But the children of the murderers he did not execute, according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, in which the Lord commanded, saying, “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall be put to death for his own sin.” (2 Kings 14:6)

Individual Accountability

Adam blamed Eve for taking the fruit, and Eve blamed the serpent, but, in the end, it was Adam and Eve who lost Eden. God did not accept the arguments of blame given to someone else. Adam lost Paradise because Adam sinned, and he would work by the sweat of his brow to survive. Eve lost Paradise because Eve was deceived, and she was punished with submission to man and pain in childbirth. The Lord punished accordingly the sin of the individual. When Moses gave the law to the children of Israel, God accounted for sin to the individual. Fathers could not be put to death for their children, nor children be put to death for their fathers. The law states a person shall be put to death for his own sin.

When the children of Israel began the conquest of Canaan, Achan took spoils from the city of Jericho, which was against the word of God. The crime was discovered, and Israel took Achan, his sons, and his daughters and stoned them to death. Achan took the spoil when he helped ransack Jericho, but the family was indicted for knowing he buried the treasure in the midst of his tent. During the reign of Amaziah in Judah, the king executed the men that assassinated his father, Joash. Servants of King Joash had killed the king in the house of the Millo (the landfill). The assassins were Jozacar, son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad, son of Shomer—both trusted advisers. In an act of clemency, Amaziah followed the Law of Moses and executed Jozacar and Jehozabad, but not their children.

Ezekiel was the prophet to the people of God in the bondage of Babylon. The hearts of the people were angered by their captivity. And they blamed their fathers. There was a proverb that said, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” God’s people were blaming others for why God punished them severely. Ezekiel reminded the people they were the reason they were being punished because they were sinful. The prophet declared the word of God that said the soul that sins shall die. Sons will not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father, the sins of their offspring. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. A person shall be punished for their own sin.

The world always blames someone else for their troubles. Prisons are filled with innocent people, and society must bear the blame for the ills of the individual. Few accept responsibility for their actions – seeking to blame anything and anyone other than themselves. This becomes the pattern in a world where guilt is never accepted. And this is why so few people believe they are in danger of God’s wrath because they do not believe they are guilty of anything. Everyone goes to heaven. It matters not how a person lives; the conclusion is that all men “rest in peace” because no one is guilty. Individual accountability disappears in death. Nothing is further from the truth.

Individual accountability is the greatest reality men refuse to acknowledge. When all men stand before God in judgment, they will be standing with the uncountable billions of souls that have lived – and they will be standing all alone – bare, naked, and exposed before the great God Almighty. No one will plead the case, defend the cause, and blame someone else. All souls that sin will die. Parents cannot defend children, spouses will not answer for the other, and society will not be on the docket for witnesses. YOU will not blame someone else. Only YOU will be standing before GOD. Your LIFE will be up for discussion. If YOU lose your soul, it will be because YOU rebelled against God. And YOU will know the righteousness of God.