Tag: Individual Responsibility

Living in the Image of God, What The Lord Has Given Us

Are You My Neighbor: Individual Responsibility in Call for Assistance

Living in the Image of God M06S01

This study begins a series on understanding God’s intentions for “what the Lord has given us.” We will learn through the series that every gift of God comes with three attributes: full ownership, total control, and a mandated communal purpose. We begin with a discussion of Christ teaching on the individual responsibility regarding a neighbor’s call for assistance, whereby God transmits a call to compassion via a human channel to a human recipient. He informs the recipient regarding circumstances of a person needing goods or service that they cannot provide for themselves. The call recipient is to use what God has given him or her to provide assistance to the needy. God charges the recipient to recognize the need and needy; care about the needy; commit to doing what you can; and, motivated only by care, persevere in seeking to alleviate the need. We discuss the Parable of Good Samaritan to understand the individual responsibility to recognize and respond to a neighbor’s call for assistance.

This study begins a series focused on understanding God’s intentions for “what the Lord has given us.” We will understand through the series that God’s gift to every person comes with three attributes. The first attribute is full ownership: that is, every person has full ownership of what God has given him or her. The second is full control: that is, every person has full authority to determine when, where, and how to use what God has given to him or her. The third is a mandated communal purpose: that is, every gift of God comes with a mandate to understand the value and purpose of the gift regarding the needs of others and needs of the community; and use the understanding to determine when, where, and how to use “what the Lord has given you.”

A gift of God could come to a person as an increase in his or her physical or mental resources. The purpose of the study series is to understand that God calls every person to recognize and honor the communal purpose of what God has given to him or her. We will provide the study in ten sessions: one session every month in February through November of 2025.

In this session of the series, we discuss Christ teaching on the individual responsibility regarding a neighbor’s call for assistance, through the Parable of Good Samaritan. Are you my neighbor? This question announces God’s call for a person to recognize circumstances of another person needing assistance from others. God calls every person to recognize a neighbor’s call for assistance and respond positively. Christ provides a deliberate teaching to prepare every person to recognize a neighbor’s call for assistance and respond effectively using “what the Lord has given us.” We describe the Parable of Good Samaritan in detail to understand the teaching.

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Individual Responsibility, Living in the Image of God

Sharing Benefits of Food

Living in the Image of God M05S20

We discuss God’s purpose for food, which includes direct benefits of nourishment of the body and soul to perform functions of living and indirect benefits to others through human interactions. Because the benefits of food can extend to numerous people beyond the person that consumed the food, there are individual responsibilities regarding food consumption and potential blessings by sharing food with others. The responsibilities include appreciation of the human provider and appreciation of God for empowering the human provider and propagating the benefits of food through human interactions. We earn blessings by sharing food because of enabling the recipient to perform their functions of living among a human interactions network.

Sharing Benefits of Food 19:19

This bible study begins with understanding that God granted explicit authority for people to draw food from plants and other animals, with limitations against eating live blood or eating your own kind. His purpose for food includes nourishment of the body and soul to support the functions of living. Through human interactions, others benefit from functions of living performed by the consumer and transmit the benefits to others and chains of more others. The study focuses on understanding that food provides direct benefits to the person that consumed the food and indirect benefits to others through human interactions.

Food provides direct benefits to the consumer and indirect benefits to others that interact with the consumer and those that interact with them. The indirect benefits are reciprocal, in that any given pair of persons benefit from each other’s food consumption through interactions among them. Further, the indirect benefits propagate through the human interactions network because each person in the network transmits benefits of food consumption by self and others through interactions among them.

In human interactions involving two persons A and B, person-A benefits from food consumed by person-B while person-B benefits from food consumed by person-A. Additionally, person-A benefits from person-B due to food consumption by others that previously interacted with person-B; and vice versa. Thus, the benefits of food eaten by a person can propagate through an extensive network of people, because of human interactions among them.

The study discusses the direct and indirect benefits of food, how the indirect benefits propagate through others by human interactions, individual responsibilities regarding food, and earning blessing by providing food to others to enable their functions of living among an expanding human interactions network.

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Individual Responsibility, Living in the Image of God

Accountability of Leadership Based on Samuel and Paul

Living in the Image of God M05S18

We discuss Samuel’s address at the inauguration of the first king of Israel and Paul’s farewell address to Ephesian elders: to understand the source of leadership authority and power, and the rights and responsibilities of the people regarding their leadership. Because the authority of government is mandated by God and belongs to the people, the power of leadership based on the authority is exercised on behalf of the people. Samuel gave account of his state leadership and called on the people of Israel to evaluate his performance regarding the state functions. He highlights the individual responsibility to hold government leadership accountable and evaluate the leadership individually and collectively, in the practice of democracy according to God mandate. Paul extended the principle to non-governmental leadership through his address to church elders in Ephesus. He recognized that the authority and power of leadership of a religious organization belong to the members, the same way that government authority and power belong to the people. Like Samuel, Paul highlights the individual responsibility to hold leadership accountable and evaluate leadership performance for the practice of democracy according to God mandate.

