Articles
Accountability
Scientist and science-fiction author David Brin has said, "When it comes to privacy and accountability, people always demand the former for themselves and the latter for everyone else." He isn't wrong. Many people today want to be free to do whatever they want without accountability, but they sure want to hold others up to a high level of accountability, with complete transparency [i.e., absolutely nothing private]. Sounds like double standard, doesn't it?
That's because it is.
Having a double standard is, in its practice, hypocrisy. It is inequity. It is the avoidance of personal responsibility by directing attention away from self and onto someone else. It is a matter of pointing out the speck of dust in your neighbor's eye while a plank is protruding from your own (cf. Matt. 7:1-5). Lack of accountability for self is either because of self-delusion, arrogance, or plain old stubbornness.
In spiritual matters, we should not be surprised to know that God holds accountability up as an important factor in the life of His people. He has established by command, example, and necessary inference a system of accountability for all disciples, and purposefully so: He expects His people to accept responsibility for their actions, and to be held accountable for their actions when they fail to live up to His standards. How so? Consider the following ways God established a system of accountability, and then let us consider why.
Brethren. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are each responsible for our own actions, but we also have a responsibility to one another in the matter of accountability. For example, Paul instructed the Galatian brethren, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1). In these words, we find our responsibility toward our brother, but also our own personal responsibility. When we see a brother has sinned, we don't ignore it, we don't make excuses for his failures, and we don't give him a false sense of security or spiritual safety. We restore him; the very term “restore” implies he is not living as he is expected to live. We who are his brethren are responsible for helping him get back to where he needs to be.
On the other hand, there is some personal responsibility and accountability on the part of the sinning brother, too. Jesus said, “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother” (Matt. 18:15). In this case, we have a responsibility toward the brother who sinned against us; that is, we are holding him accountable for his actions.
But he also has a responsibility in this scenario, too: He has a responsibility to listen! The implication here [as demonstrated by the context] is that he hears and repents and seeks forgiveness for the wrong committed. As shown by the verses following, he will face further consequences if he does not take responsibility for his actions.
The point that should not be overlooked is that God established this as a means of brethren taking responsibility for themselves and for one another. God intended we be held accountable by one another, and to act to correct one another if we fail to live as we should. A brother or sister who seeks to avoid their spiritual family is likewise seeking to avoid accountability and his or her responsibilities to others.
The Local Church. Yes, all disciples are a part of the church universal, but the New Testament record shows that God also intended that all disciples be a part of a local church — an assembly of disciples in a particular location, organized in the way He intended, and working as He intended. As Paul equated the local church to a body comprised of members, the local church is also comprised of members who all contribute to the operation of that body of believers, working together and communicating with one another to accomplish its work. The local church, too, has responsibilities in the matter of accountability of its members, as we might logically expect. A part of the body that is not operating properly [or not working at all] is not ignored, but addressed and an attempt at correction is made.
Take the Corinthian church as an example. They had amongst them a sinning brother (1 Cor. 5:1). At the time of Paul's writing, they had not dealt with him as they should have, but were boasting about their tolerance of it, instead (1 Cor. 5:2). Paul's divinely-inspired instruction was clear: “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 5:4, 5).
It should be clear from Paul's words that they, as a church, were to hold this man accountable; he, as the guilty one, was to take responsibility for his actions, as any sinning brother should (cf. Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:9). They, as a church, were to welcome him back and forgive him when he repented, too (2 Cor. 2:6-8). Let us note, again, that this was God's intent that the church hold its members accountable, and that each member was to take responsibility for self and to take action when another member was in the wrong. If we continue reading the passage in Matthew 18, we find that if the sinning brother did not listen to the individual or the two or three witnesses, the matter was to be brought before the church (Matt. 18:17). Accountability to the local church is clearly shown there, too!
Elders. Elders are a part of God's plan for the local church, too, seen by the fact Paul and Barnabas “appointed elders in every church” (Acts 14:23); the “church” here is the local church and not the church universal, for there is only one universal church. These men were appointed because God wanted elders in every church.
Elders, as shown by the text of the New Testament, are to lead, to oversee, to shepherd, and to supervise the members of the local church. Paul's words to the elders of Ephesus — “take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church” (Acts 20:28) — and Peter's words to elders — “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers” (1 Pet. 5:1, 2) make it clear they have a responsibility of watching out for the members who are in their care. If there was any doubt, the writer of Hebrews said it plainly to the members: “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account” (Heb. 13:17).
What should be noted here is that the elders have a responsibility of watching out for the spiritual well-being of the members under their care, and for this care they will also be held accountable. But let us not overlook the fact that, as members of the flock, we are held accountable to them, our shepherds!
So why so much accountability? Because God cares. If you think this is too invasive, remember: “your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). If you think you're "just fine" without accountability, it may be you are already in his grasp. —— Steven Harper
