FULFILLED RESPONSIBILITY

FULFILLED RESPONSIBILITY

A few years later, considerable discussion arose on the question of fulfilled responsibility, there being an effort with some to press the fact that no one has, in fact, fulfilled responsibility absolutely (”we all often offend”, James 3: 2), to such an extent as practically to destroy the force of Romans 8: 4, “in order that the righteous requirement of the law should be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to flesh but according to Spirit”. It is clear that, as J.B.S. often remarked, in Christianity man’s capability (as having the Spirit) is equal to his responsibility. According to divine purpose man is set up in perfection in Christ outside responsibility altogether, but it is important also to recognise that in the grace of God and the power of His kingdom, believers are given divine capability in the Spirit to answer to His will in the sphere of responsibility. God does not contemplate that Christianity should be a failure in the wilderness position of responsibility, but that in those who recognise the presence and power of the Spirit of God there should be correspondence morally with Him Whose language was “To do thy good pleasure, my God, is my delight, and thy law is within my heart”, Psalm 40: 8.