Accountability of Leadership Based on Samuel and Paul 21:03

In this bible study, we discuss two events from the bible to understand the source of leadership authority and power. Also, we discuss the rights and responsibilities of the people regarding their leadership. First, we discuss Prophet Samuel’s address at the inauguration of Saul as the first king of Israel. Second, we discuss Apostle Paul’s farewell address to Ephesian elders as he prepared to depart from Ephesus.

Prophet Samuel’s address at the inauguration of King Saul leads to the following understanding.
The authority of government is mandated by God and belongs to the people. The power of state leadership is based on the authority of government. Potential abuse of power could consist of an unfair application of power against the people; which could manifest as corruption, extortion, or bribery.

In his transfer of state authority and functions to Saul at the first separation of state and worship, Samuel called on the people of Israel to evaluate his performance regarding state leadership [1 Samuel 12:3]: “Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these things, I will make it right.” Through the interaction, Samuel highlights the individual responsibility to hold state leadership accountable regarding possible abuse of power.

Apostle Paul’s farewell address in Ephesus extends the principle to non-governmental leadership. He called on the church elders to assess his leadership, based on understanding that leadership authority and power belong to the church membership and are exercised on their behalf. Like Samuel’s earlier address to the people of Israel, Paul’s address to the church elders highlights the individual responsibility to hold leadership accountable against possible abuse of power.

The two events recognize the rights and responsibilities of a people regarding their leadership. The authority and power of leadership belong to the people and are exercised on their behalf. Through the interactions, Samuel and Paul highlight the individual responsibility to hold leadership accountable, evaluate leadership performance, and apply the information toward a collective assessment to determine subsequent actions in the practice of democracy according to God mandate.

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Individual Responsibility, Living in the Image of God

Abraham-Sarah vs Hagar Individual Responsibility Honor-Support Family Leadership

Living in the Image of God M04S15

Abraham-Sarah succumbed to temptation to seek their child of promise through maidservant Hagar. After Hagar became pregnant from Abraham, she desired more and sought to disrupt the Abraham-Sarah union. In honor and support for Abraham as head of household, Sarah called on him to resolve the issue of Hagar. In response, Abraham delegated to Sarah his authority over Hagar and, thus, honored and supported Sarah leadership of their relationship with Hagar. The Abraham-Sarah union was more important to them than Hagar’s pregnancy, notwithstanding that her pregnancy could be their last chance to receive fulfillment of God’s promise. Abraham-Sarah bonding resulted from a long period of caring for, respecting, and honoring each other.

Abraham-Sarah vs Hagar Individual Responsibility Honor-Support Family Leadership 20:17

This bible study continues a series to understand the individual responsibility regarding family leadership, based on bible examples of husband-wife interactions and relationships. We begin with a summary of what we have learned so far.

The series started with a discussion of the Shunammite couple, where we learned that the couple was blessed abundantly through their honor and support for family leadership. The Shunammite woman honored and supported her husband as overall leader of the household, whereas the husband supported his wife as spiritual gateway of the family and leader in specific matters. Proceeding with Adam and Eve, we learned from the account of their creation that God created marriage to combine a man and woman to form a union of seamless complements, that is adequate for the mission of representing him among all creation. He created man first but found him inadequate. Then he created woman as comparable companion and helper from within.

The series has continued with a study of the Abraham-Sarah union, which we have divided into four segments to focus enough on the details. The first of the four segments discussed the call of Abraham-Sarah, where we see that God called the union by speaking to Abraham. Based on the interactions, we can surmise that he relied on Abraham’s leadership of the union and seamless communication with Sarah to ensure that Abraham-Sarah shared the information and commitments seamlessly.

The current study discusses interactions between Abraham-Sarah and their maidservant Hagar that began with Abraham-Sarah seeking to address childlessness by having a child through the maidservant. They expected that having a child through Hagar would help God fulfill his promise of a great offspring expansion for their union. The attempt started successfully in that Hagar became pregnant through Abraham. However, she desired more and attempted to disrupt the Abraham-Sarah union by despising Sarah. Abraham-Sarah called on the strength of their union and their honor and support for family leadership to defeat the attempted disruption by Hagar. We discuss their history briefly to understand that their bonding resulted from a long period of caring for, respecting, and honoring each other.

