There are some things that just seem to be the application
point to every sermon. Regardless of
what the point of the message was, you need to read the Bible more, pray more,
be nice, and share your faith.
Well back when I was in High School and College, it seemed
that an application point of every message I heard directed towards men was
“you need an accountability partner”, especially in the area of pornography and
sexual purity. An accountability partner
was supposedly the answer to every sin you face. At the time, the theme for my church’s men’s
ministry was “Every man needs a wingman”.
However, at least from the messages I am have heard in the
past several years, the whole concept of an accountability partner seems to
have fallen out of vogue within the Christian community. While I have my opinions as to why this shift
has occurred, in my next few posts I wanted to look at some of the foundational
principles of Biblical accountability (this post), then discuss what I think it
would practically look like (next week), and finally answer some questions I
receive about accountability (week 3).
The Foundation
Supporting Accountability
By definition “accountability” is a person giving an
“account” or “reckoning” of his or her actions.
How have you done at meeting certain goals, investing your time wisely,
or avoiding certain sin patterns.
However, simply listing of my sins to another Christian creates a system
kind of like the 5-year old who is forced to say “sorry” to his sibling. It is forced, awkward, and doesn’t really
result in heart change. Instead, I
believe the Bible presents several foundational principles of accountability
that answer three of the most common objections to accountability.
1) Relationship
Precedes Accountability. One of the
reasons I think accountability has fallen out of vogue is because there seems
to be this pressure that you find someone just to listen to your problems, regardless
of the depth of relationship. You are
almost forced to manufacture accountability because you don’t already have deep
relationships.
But I think the real teaching of Scripture
is that we need deep relationships with other believers where we can both
encourage and be challenged. We are commanded not to give up meeting together
and instead meditate on ways that we can keep stimulating each other towards
love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-25).
We need each other so we will not be hardened by the deceitfulness of
sin (Hebrews 3:13).
There are no “Rambo” Christians, but rather
we see so many “one another” commands.
As a fellow member of the body of Christ, you should have great value to
me. If we were already experiencing
life-giving relationships with other members of the body of Christ, I think
some of the discussion on accountability would be moot.
2) Accountability
Invites Correction. In our human pride, we hate to receive correction, and
that is one reason why the idea of opening up to others about our sin,
failures, and where we want to grow seems like such a terrifying idea. Further, in our American culture in the name
of tolerance, we no longer have the right to tell anyone that what he or she is
doing is wrong. If you correct me too
much, I can just go to the next church down the street.
All of this has lead us to a society where
the concept of church discipline in Matthew 18 or “gently restoring” a brother
in Galatians 6:1 seem so out of place.
If I was already open to correction, I would want a trusted brother to
be in my life to hold me accountable, point out errors in my thinking, and help
me not be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13).
The reality is that “Every excuse I ever heard make
perfect sense to the person who made it” (Daniel Drubin). I need to invite people to tell me where I am
off.
3) Accountability
Points to Christ. A common charge against accountability is that it is a
new form of legalism. We are creating a
new law or standard, and not living in the freedom that God gave us. It is me trying to perfect myself on human
effort, and not relying on the power of God (i.e., what annoyed Paul in
Galatians 3:1-5).
Ultimately, my human efforts will
far short, which I am sure is part of the reason accountability has fallen out
of style. However, accountability within
a relationship that points me to Christ, I believe is completely
different.
Using a framework from Romans 7-8, I think accountability
is me saying,
- “I can’t do the very things I want to do” (Romans 7:14-20) – I am coming to you as a brother because I know that I don’t have it all together. I have entered into this relationship humbly.
- “I need help to be set free from this body of death” (7:24) – I need your help to encourage me and challenge me. I want help.
- “Praise God that I no longer face condemnation” (7:25-8:1) - I need you to remind me of the grace I have received in Christ. You aren’t here to tell me just of my failures, but also of my forgiveness.
You see how much this then become a Gospel –
faith based – relationship, not one of mere human effort and works.
In my next post, I want to expand this framework on
accountability from Romans 7-8 to understand what Biblical accountability would
practically look like.
