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Accountability often seems to be a one-way street. We want other people to be held accountable but also want God and others to to go easy on us. The reality is that we are all accountable to God, one another, and ourselves.
We are accountable to God.
In Genesis 2 God told Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:16-17). Adam and his wife Eve did it anyway, disregarding the clear command of their Creator (Gen. 3:1-6). Adam and Eve chose to do what they wanted to do, not what God told them to do. We see similar scenarios play out every day in our world.
Like Adam and Eve, people think they know better than God—they think they know what's best in a given situation according to their own judgments and desires. They turn to their own reasoning like Eve did to justify what they want to do or think instead of trusting and obeying God:
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. (Gen. 3:6)
People sinfully hope that God will won't make a big deal out of their disobedience and they won't be held accountable for it. Yet, Adam and Eve found out that their sin was a big deal, and God not only held them accountable but all of Adam's posterity as well. Because of Adam's disobedience and fall, all people bear Adam's guilt because Adam represented all humanity:
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. (Rom. 5:12)
Furthermore, Adam's sin caused the corruption of his nature, and all his posterity—including you and me—would now bear that same sinful nature (Rom. 3:23). Adam and Eve tried to hide from God and cover their shame with fig leaves (Gen. 3:7), but God saw their sin and called them to account for it (Gen. 3:8-13). And God sees all our sin, no matter how we try to justify it in our minds and hearts. Every human being will one day stand before God and be judged based either on their own sinful works or the perfect work of Christ counted to them by God's grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (John 3:36; Rom. 5:1-2).
While many people don't believe they will be held accountable for their thoughts and deeds, the Bible teaches that the stakes could not be higher. Those who are not in Christ are not going to heaven—no matter how much they think they are (Matt. 12:26; 2 Rom. 14:12; Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:11-15). If we really care about the people God brings into our lives, we should be prepared to lovingly explain the Bible's teaching on human accountability to God, the reality of heaven and hell, and the good news of salvation in Christ alone by God’s grace alone through faith alone as God gives us the opportunity (1 Pet. 3:15).
We are accountable to one another.
All Christians have various callings in life, some of which include being a church member, child, sibling, spouse, parent, citizen, employee, employer, and friend. When we are faithful in our callings, we honor God and are a blessing to others. When we neglect our responsibilities in our callings, we dishonor God and cause pain and suffering.
As believers we have the responsibility to hold our brothers and sisters in Christ accountable when they are caught up in an ongoing sin that they are justifying for some reason. They need our love, prayers, support, and biblical truth regarding their behavior:
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. (Gal. 6:1)
We shouldn’t expect a Christian who is struggling with an ongoing sin to easily be able to "just stop it." It could take a while, maybe even years or a lifetime. Fighting sin is difficult—indeed, it is the biggest battle any of us will ever face in this life. This is also why every Christian needs the oversight of and accountability to faithful church leadership and the fellowship of the saints, for God did not mean for any of us to face this battle alone.
When a fellow believer reaches out to us to express concern about our conduct, our first reaction may be one filled with denial, pridefulness, and taking offense. Yet, instead we must listen and respond in all humility and appreciation with repentant hearts:
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Pet. 5:5)
This is difficult to do; yet, it is something we can do as we remember all that Christ as done for us. Hopefully, we will be filled with thankfulness to God for our brother or sister in Christ who has courageously taken the time to help turn us back to a God-honoring path.
We are accountable to ourselves.
Because believers are saved by God's grace in Christ, some people think they can sin whenever they feel like it because God will forgive them anyway. This view is called antinomianism, which is not at all what the Bible teaches. All who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit to new life in Christ belong to God’s family and have the Spirit dwelling in them:
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. (Rom. 8:14-16)
As God’s children believers have the consequent duty to strive to grow in Christlikeness (sanctification), not to earn anything from God or gain a certain status, but rather because we have the status as "heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8:17).
The Christian life is one of faith, fruit, and fighting sin as long as we are in these mortal bodies. There are some people who profess to be Christians but were never born again by the Spirit; others have new life in Christ but fall into grievous sin. People who profess Christ but live an ongoing sinful lifestyle with no repentance desperately need to examine themselves regarding whether they are actually followers of Christ. A true believer at some point will show godly repentance and turn back toward God.
God's children need to be wise, aware, and cautious. We need to be diligent in fleeing from temptation and evil, not only in our relationships but also from within our own hearts. We need to confront our secret sins and repudiate them, instead of silently feeding them. When we fall, we need to repent of our sin and get back up and begin walking again in righteousness.
Accountability in the Christian life is a great joy.
Walking in faithful accountability both drives out fear and shame and fills our hearts with joy and peace. All Christians can rejoice that our God is a just, loving, and gracious God. If not for God's mercies in Christ, we would all be under God's righteous judgment for our sin. But, because of God's love for the world, our Savior took our sin upon himself and lived the perfect life on our behalf. May we all live accountable lives in gratitude and joy for all God has done for us in Christ.
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Le Ann Trees is managing editor of Beautiful Christian Life. This article is adapted from “‘The Reality and Joy of Accountability” in BCL's February 2023 Newsletter: Accountability.
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Living Life Backward: How Ecclesiastes Teaches Us to Live in Light of the End by David Gibson
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