Who is Responsible?

A common belief lately is that when someone commits a crime, it is the fault of their parents, their community, their school/peers, even the government. Mass murderers are to be sympathized with for being bullied or abused, and even acquitted of their crime because of “mental illness.” Where does the responsibility really lie? Who is to blame?

Romans 14:12 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

1 Corinthians 3:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Galatians 6:5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

For each one will bear his own load.

We are each responsible for our own actions. Some to be sure are not capable of sound reasoning and must be guarded, but the vast majority of those who are legitimately mentally ill will be the victim of violence, not the instigator. What our society has begun to call mental illness is in truth moral illness.

Proverbs 22:6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

It is up to the parents or guardians to train a child how he should live, and many fail miserably, but it is still the child’s choice how they will act and what they will do. Many of the mass violent crimes committed now are less the result of mental illness and more the result of a lack of training and education. Instead of being taught to take responsibility for their actions, children are taught they can and should have what they want when they want it and their actions have no consequences. Instead of being taught to be kind, loving and forgiving, they are taught to be selfish and take revenge. Instead of being taught to value life in humility, they are taught that they are more important than anything and others are expendable.

This is in part the fault of our society in general, and parents in particular, for their lack of instruction, or misinstruction. They are creating the monsters they fear by thinking that they are giving them the best life. If children were given responsibility, taught responsibility, and shown consequences for wrong actions and bad choices, they would more likely become mature and conscientious. Yet the fault of their specific actions still falls on the individual. We all have a choice and will eventually be held responsible for that choice.

2 Corinthians 5:9-10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

We are all responsible for our actions and we should be held accountable for them here, for we will pay the price in eternity. We need to teach responsibility and humility to the younger generations so that they will reap the rewards of righteousness instead of sin.

Do you take responsibility for your actions or do you play the victim? Do you take responsibility for your thoughts and reactions or blame it on your circumstances? Do you humbly accept God’s discipline or do you rebel under suffering?