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Individual Responsibility, Living in the Image of God

Individual Responsibility Honor-Support Family Leadership—Call of Abraham-Sarah

Living in the Image of God M04S14

In the call of Abraham-Sarah, God spoke to Abraham regarding a mission and promise for Abraham-Sarah union. He gave directions to Abraham, spoke promises to him, and received commitment from him. However, his words spoke of a mission and promise that were meaningful only for Abraham-Sarah as a union. Therefore, we can surmise that God relied on Abraham’s leadership of the union and seamless communication with Sarah: to ensure that Abraham-Sarah shared the information and commitment seamlessly.

Individual Responsibility to Honor-Support Family Leadership—Call of Abraham-Sarah 16:07

This study continues a series to understand the individual responsibility regarding family leadership, based on bible examples of husband-wife interactions. The series started with a discussion of the Shunammite couple. There we learned that the Shunammite couple was blessed abundantly through their honor and support for family leadership. The Shunammite woman honored and supported her husband as overall leader of the household. Her husband supported her as spiritual gateway of the family and leader in specific matters.

The study continued with a discussion of Adam and Eve, whereby we learned that the account of the creation of Adam and Eve shows that God created marriage to combine a man and woman: to form a union of seamless complements that is adequate for the mission of representing him among all creation. He created man first but found him inadequate. Then he created woman as comparable companion and helper from within.

The next installment of the study consists of a discussion of the Abraham-Sarah union, which we will discuss in a four-part subseries in order to focus enough on the details. In Part 1 of the four parts, we discuss the call of Abraham-Sarah. There we see that God called Abraham-Sarah union by speaking to Abraham. Although his promise to Abraham was meaningful only for Abraham-Sarah as a union, he spoke to Abraham as if he was a lone person, without even reminding him to discuss with his wife. Therefore, we can surmise that God relied on Abraham’s leadership of the union and seamless communication with Sarah to ensure that Abraham and Sarah shared the information and commitment as a union.

Part 2 of the subseries will discuss Abraham-Sarah interactions with their maidservant Hagar. The interactions show Abraham-Sarah trying to address childlessness by having a child through Hagar. They were successful, but the attempt caused serious problems for them that required calling on the strength of their union. Part 3 of the subseries will discuss God’s blessing for Abraham-Sarah to see that husband-wife blessing comes as a promise revealed to one, to be fulfilled for the union as one.

In Part 4 of the subseries, we will discuss Abraham-Sarah interactions regarding the challenge of Ishmael. There we see that the separation of Ishmael from Isaac was a directive to Sarah that God urged Abraham to implement. Sarah was the custodian of the information and Abraham implemented the directive as head of household. Also, we will learn about timely and permanent resolution of a husband-wife conflict and selecting an opportunity from several options.

After Abraham-Sarah, the series continues with a discussion of Isaac and Rebekah and Mary and Joseph. The current study session focusses on the call of Abraham-Sarah.

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Individual Responsibility, Living in the Image of God

Individual Responsibility Honor-Support Family Leadership: Shunammite Couple

Living in the Image of God M04S12

Bible accounts of the Shunammite couple appear tailor-made for understanding the individual responsibility to honor and support family leadership among a husband and wife. The couple was abundantly blessed through lasting close relationship with Prophet Elisha, which occurred because they honored and supported each other’s leadership of their family affairs. The husband was the overall leader while his wife was the spiritual gateway for the family and occasional leader in specific matters. Their honor and support for family leadership resulted in several benefits, through the relationship with Prophet Elisha: such as, their miraculous birth to a son, the son was restored to life after a sudden death, the family relocated to avoid a severe famine on the advice of Prophet Elisha, and they recovered all their lost property after they returned from exile.

Individual Responsibility to Honor-Support Family Leadership: Shunammite Couple 14:37

This is the first in a bible study series to understand the individual responsibility regarding family leadership. The series is based on examples of husband-wife interactions from the bible and will include a discussion of the Shunammite couple, Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Mary and Joseph. The discussion focuses on aspects of their husband-wife interactions that illustrate the individual responsibility to honor and support family leadership. The examples show the husband as overall leader with his wife as leader in specific matters and custodian of specific information.

The series begins with the Shunammite couple. We will see that several accounts from their life provide information that appears tailor-made for the study. The couple was abundantly blessed through lasting close relationship with Prophet Elisha, which was a direct result of their honor and support for each other’s leadership of family affairs. We will discuss their interactions in three events that highlight their honor and support for family leadership: their first meeting with Elisha, events of providing long-term shelter for Elisha in their home, and an “SOS, that is, Save-Our-Soul” call to Elisha.

