your ways, words and thoughts. “Being the one who must meet an obligation or suffer the consequences for failing to do so” — merriam-webster.com

Accountable – required {held responsible or obligated} to explain to God what you said {your words spoken to or against others}, did {your actions, works or deeds}, and thought {your desires, motives, and ideas} in this life. In short, required to explain to God what you said, did, and thought in this life.

There is a gradual development of accountability accompanying the growth of a human being from infancy to maturity; and there is a similar development in the race, as knowledge grows from less to more. In the full light of the gospel human beings are far more responsible than they were in earlier stages of intellectual and spiritual development, and the doom to which they will be exposed on the day of account will be heavy in proportion to their privileges. James Stalker via ISBE

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What You Say

Do your words reveal what you think? “Make your words good—you will be glad you did” [Proverbs 18:20 (CEV)].

What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words [Proverbs 18:21 (GNT)].

Do you love life and want to see many good days? 13 Then keep your tongues from speaking evil. Keep your lips from telling lies [Psalm 34:12-13 (NIRV)].

Accountable

As you consider accepting personal responsibility, know that God will hold you accountable for what you say in this life. “The devil made me say it” ☺ will not excuse you. Jesus said, “by your words, you will be innocent; righteous or guilty; condemned” [Matthew 12:37].

Don’t say anything that would hurt another person. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you [Ephesians 4:29 (GW)].

When you are with unbelievers, always make good use of the time. 6 Be pleasant and hold their interest when you speak the message. Choose your words carefully and be ready to give answers to anyone who asks questions [Colossians 4:5-6 (CEV)].

Your words are valuable. They can heal or wound. “A word of encouragement heals the one who receives it, but a deceitful word breaks the spirit” [Proverbs 15:4 (The Voice)].

Important

If you are not convinced that the spoken word is important, please understand, logos (the word) is the only thing the devil steals. “The sower soweth the word {logos}. 15 And these are they by the way side, where the word {logos} is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word {logos} that was sown in their hearts” [Mark 4:14-15].

G3056 λόγος logos (lo’-ğos) n. 1) what someone has said. 1a) the sayings of God. 1b) of the moral precepts {teachings} given by God.

Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this picture-story? Then how will you understand any of the picture-stories? 14 What the man plants is the Word of God. 15 Those by the side of the road are the ones who hear the Word. As soon as they hear it, the devil comes and takes away the Word that is planted in their hearts [Mark 4:13-15 (NLV)].

To see this in context, please read Mark 4:1-20 [(13-15); compare Matthew 13:18-23; Luke 8:11-15].

From the heart

The words you use are important. Jesus says they show what is in your heart [Luke 6:45]. So choose your words carefully!

Every tree is known by the kind of fruit it produces. You won’t find figs on thorny weeds. And you can’t pick grapes from thornbushes! 45 Good people have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts [Luke 6:44-45 (ERV)].

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Your Actions

What you do (your actions/works) will result in a reward or penalty. Jesus accepted His personal responsibility and made it clear that His followers must do so as well.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to be my follower, he should deny self [i.e., of always having its own way] and lift up his cross [of responsibility] and [then he can] become my follower. 25 For whoever would [try to] save his life [i.e., by neglecting spiritual things] will lose it [i.e., miss out on the blessings of God].

But whoever [is willing to] lose his life [i.e., in commitment to God’s service] for my sake will find it [i.e., obtain both temporal and spiritual blessings]. 26 For what benefit is it to a person if he gains the whole world [of material things] but [has to] give up his life [i.e., all the spiritual blessings]? Or what should a person give in exchange for his life?

Reward or punish

27 For the Son of man will return in the splendor of His Father, accompanied by His angels. Then He {Jesus} will reward or punish every person in proportion to what he has done [with his life] [Matthew 16:24-27 (AUV)].

It’s on YOU

Continue to accept personal responsibility, because God will hold you accountable for what you do in this life. The Scriptures give an example in Ezekiel 18, it begins with a proverb ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’. The child will no longer be held responsible or accountable for the sins of the parent [see Ezekiel 18:1-4].

