View source for 12. THE CHRISTIAN'S SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY

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<p>God is independent and sovereign. Man is dependent and responsible. Every sane man knows he must give account to God. Man's nature and relations to God make it fit that he should act under moral law, and be judged accordingly.<br><br>
It is not possible for any man to entertain too solemn views of the fact that he must at last stand or fall, according to the deeds done in the body. Every man is every day doing things which will affect his destiny to all eternity.<br><br>
Man has immortal rationality, and of course he will ever be responsible. Suffering will not end it. Happiness will not destroy it. In God's government there is no statute of limitation. Nor has man or angel the power of returning to non-existence. Some have denied that responsibility will be endless.<br><br>
But if responsibility be not everlasting, then the relations of God and man may cease or change. They cannot cease, because God cannot deny Himself. They cannot cease, because whether man shall be under law is not a question submitted to his choice or decision.<br><br>
Neither can the relations of God and man change. A change must be for the better or for the worse. If they could change for the better, they would not now be perfectly right and holy. If they should change for the worse, they would cease to be perfectly right and holy.<br><br>
If responsibility be not everlasting, then an intelligent creature may sin away his obligations and accountability.<br><br>
If responsibility be not everlasting, then sin works its own cure, at least so far as not to be any longer punishable. It would lose its guilt by its enormity or inveteracy.<br><br>
If responsibility be not everlasting, then there is a world or a state where God may be insulted with impunity. If this is so, retribution in any case is wholly arbitrary, and is not required by righteousness.<br><br>
If retribution be not everlasting, then sin is either an evil which in the long run becomes unmanageable, and God at length connives at it, because He does not know how to deal with old transgressors; or else the evil now declared to belong to unrighteousness is an exaggeration, and who will dare to say that?<br><br>
If responsibility be not everlasting, then it will not be so bad to offer insults to God in some other worlds or states as it is in this world, or in the present state.<br><br>
If responsibility be not everlasting, it must be that God's moral government shall by and by be impaired or fail in some respects.<br><br>
If responsibility be not everlasting, then by parity of reasoning the fact that one lie is justly punishable does not show that many lies shall be punished.<br><br>
If responsibility be not everlasting, then righteousness may cease to be righteousness, both in the Judge of all the earth and in some of His creatures, especially those who offend atrociously.<br><br>
There is no such thing as a creature being rounded out in good or evil in any sense that renders further growth impossible. Where is there any ground for such belief? It is not found in God's Word. Give us chapter and verse. They cannot be found. The reverse is taught in the oracles of God: &quot;They proceed from evil to evil;&quot; &quot;Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse.&quot; When the Scriptures speak of our being held accountable for the deeds done in the body, they warn us that our responsibility is begun in this life. We are now acting under law. We are now under moral government. So that it is a solemn thing to live. But God's Word no where says or hints that our obligations to God, or our accountability to Him, will terminate when we leave this world and pass to another. Is not moral government in its very nature universal and endless, because it is righteous, and because God changes not? His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is without end. Is not this sound speech that cannot be condemned? Let God be glorified; let man be abased.
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