There are some that think that all men will be saved and therefore no man has any responsibility or part with reference to his eternal salvation.  While many teach this, and while most practice this perhaps unwittingly, it is hardly Biblical.  God has always required certain things of those who would follow Him and the Bible shows clearly that the reward is only for those who follow Him (Psalm 58:10,11).
    Ezra 7:10 shows by the example of Ezra that there are three things men must do. “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.”  Notice what he prepared to his heart for:  To seek, to do, and to teach.  Let us look at each of these responsibilities.
    First, he prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord.  He inquired about what God wanted and listened when he was told.  To hear is a prerequisite of belief.  Romans 10:17 reads, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  He longed to hear so that he could follow God.  When he knew what God wanted from him then he could walk accordingly.  Psalm 119:105 reads, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”  His diligence is similar to that spoken of in I Corinthians 1:10, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.”
    Second, Ezra prepared his heart to do it.  It is not enough to know to do right, it is only enough when that knowledge is acted upon.  For Timothy knowledge was not enough; he had to continue in those things.  II Timothy 3:14 reads, “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.”  We like wise have the responsibility to obey God in becoming his child (Hebrews 11:6; Luke 13:3; Matthew 10:33; Acts 2:38) and in remaining faithful to Him (Revelation 2:10).
    Third, he prepared his heart to teach it.  We must like wise carry God’s Word to our fellow man.  Some unfortunately do not prepare for this and are as spoken of in Hebrews 5:12, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”  In the New Testament Jesus issued a great commission to those who would follow Him, and it applies to us today as well:  Spread the Gospel to the world (Matthew 28:19,20; Mark 16:15,16; Luke 24:46,47).
    Let us see to it that we seek, do, and teach just as Ezra did for only when we act upon what God has offered will we benefit from it.