Alan Dale Gross
Active Member
By Human Responsibility we mean man's Accountability to God for all of his actions. The teaching of man's Accountability is so general in the Bible that no Scripture citations are needed. Any one that is at all acquainted with the Bible should be able with no difficulty to find plenty of proof texts on this subject.
"I. HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD".
"1. THE MEANING OF GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY. The Absolute Sovereignty of God means just what Paul affirms in Ephesians 1:11,
where he speaks of God as one that "Worketh all things after the Counsel of His Will."
"This teaches just what the Philadelphia Confession of Faith teaches when it says:
"God hath Decreed in Himself from all Eternity, by the Most Wise and Holy Counsel of His Own Will,
Freely and Unchangeably, all things Whatsoever Comes to Pass."
"Other passages teaching the Absolute Sovereignty of God are as follows:
"Who knoweth not in all these, that the Hand of Jehovah hath Wrought this,
in Whose Hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind" (Job 12:9,10).
"Jehovah hath Established His Throne in the Heavens; and His Kingdom Ruleth over all" (Psa. 103:19).
"Whatsoever Jehovah Pleased, that hath He Done, in Heaven and in Earth, in the seas and all deeps" (Psa. 135:6).
"Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord Commandeth it not?
Out of the Mouth of the Most High Cometh there not evil and good?" (Lam. 3:37,38).
"I Form the light, and Create darkness; I Make Peace, and Create evil; I Am Jehovah, that Doeth all these things" (Isa. 45:7).
"I Am God, and there is none like Me; Declaring the End from the Beginning, and from Ancient Times things that are not yet done; saying,
My Counsel shall Stand, and I Will Do all My Pleasure" (Isa. 46:10).
"All the inhabitants of the Earth are reputed as nothing; and He doeth according to His Will in the Army of Heaven,
and among the inhabitants of the Earth; and none can stay His Hand, or say unto him, What doest Thou?" (Dan. 4:35).
"At that season Jesus answered and said, I thank Thee 0 Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth,
that Thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst Reveal them unto babes" (Matt. 11:25).
"Jesus answered him, Thou couldest have no power against Me, except it were Given thee from Above" (John 19:11).
"I Will have Mercy on whom I have Mercy, and I Will have Compassion on whom I have Compassion.
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that hath mercy.
"For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For this very Purpose did I raise thee up, that I might show in thee My Power,
and that My Name might be published abroad in all the earth. So then He hath Mercy on whom He Will, and whom He Will He hardeneth"
(Rom. 9:1518).
See also Acts 2:2, 3 and 4:27, 28.
2. WHY MAN IS RESPONSIBLE.
The Question is, then, How can man be Responsible for his Actions
when all that he does has been Ordained and Decreed of God?
"This is not a new question. It is at least as old as the New Testament, and probably much older.
"Paul anticipated this question from his readers when he penned the wonderful ninth chapter of Romans.
"He said. "Thou will say then unto me, Why doth he still find fault? For who withstandeth His Will."
"And Paul's reply was: "Nay, but, 0 man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it,
Why didst thou Make me thus? Or hath not the potter a right over the clay,
from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor."
"Paul's mentioning of this question and his reply show conclusively that Paul taught the Absolute Sovereignty of God.
"Indeed his preceding words clearly teach it. Paul made the reply that he did because he anticipated the question as coming from an objector.
"When it comes as a reverent inquiry, it deserves more detailed consideration.
"Paul's reply had to be brief because his time and purpose would not permit a lengthy discussion.
"Our time permits and our purpose demands a fuller discussion.
"Man is Responsible for his Actions, notwithstanding the fact that God has Decreed all that Comes to Pass, for at least Three Reasons:
1. "God's Decree Concerning Sin is Not Causative but Permissive, Directive, Preventive, and Determinative.
"God Decreed that sin should come in the World, for reasons that are fully known only to Him,
but He Decreed that it should come by man's own Free Choice. God does not compel man to sin, but He allows it.
"Man, and not God, is the efficient cause of sin; and for that reason man is Responsible.
"Before passing it needs to be remarked that no objections can be brought against the statement
that God Decreed that sin should come into the World that cannot be brought against God's Actual Permission of sin,
unless the objector takes the position that God was powerless to prevent the entrance of sin.
"This would be a denial of God's Omnipotence and Sovereignty, and would render the objector unworthy of consideration here.
"God's Omnipotence and Sovereignty teaches us that whatever God Permits He Permits because He Wills to do so.
And since God is Immutable, His Will has ever been the same. What He Wills at any time He has Willed from all Eternity.
Therefore, His Will equals His Purpose and His Purpose Equals His Decree.
2. "The Law of God and Not His Decree Fixes Man's Duty and Responsibility.
"The Law of God is man's guide and standard. This is God's Revealed Will. God's Decree is His Secret Will.
"Man has nothing to do with this except to know and acknowledge the facts concerning it.
"The Secret things belong unto Jehovah, our God;
but things that are Revealed belong unto us and to our children Forever,
that we may do all the Words of this Law" (Deut. 29:29).
3. "The Motive Back of Man's Sinning Makes Him Responsible.
"Why does man sin? Is it that man ever sins, because he wants to do the Will of God? Nay, never so.
"Why did men crucify Christ? Was it because they believed that God had Sent Him to die as a sin-bearer?
No. It was because they hated Him. They crucified Him through wicked motives.
It is thus that man always sins. Sin proceeds from man's love of darkness (John 3:19)."
Next: MAN is RESPONSIBLE for THEIR SIN in Spite their SPIRITUAL INABILITY, because MAN is to BLAME for their SPIRITUAL INABILITY.
II. HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY AND MAN'S SPIRITUAL INABILITY.
III. HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY DEPENDENT ON KNOWLEDGE.
From: A Systematic Study of Bible Doctrine by Thomas Paul Simmons.