Ezekiel 18:14-20 makes it clear that the righteous son of a sinful father will not be held accountable for his fathers sin(s). That law is no longer in action. Under grace you are accountable for what you do.

God will reward or punish [give back to; repay] every person for what that person has done [Romans 2:6 (EXB)].

Spotlight on you

The spotlight is on you. Yes, you are in God’s spotlight. “The Lord sees everything you do [eyes of the Lord are on the path of every person], and he watches where you go [all their ways]” [Proverbs 5:21 (EXB)].

So then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” 12 And so, each one of us shall offer an explanation of himself to God [Romans 14:10-12 (CPDV)].

For the non-believer

Of course there are some who do not believe God exists. In fact others believe that God is so loving that He will not punish or hold them personally responsible or accountable for what they do.

For the wicked one boasts about his own cravings; the one who is greedy curses and despises the Lord. 4 In all his scheming,

the wicked arrogantly thinks: “There is no accountability, since God does not exist.”

11 He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and will never see” [Psalms 10:3-4 and 11 (HCSB)].

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Personal responsibility wrap-up

Therefore, whether we are at home [on earth] or away from home [and with Him], it is our [constant] ambition to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we [believers will be called to account and] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,

so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad [that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives—the use or misuse of his time, opportunities, and abilities] [2 Corinthians 5:9-10 (AMP)].

God’s spotlight

Accepting personal responsibility for the things you do and say can be challenging, but it is for your good. God looks at your conduct, yes you are in God’s spotlight! I pray that this lesson has helped to give clear Scriptural insight.

Do not ignore the truth. God will hold you accountable. So I urge you to accept personal responsibility for your conduct.

God bless you in your natural and Spiritual life; until the next time, take care—♥ Tim. ☺

Bible study Scriptures outline

Note: parenthesis (#) enclose the key verses.

Summary: Psalms 119:49-56 (55-56); Matthew 12:33-37 (36); 1 Peter 1:13-21 (17); Hebrews 4:11-13 (12-13).

Personal Responsibility: Genesis 3:1-20 (9, 12-19); 1 Peter 4:7-11 (10-11); Genesis 2:8-25 (16-17).

What You Say: Ephesians 5:1-6 (4); Proverbs 18:20-21; Psalms 34:11-14 (12-13). Mark 4:1-20 [(13-15); compare Matthew 13:18-23; Luke 8:11-15]. Ephesians 4:25-32 (29); Colossians 4:2-6 (5-6); Proverbs 15:4.

Your Actions: Romans 14:1-13 (10 and 12); Matthew 16:24-27 (27). Ezekiel 18:1-32 (1-4 and 14-20); Romans 2:1-16 (6); Proverbs 5:21; Romans 14:1-13 (10-12); Psalms 10:3-11 (3-4 and 11).

Wrap-up: 2 Corinthians 5:9-11 (10-11).

Related studies/lessons/snacks for further Spiritual growth:

Follow 3 Simple Keys for True Followers of Jesus – an estimated 5-minute read.

God’s Word – the Real Soul Food – an estimated 8-minute read.

Do Not Give Up Hope God is on Your Side You Can Make It! – an estimated 17-minute read.

See what is available on the Sound Truth Ministry website.

Copyright information:

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(AMP) Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org). || Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible Scripture quoted by permission. || Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission. || (ERV) Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: EASY-TO-READ VERSION © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center, Inc. and used by permission. || (EXB) The Expanded Bible Scripture taken from The Expanded Bible. Copyright ©2011 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. || (GNT) and (TEV) Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version- Second Edition Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.

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 (HCSB) Scripture quotations marked HCSB®, are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. HCSB® is a federally registered trademark of Holman Bible Publishers. || (ICB) Scripture taken from the International Children’s Bible®. Copyright © 1986, 1988, 1999 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. || (ISV) Scripture taken from the Holy Bible: International Standard Version®. Copyright © 1996-forever by The ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission. || (NIRV) Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. www.zondervan.com The “NIrV” and “New International Reader’s Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™ || (The Voice) The Voice Scripture taken from The Voice™. Copyright © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.