Salvation is Individual

	There seems to be a growing tendency in our society to evade responsibility for our actions.  "Sure, I committed that horrible crime," a defendant says, "but it was O.K. because it wasn't my fault.  What I did was simply the result of this other situation which existed in my past."
	Some people may be naive enough to buy this line of reasoning.  These people may even be judges or jury members.  But how well does this argument stand up where our souls are involved?
	Ezekiel 18:2-4 records an exchange between God and the prophet.
	"What do you mean," God asks, "by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel saying, 'The fathers eat the sour grapes, but the children's teeth are set on edge'?  As I live, you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore. Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die."
	"The person who sins will die," verse 20 adds.  "The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself."
	When it comes to our relationship with God, each one of us is on his own.  As this passage indicates, salvation is an individual matter.  Despite the fact that many religious groups sprinkle water on little babies with the pretense that these infants can somehow benefit from the faith of the group at large, every requirement of salvation demands an individual response.
	"So faith {comes} from hearing," we learn from Romans 10:17, "and hearing by the word of Christ."
	Hearing the Gospel is required for salvation, and no one else can do it for us.
	"He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved;" Mark 16:16 states, "but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned."
	Faith is required for salvation, and no one else can do it for us.
	"Repent," Peter tells the people in Acts 2:38, "and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
	Repentance is required for salvation, and no one else can do it for us.
	"But what does it say?" Paul writes in Romans 10:8-10, "'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart'-- that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus {as} Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."
	Confession of Jesus as Lord is required for salvation, and no one else can do it for us.
	"And corresponding to that," 1 Peter 3:21 notes, "baptism now saves you-- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience-- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
	Baptism is required for salvation, and no one else can do it for us.
	"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and {yet} walk in the darkness," 1 John 1:6-7 points out, "we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."
	Living a christian life is required for salvation, and no one else can do it for us.
	Salvation is individual.  It requires an individual response.

	Salvation is individual.  The same is true about judgment. Judgment is individual because sin is individual.
	"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23 states.
	"For the wages of sin is death," we find in Romans 6:23, "but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
	"For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth," Hebrews 10:26-27 warns, "there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries."
	From Matthew to Revelation, we find the same picture of the Judgment Day.
	"For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels," Jesus instructs in Matthew 16:27; "and will then recompense every man according to his deeds."
	"But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart," Paul observes in Romans 2:5-8, "you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation."
	"So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God," Romans 14:12 promises.
	"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ," we learn from 2 Corinthians 5:10, "that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."
	"And I saw the dead," John reports in Revelation 20:12, "the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is {the book} of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds."
	"Behold, I am coming quickly," Jesus proclaims in Revelation 22:12, "and My reward {is} with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done."
	Each one of us must face God and give an accounting.  No one else can take our place.
	Salvation is individual.  No one else can do it for us.  Judgment is individual.  No one else can face it for us.  Since these two statements are true, we should realize that study and growth are individual.  No one else can take care of them for us.
	"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica," Acts 17:11 says of the people of Berea, "for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, {to see} whether these things were so."
	"You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of," Paul instructs in 2 Timothy 3:14-17, "knowing from whom you have learned {them}; and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
	Salvation is an individual matter.  Each person must hear the Gospel, believe, repent, confess, be baptized and walk in the light.  No other person can do any of this for us.
	Judgment is individual.  Each person will give an account for his or her life.  No other person can take our place.
	Study and christian growth are individual undertakings. We cannot grow without them, and no one else can do them for us.
	"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed," Paul stresses in 2 Timothy 2:15, "handling accurately the word of truth."
	Let's assume the individual responsibility to understand correctly and handle accurately the word of truth, because only the truth will set us free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."