Chapter 18: Human Responsibility.
"I. HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD".
"1. THE MEANING OF GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY. The Absolute Sovereignty of God means just what Paul affirms in Ephesians 1:11,
where he speaks of God as one that "Worketh all things after the Counsel of His Will."
"This teaches just what the Philadelphia Confession of Faith teaches when it says:
"God hath Decreed in Himself from all Eternity, by the Most Wise and Holy Counsel of His Own Will,
Freely and Unchangeably, all things Whatsoever Comes to Pass."
"Other passages teaching the Absolute Sovereignty of God are as follows:
"Who knoweth not in all these, that the Hand of Jehovah hath Wrought this,
in Whose Hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind" (Job 12:9,10).
"Jehovah hath Established His Throne in the Heavens; and His Kingdom Ruleth over all" (Psa. 103:19).
"Whatsoever Jehovah Pleased, that hath He Done, in Heaven and in Earth, in the seas and all deeps" (Psa. 135:6).
"Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord Commandeth it not?
Out of the Mouth of the Most High Cometh there not evil and good?" (Lam. 3:37,38).
"I Form the light, and Create darkness; I Make Peace, and Create evil; I Am Jehovah, that Doeth all these things" (Isa. 45:7).
"I Am God, and there is none like Me; Declaring the End from the Beginning, and from Ancient Times things that are not yet done; saying,
My Counsel shall Stand, and I Will Do all My Pleasure" (Isa. 46:10).
"All the inhabitants of the Earth are reputed as nothing; and He doeth according to His Will in the Army of Heaven,
and among the inhabitants of the Earth; and none can stay His Hand, or say unto him, What doest Thou?" (Dan. 4:35).
"At that season Jesus answered and said, I thank Thee 0 Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth,
that Thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst Reveal them unto babes" (Matt. 11:25).
"Jesus answered him, Thou couldest have no power against Me, except it were Given thee from Above" (John 19:11).
"I Will have Mercy on whom I have Mercy, and I Will have Compassion on whom I have Compassion.
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that hath mercy.
"For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For this very Purpose did I raise thee up, that I might show in thee My Power,
and that My Name might be published abroad in all the earth. So then He hath Mercy on whom He Will, and whom He Will He hardeneth"
(Rom. 9:1518).
See also Acts 2:2, 3 and 4:27, 28.
2. WHY MAN IS RESPONSIBLE.
The Question is, then, How can man be Responsible for his Actions
when all that he does has been Ordained and Decreed of God?
"This is not a new question. It is at least as old as the New Testament, and probably much older.
"Paul anticipated this question from his readers when he penned the wonderful ninth chapter of Romans.
"He said. "Thou will say then unto me, Why doth he still find fault? For who withstandeth His Will."
"And Paul's reply was: "Nay, but, 0 man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it,
Why didst thou Make me thus? Or hath not the potter a right over the clay,
from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor."
"Paul's mentioning of this question and his reply show conclusively that Paul taught the Absolute Sovereignty of God.
"Indeed his preceding words clearly teach it. Paul made the reply that he did because he anticipated the question as coming from an objector.
"When it comes as a reverent inquiry, it deserves more detailed consideration.
"Paul's reply had to be brief because his time and purpose would not permit a lengthy discussion.
"Our time permits and our purpose demands a fuller discussion.
"Man is Responsible for his Actions, notwithstanding the fact that God has Decreed all that Comes to Pass, for at least Three Reasons:
1. "God's Decree Concerning Sin is Not Causative but Permissive, Directive, Preventive, and Determinative.
"God Decreed that sin should come in the World, for reasons that are fully known only to Him,
but He Decreed that it should come by man's own Free Choice. God does not compel man to sin, but He allows it.
"Man, and not God, is the efficient cause of sin; and for that reason man is Responsible.
"Before passing it needs to be remarked that no objections can be brought against the statement
that God Decreed that sin should come into the World that cannot be brought against God's Actual Permission of sin,
unless the objector takes the position that God was powerless to prevent the entrance of sin.
"This would be a denial of God's Omnipotence and Sovereignty, and would render the objector unworthy of consideration here.
"God's Omnipotence and Sovereignty teaches us that whatever God Permits He Permits because He Wills to do so.
And since God is Immutable, His Will has ever been the same. What He Wills at any time He has Willed from all Eternity.
Therefore, His Will equals His Purpose and His Purpose Equals His Decree.
2. "The Law of God and Not His Decree Fixes Man's Duty and Responsibility.
"The Law of God is man's guide and standard. This is God's Revealed Will. God's Decree is His Secret Will.
"Man has nothing to do with this except to know and acknowledge the facts concerning it.
"The Secret things belong unto Jehovah, our God;
but things that are Revealed belong unto us and to our children Forever,
that we may do all the Words of this Law" (Deut. 29:29).
3. "The Motive Back of Man's Sinning Makes Him Responsible.
"Why does man sin? Is it that man ever sins, because he wants to do the Will of God? Nay, never so.
"Why did men crucify Christ? Was it because they believed that God had Sent Him to die as a sin-bearer?
No. It was because they hated Him. They crucified Him through wicked motives.
It is thus that man always sins. Sin proceeds from man's love of darkness (John 3:19)."
Next: MAN is RESPONSIBLE for THEIR SIN in Spite their SPIRITUAL INABILITY, because MAN is to BLAME for their SPIRITUAL INABILITY.
II. HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY AND MAN'S SPIRITUAL INABILITY.
III. HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY DEPENDENT ON KNOWLEDGE.
From: A Systematic Study of Bible Doctrine by Thomas Paul Simmons.
Chapter 18: Human Responsibility.
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