Taking Responsibility

I. Introduction: Good parents try to teach responsibility to their children early in life. We realize that they must learn to take the blame when they have done wrong, and enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done. Many in this world do not take responsibility for themselves and their actions. They find people to blame for everything. However, this is not God’s way.

II. Text: Genesis 3:1-19 (Reading 3:1-8)

III. Responsibility for obedience to God’s will

A. God has given us many commands for worship and individual living.

B. This is the first area where people will begin to offer excuses.

C. They will blame their life situation or personal weakness for disobedience.

D. God has never given us any responsibility that He has not also given us the power to fulfill.

E. Do not fall into temptation – 1 Cor 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”2 Timothy 3:16 -17: We are fully equipped for EVERY good work, so the problem is not lack of provision but lack of willingness to take responsibility. God has an answer for every excuse

F. Moses

G. God called Moses to lead His people to the Promised Land

H. Moses began to offer excuses

I. Genesis 3:11 – Who am I to speak to Pharaoh and lead the people out of Egypt? Answer: I am with you Genesis 4:1 – Suppose they will not believe me or say the Lord did not appear to you? Answer: Miraculous signs serpent rod/leprosy Genesis 4:10 – I am not eloquent. Answer: I made man’s mouth and I will give you the words to say.

J. Finally, Moses tried to shirk the responsibility.

K. Genesis 4:13 – Lord, just send someone else God rebuked Moses in His anger and commanded him to take Aaron and fulfill His command.

L. God will not be pleased with our excuses for not obeying His commands.

M. I didn’t have time to… [Why didn’t you make time? Made time for what you wanted to do]We never had a lot of money [You had money to spend on other things]I wouldn’t know what to say [The Word of God teaches us what to say]

N. We must take responsibility for our obedience.

O. No one will make us learn the commands or obey them, this is responsibility. We will be judged for everything that we have done and said and we, alone, will know the joy of salvation or the pain of hell for our decision.

IV. Responsibility for sin

A. Adam and Eve

B. Genesis 3:1-5 – The command they were to follow Genesis 3:6-8 – They broke the command—sinned—and were guilty.

C. Genesis 3:9-13 – Adam and Eve began passing the blame

D. Adam blamed Eve (3:12) The woman blamed the serpent (3:13) It seems that Adam also blamed God (3:12) Even from the first sin, people have tried to blame their sin on someone else, and from the beginning of time, passing the blame was unacceptable.

E. Modern blame game

F. Determinism

G. Some will blame events on their childhood or their chemical makeup for their actions.

H. These factors certainly do influence us, but we are not chemical machines running a program, we can make choices that guide our actions.

I. Even in the most computerized industries, there are people who can shut off the system and take manual control of the operation if it is going awry.

J. Recently there was a report (maybe fictional) of a man suing an RV manufacturer. He was driving down the road, turned on the cruise control, and went to the back to make a sandwich.

K. We are not on automatic pilot, our chemistry keeps us going physically, but God gave us a brain to direct our lives.

L. Our childhood experiences or chemical makeup may weaken us to certain temptations, but we have:

M. A mind and conscience that can override our bodies God’s promise of a way of escape from temptation God’s power to help us overcome

N. Essentially, they are blaming God for making them how He did.

O. Some still blame God

P. God didn’t give me enough (good looks, wealth, friends, talent, education).God has put me in a difficult life situation. We must never blame or accuse God for our sin; He is never at fault. The Devil made me do it

Q. Must accept the blame for our sins and ask God to remove the guilt.

V. Responsibility for salvation

A. Work out your own salvation

B. This does not mean that we find our own way, Jesus has shown the way. This means that we must execute the plan.

C. Consider Naaman’s example, 2 Kings 5.

D. He had an incurable disease. He went to Elisha, whose servant told him how to get rid of the leprosy. Naaman did not like the answer and would have died a leper because he would not obey God’s word. However, he humbled himself and obeyed, and his leprosy was cleansed.

E. We have this incurable disease and are commanded to wash it away in baptism.

F. Some will not because “Behold I thought we should ….”

G. Some will not because they don’t understand how baptism can remove sins.

H. Naaman thought the waters of Abanah and Pharpar were superior to the Jordan River, but God didn’t command him to dip in any water, but commanded the Jordan River. We don’t have to understand how being immersed in some water will remove sins, we must understand that God commanded it so that is why we must do it. We cannot come up with our own plan of salvation but we must follow God’s plan that was taught throughout the book of Acts.

I. We have the responsibility to stay saved

J. Hebrews 2:1-3 – We must not drift from it Luke 9:62: “But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God’.”

K. We cannot blame anyone if we become unfaithful

L. Not dependent on life’s situations

M. The early Christians were persecuted and killed, but God expected them to remain faithful. Some of the greatest Christians have lived their life in poverty, had little education, poor health, and difficult family lives.

N. Yet they endured because they did not blame their circumstances in life, but entrusted their souls to the one who could save them.

O. Hebrews 11:35-40 – They did not live to see the promise of the gospel, but we will be perfected with them in heaven. Hebrews 11:13-16 – True Christianity is not dependent on life situations because we are not dependent on this life.

P. Not dependent on brethren

Q. In the midst of the dead church in Sardis there were some who had not abandoned the Lord and would walk with Him in heaven (Revelation 3).Paul: “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me.” 2 Timothy 4:16 When Jesus was betrayed, the apostles abandoned Him. Even if every person in this church turns from God, you are still responsible for getting your soul to heaven. Of course, God gives us the strength to endure, escape from temptation, and His word to guide us. God will keep His responsibility.

R. “We shall stand before the throne; stand will all, but stand alone.”