Living in the Image of God M04S11
Previous studies in this program lead to understanding that God assigns individual responsibilities to people based on creating every person to represent him in human interactions with others. He assigns individual responsibilities regarding positive reputation, i.e., visibility of human value; care and diligence, i.e., in a call to compassion; appreciation; peace; humility; protection of civil rights; and individual responsibilities regarding faith and human effort. We provide a condensed discussion of the responsibilities to better understand the human implications of Christ teaching regarding final judgment: that God will accept into his kingdom those, and only those, that perform their individual responsibilities in human interactions and relationships.
We learned in the preceding bible study (Individual Responsibility for Positive Human Interaction: Continuous Living) that God will accept into his kingdom those he judges as people that perform their individual responsibilities in human interactions and relationships. In contrast, he will not accept those he judges as people that decline their individual responsibilities. Also, we know that God assigns individual responsibilities based on creating every person to represent him in human interactions with others. This bible study provides a condensed discussion of the individual responsibilities based on previous studies in this program.
We discuss the individual responsibilities regarding positive reputation, i.e., visibility of human value; care and diligence, i.e., in a call to compassion; appreciation; peace; humility; protection of civil rights; and individual responsibilities regarding faith and human effort.
We discuss each of these aspects of the individual responsibilities in enough details to understand the human implications of Christ teaching regarding final judgment: that God will accept into his kingdom those that perform their individual responsibilities in human interactions and relationships; but will not accept those that decline the responsibilities; based on how he sees a person at the time. A more-detailed discussion of each aspect of the individual responsibilities is available at the Banking Blessings Ministry website under Individual Responsibility Series.
Individual Responsibility for Positive Reputation
Our understanding of the individual responsibilities for positive reputation is based on Christ teaching in Salt of the Earth and Parable of the Talents. The teaching conveys a message that God calls every person to make their human value visible and accessible for others to see, use, and cherish. He endows every person with capability to develop their intrinsic human value to serve themselves and others. Also, he calls every person to deploy the capabilities as needed to benefit themselves and others and, by doing so, build a reputation for making positive impact. He blesses those that do and punishes those that decline.
The Salt of the Earth teaching declares the individual responsibilities for positive reputation [Matthew 5:13]: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” In the passage, Christ likens the intrinsic human value to the saltiness of salt: to describe the quality of a person to radiate positive impact in human interactions. He calls every person to make their human value evident that others “may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” [Matthew 5:16].
Therefore, every person has an individual responsibility to deploy their human value to benefit themselves and others and, thus, build a reputation for making positive impact in human interactions.
Individual Responsibility in a Call to Compassion
This understanding of the individual responsibilities in a call to compassion is based on Christ teaching in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. Through the parable, he calls for care and diligence of every person regarding the needs of others. In a call to compassion, God directs the attention of a person (the call recipient) to the need of others and calls the recipient to recognize the need and needy, care about the needy, commit to contributing as he or she can, and persevere in providing goods or service to alleviate the need.
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats declares God’s promise of blessing when he calls your attention to the needs of others and you do what you can to alleviate the need: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” [Matthew 25:35–36].
Individual Responsibility Regarding Appreciation
Any beneficiary of goods or service provided by others has a responsibility to appreciate the goods and service; appreciate the benefactor, i.e., the human provider of the goods or service; and appreciate God for empowering the human provider. Additionally, every person has a responsibility to appreciate others for their intrinsic value: that is, in recognition that every other person is potentially God’s representative in human interactions with you.
Individual Responsibility for Peace
We understand the individual responsibilities for peace based on Christ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount and explanation by Paul in his letter to Romans. Christ message regarding peace is that God calls every person to seek a path to peace in every situation. Based on Paul’s explanation of the message, finding a path to peace requires a person to focus on the aspects that depend on him or her, irrespective of what others do or fail to do: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” [Romans 12:18].
To understand Paul’s message in Romans 12:18, recognize that the phrase “If it is possible” means you should explore every possibility to find a path to peace. Also, the phrase “As far as it depends on you” means you should focus on the aspects that depend on you. Therefore, the individual responsibility for peace is to find a path to peace in every situation, focusing on the aspects that depend on you, irrespective of what the other party does or fails to do.
Individual Responsibility for Humility
The individual responsibilities for humility describe two aspects of human behavior. First, regarding human relationship with God, humility leads to understanding that every person can accomplish God’s purpose in every situation, but only with God. Second, in human interactions, humility means recognizing and respecting that there is always another person greater or better than I in one or more considerations.
Humility manifests as an invitation to positive human interactions, with a promise of care and diligence, promise of appreciation, and promise of obedience.
Individual Responsibility Regarding Civil Rights
The individual responsibilities regarding civil rights require a commitment to respect and protect the rights of others in their individual relationship with society. First, equality under the law means that every law must apply the same way to every person, irrespective of their classification in society. The principle of equality under the law is based on the punishment of King Saul for discriminatory execution of judgment against the Amalekites.
Second, equality of access to facilities of society means every person has a basic right of lawful participation in every aspect of living, irrespective of their classification in society. The principle of equality of access was proclaimed by David to guide the distribution of battle proceeds.
Individual Responsibility Regarding Faith & Human Effort
Our understanding of the individual responsibilities regarding faith and human effort is based on Christ interactions with the disciples during two storms on the Sea of Galilee. The interactions convey God’s promise to those that work on his task. Your battle is his battle. He sees your struggles and difficulties and will guide you to victory. He will intervene with miracle if and when he chooses. Therefore, focus on doing what you can humanly do. He has never lost a battle and will not ever lose any, including yours.
Summary of What We Learned
Previous studies in this program lead to understanding that God assigns individual responsibilities to people based on creating every person to represent him in human interactions with others. He assigns individual responsibilities regarding positive reputation, i.e., visibility of human value; care and diligence, i.e., in a call to compassion; appreciation; peace; humility; protection of civil rights; and individual responsibilities regarding faith and human effort.
We provide a condensed discussion of the responsibilities to better understand the human implications of Christ teaching regarding final judgment: that God will accept into his kingdom those, and only those, that perform their individual responsibilities in human interactions and relationships.