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Individual Responsibility, Living in the Image of God

Individual Responsibility for Positive Human Interaction: Continuous Living

Living in the Image of God M04S10

Christ teaching regarding final judgment conveys a message of God’s purpose for human interactions in continuous living. He assigns responsibilities to every person as his representative among others and calls each person to seek to perform the responsibilities through their living and human interactions. He will accept into his kingdom those he judges as “performs their individual responsibilities” but will not accept those he judges as “declines their individual responsibilities.” He will judge a person based on how he sees their living and will not reveal the day or time of final judgment. Therefore, individual relationship with God requires a person to be committed to God’s purpose and seek to fulfill the purpose in continuous living and interactions with others.

M04S10 Individual Responsibility for Positive Human Interaction: Continuous Living 20:36

We discuss Christ teaching regarding God’s expectation of every person in everyday living and interactions with others. First, in the Sermon on the Mount, his teaching conveys a message regarding commitment to God’s purpose—that seeking to fulfill God’s purpose should be the only motivation for a person’s living and human interactions: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” [Matthew 5:8]. Second, his teaching on final judgment conveys a message of God’s purpose for human interactions in continuous living. God assigns individual responsibilities to every person, to represent him in human interactions with others, and will judge each person based on how he sees their living as they perform or decline to perform the responsibilities.

He calls every person to seek to perform the responsibilities as the only motivation for their living and human interactions. He will accept into his kingdom those he judges as people that perform their individual responsibilities in human interactions but not those he judges as people that decline theirs. Christ teaching regarding final judgment (Matthew 24:36–51) conveys a two-part message: first, that God will not reveal the day and time of final judgment and, second, he will judge every person based on their performing or declining their individual responsibilities in human interactions, as he sees their living. Therefore, individual relationship with God requires a person to be committed to God’s purpose and seek to fulfill the purpose in continuous living and human interactions.

We provide a two-part bible study to understand Christ teaching regarding continuous living and human interactions, under the title of Individual Responsibility for Positive Human Interaction. The first (current) study discusses his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount regarding commitment to God’s purpose and his teaching regarding the day and time of final judgment, to understand his message of continuous living and human interactions through individual responsibilities. In the second study, we summarize our understanding of the individual responsibilities based on previous studies in this program.

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Individual Responsibility, Living in the Image of God

Individual Responsibility Regarding Faith and Human Effort

Living in the Image of God M04S09

We discuss faith and human effort based on Christ interactions with his disciples during two storms on Sea of Galilee. In the first event, the disciples panicked in the storm and shifted focus from work to pray for miracle. He released a miracle to end their ordeal and scolded them for lack of faith. In the second event, the disciples focused on work but got distracted by the glory of his presence. He encouraged them to keep working and released a miracle to end their ordeal. The interactions convey a message that God sees and encourages human effort of those that work on his task. If your task is motivated by seeking to fulfill God’s purpose and your methods and approach are consistent with Living in the Image of God: then, your task belongs to God. Focus on doing what you can humanly do. He sees your struggles and difficulties and will guide you to victory when and how he chooses. He has never lost a battle and will not ever lose one, including yours.

M04S09 Individual Responsibility Regarding Faith and Human Effort 15:36

In this bible study, we discuss human relationship with God regarding faith, prayer, and human effort; based on Christ interactions with his disciples during two storms on the Sea of Galilee. In each event, Jesus sent the disciples to sail to a destination on the other side of the lake from their location: “That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side’” [Mark 4:35]. Similarly, in the second event: “Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd” [Mark 6:45]. Therefore, the account of each event begins by establishing clearly that the task of sailing to the other side of the lake was assigned by God to the disciples. He was with them physically during the first storm. In contrast, during the second storm, he was not with them physically at the beginning but joined them later.

Christ interactions with the disciples during the storms reveal God’s view of human behavior during a hardship associated with seeking to fulfill his purpose. The study enables an understanding of how faith, prayer, and human effort work together to help a person navigate through difficulties when working on a task of God. Both storms ended with a miracle. However, in the first storm, the disciples had panicked and shifted focus from work to pray for miracle. Jesus released a miracle to end their ordeal but scolded them for lack of faith. In the second storm, in contrast, the disciples focused on work but got distracted by the glory of his presence. He encouraged them to keep working and released a miracle to end their ordeal.

The interactions convey a message that God sees and encourages human effort in his tasks and will guide you to victory. He sees your struggles and difficulties and will intervene with miracle as he chooses. Therefore, if your battle belongs to God, focus on doing what you can humanly do. He will guide you to victory in his way and at his time.

