Undying Commitment: A 14-day Study in StewardshipНамуна

Personally Accountable

The Israelites are living in denial. They are using the 'sour grapes' proverb (see Eze 18:2) to argue that it was not they, but their ancestors, who had evoked the divine judgment that the Lord is meting out to their nation. They were conveniently 'misunderstanding' the reference in Exodus 20:5: 'I the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of their fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.' Yes, people who hate God often raise people who also hate God; people who lead unrighteous lives often raise children who also lead unrighteous lives, but that in no way precludes any one person in any generation from turning back to God and repenting. The people were in effect saying 'It's not our fault.' But God tells Ezekiel, yes, it is your fault: 'For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son - both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die' (Eze 18:4). Each person is accountable for worshiping God alone and for their personal purity (see Eze 18:6). Each person is accountable for how they conduct business and how they care for the poor, and each is accountable for doing justice and for keeping God's laws (see Eze 18:7-9). Each person will live or die based on their own righteousness or sinfulness.

There is a saying that 'God has no grandchildren,' meaning that every individual must personally respond in faith to Jesus. As the sins of the parents are not transferrable, neither is salvation. And though eternal life is based on faith, we have the 'response-ability' to account for what we have done with the gifts and grace God has given us. Paul says, 'Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load' (Gal 6:4-5). And Romans 14:12 states, 'Each of us will give an account of himself to God.' Pastor and author Rick Warren comments as follows:

Think about the implications of that. One day God will compare how much time and energy we spent on ourselves compared with what we invested in serving others. At that point, all our excuses for self-centeredness will sound hollow: 'I was too busy' or 'I had my own goals' or 'I was preoccupied with working, having fun, or preparing for retirement.' To all excuses God will respond, 'Sorry, wrong answer I created, saved, and called you and commanded you to live a life of service. What part did you not understand?'

We live in families; we live in communities; our spiritual growth is shaped and tended by the way we live with and for others; we share many things with other believers. But in the middle of the might, it's each of us alone with God. And at the end of the day, we'll each sand face to face before him.