Few things have been treated with greater disdain among some than the thoroughly Biblical concept of personal responsibility. They believe themselves to be so special and so entitled that they are exempt from it. Sadly, they are wrong.
Jesus begins His conclusion to his sermon on righteousness in Matthew 7:13-14. Here He states, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
At its most basic level, righteousness is not a philosophy to be analyzed and critiqued, nor is it a theory to be hypothesized and improved upon. Righteousness is a life to be lived. It has a narrow (or strait) gate which must rightfully be entered. It has a difficult way which must be traveled. It has a definite direction which must be taken. It has a glorious destination to be reached.
It also has an unrighteous alternative with a different gate, way, direction, and destination.
Which path you travel is determined wholly by you. You must personally decide. You must personally act.
You and you alone determine whether your life’s journey leads to eternal life and everlasting delight or eternal loss and everlasting destruction.
Jesus’ command is to choose the life of righteousness. It is your personal responsibility to obey.