We discuss Christ interactions with the disciples during the two storms to understand God’s promise for those that encounter difficulties while seeking to fulfill his purpose. Further, we discuss criteria for evaluating your task and any associated battles to determine if they belong to God.

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Individual Responsibility, Living in the Image of God

Individual Responsibility for Humility

Living in the Image of God M04S08

Christ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount and through interactions with the disciples and others provide understanding of the meaning and value of humility in human relationship with God and interactions with others. Humility toward God leads to realizing that every person can accomplish God’s purpose in every situation, but only with God. In human interactions, humility means a recognition and respect that there is always another person greater or better than I in one or more considerations. God rewards those that recognize and respect others as potentially greater or better. Humility manifests as an invitation to positive human interactions, with a promise of care and diligence, promise of appreciation, and promise of obedience; conveyed to others through attitude and spoken or written words.

M04S08 Individual Responsibility for Humility 15:11

This bible study discusses Christ teaching to understand God’s expectation of every person regarding humility in human relationship with God and humility in human interactions. First, we discuss the value of humility toward God based on the Sermon on the Mount. The first two Beatitudes convey a message of humility toward God—that every person can accomplish God’s purpose in every situation, but only with God: “Blessed are the poor in spirit” [Matthew 5:3] and “Blessed are those who mourn” [Matthew 5:4] convey a message that God blesses those that seek him through repentance of sin and are committed to following his direction to accomplish his purpose in every situation.

Second, we discuss humility in human interactions based on Christ teaching and interactions with his disciples and others. He conveys a message through the interactions that humility toward others means recognizing and accepting that there is always another person greater or better than I in one or more considerations. We discuss his message of “Blessed are the meek” [Matthew 5:5], his teaching of childlike humility as the greatest virtue (Matthew 18:1–5), and his teaching that the humble will be exalted while those that exalt themselves will be humbled (Luke 14:7–11). We will understand that Christ message regarding humility is that God creates every person to be humble, expects and rewards humility, but punishes haughtiness.

Additionally, we will understand that humility manifests in human interactions as an invitation with promise—an invitation to positive human interactions with a promise of care and diligence, promise of appreciation, and promise of obedience—that a person conveys to others through his or her attitude and spoken or written words.

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Individual Responsibility, Living in the Image of God

Individual Responsibility for Peace

Living in the Image of God M04S07

We discuss Christ teaching and explanation by Paul to understand that every person is individually responsible to seek a path to peace in every situation. Focus on the aspects that depend on you, irrespective of what others do or fail to do. To illustrate finding path to peace, Jesus paid the temple tax despite acknowledging unfair implementation of the tax law. Also, Paul recommended circumcision of Timothy despite a church ruling that circumcision of Gentile believers was not necessary. Other examples include Daniel negotiating a compromise diet of vegetables and water to avoid violating his relationship with God while obedient to King Nebuchadnezzar; and a city clerk in Ephesus that diffused a developing riot instigated by craftsmen concerned about their business shrinking because of growing acceptance of Paul’s message.

M04S07 Individual Responsibility for Peace 25:05

This bible study discusses the individual responsibility for peace based on Christ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount and an explanation by Paul in his letter to Romans. Christ message declares God’s promise of blessing and binary classification of people based on performing the individual responsibility for peace: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” [Matthew 5:9]. Further, Apostle Paul explains the individual responsibility for peace by advising every person to seek a path to peace in every situation, focus on aspects that depend on you, irrespective of what others do or fail to do.

Both Christ and Paul also provide examples for finding a path to peace by avoiding battles that do not have to be fought even if they appear justified. Jesus illustrated this strategy for peace by paying the temple tax after acknowledging potential grounds for objection based on unfair implementation of the tax law. He paid the tax “…so that we may not cause offense…” [Matthew 17:27] to avoid potential issues that could distract people from his mission. In his illustration of the peace strategy, Paul recommended circumcision of Timothy (Acts 16:3) despite a church ruling that circumcision of Gentile believers was not necessary. He recommended the circumcision to forestall potential arguments that could distract people from his message.

Additionally, we discuss two examples of finding a path to peace through conflict resolution. One example comes from Daniel, regarding his negotiating a compromise diet to substitute unacceptable diet decreed by King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:8–16). The other example comes from Ephesus, where a city clerk diffused a riot instigated by craftsmen that were opposed to Paul’s message. The craftsmen saw their business of making shrines for idol worship was shrinking because of the growing acceptance of Paul’s message (Acts 19:23–41).

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