The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-06-06

Si9l give account OF nllnSeH 10 GOu.-
Romans 14:12.
Personal responsibility is a SUBJ
ject we'll worthy of careful and re-
peated consideration. We talk so
much about social, national or
racial responsibility that we are
prone to forget that the social or
der, nations and races, are made
up of individuals. The Bible, while
recognizing the relationship and re-
sponsibilities of nations and social
groups to God, rightly stresses in
dividual responsibility. It is man
who is made in the likeness and
image Of God. He is the one who
has fallen into sin, and he needs
the regenerating grace Of God in
the Lord Jesus Christ. It is man
who stands responsible to God, both
as an individual and as Gods repre-
sentative in carrying His message
to others.
/. Mans Responsibility for the
Lives Of Others wv. lid.
Ezekiel had the official respon-
sibility of a Waterman sent by God
to his own people in their captivity
in Babylon. His was a special call
ing, and yet is it not true that, ac-
cording to the teaching of the New
Testament, every Christian is called
to be a witness, winner Of souls,
and a Waterman?
Tho VTD4ol,,,,o,,sc
". y. His appointment is by God,
and the warning words he is to
speak are given to him by God.
Every true preacher and teacher of
the gospel should be a God-called
man, presenting the Word of God.
Otherwise, his ministry will have
little meaning and no real power.
The same is true of every Chris
tan; a personal touch with God
must precede his efforts to win
others to God.
2. The Watchman's Responsibility
wv. 8, 81. Being a Waterman is
not a duty that one bears lightly,
for it has grave responsibilities.
Lives are dependent on the vigilance
and faithfulness of the Waterman.
Even those who watch over worldly
goods or who guard the safety and
comfort Of others are held by us to
a high measure of responsibility and
are liable for misfeasance or care
lessness in Office. What about those
of us to whom the destiny of eternal
souls has been committed? Read
the solemn words of verses 8 and 8.
8. The Watchman's Message wv.
10, 1D. The Jews who were in cap
tivity because of their sin and failure
were respondent. They saw no ray
of hope; they were under the over
whelming burden of their sin. The
message of Gods Waterman was
one Of hope to the repentant people.
God is gracious toward the sinner
and has no pleasure in Furnishing
him. "Why will We die?" places the
responsibility squarely where it be-
longs-on the sinner himself.
II. Mans Responsibility for His
Own Life wv. 12-16).
Whatever may be our RESPONSE
bility for the lives Of others, certain
it is that we must each one answer
to God for our own lives. Ours is
the glorious opportunity of living our
life-and ours is the responsibility
for it.
l. Consistent Living Required ".
12). This verse evidently does not
mean that righteous man over
taken in a moment of defeat is lost.
1t rather refers to the one who has
made an outward show of being
righteous. Confident of himself, he
has then fallen into careless living,
and all at once his true character
is revealed in outright wickedness.
That man cannot then draw on his
past record as though it were a bank
account to be used to justify him
in his. hour of failure. Righteous
ness is a matter of the heart. 1t is
a spiritual rebirth, expressing itself
in changed conduct and consistent
living, not only yesterday and to-
day, but also tomorrow.
2. Real Repentance Accepted wv.
1916. God was ready in EzekieFs
day to accpet the genuinely repent
ant man and woman. Infinitely
more precious and warm is the well
come that Christ now gives to sin
ners who turn to Him, for He, our
blessed Lord, has now worked OH
the way of salvation on Calvary's
tree.