The Bible demands that we children of God hold each other accountable. I recently preached an entire series on this topic titled Commitment, Responsibility, and Accountability To the Local Church that expanded on how this accountability is critical to the health of a church, which has been designed by God to bring glory to Him. Ultimately, we are responsible to God as individuals; however, we also have a calling we must respond to corporately, as members of the same Body of Christ. In Part 8 of that series, I made this statement:
“Accountability to the local church implies a reckoning. Based on Holy Scripture, as understood by a well-taught congregation, each member has the God-given duty to hold each other accountable to God’s divine standards. By holding one another accountable in the church, we tighten up the reins of righteousness, and as a community become stronger together.”
Of course, the above is Biblically founded.
But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
– Hebrews 3:13
There’s a very real responsibility we have before God that applies to the local church we have been called to. We are not to be merely church-goers, rather we are to be active members, vigilant against any cancerous activity that may upset the unity God has designed for His glory. We ought never be fearful of shining light on evil.
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
– Ephesians 5:11
Are we to become spiritual tyrants, creating a virtual “police state” within the local church? May it never be! Our primary interest in holding one another accountable is the welfare of the Body of Christ and the advancement of the Gospel on Earth. “And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand” (Mark 3:25). The last thing we want to become is militant in the Church.
There’s a difference between standing up for Truth and beating someone over the head with it. While the Truth may be offensive to some, there’s no reason to aggravate the situation with personal opinions or bias.
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. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ [ref: 1Co 16:14 Let all that you do be done in love]. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself…So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
– Galatians 6:1-3, 10
Like it or lump it, we are commanded to hold each other accountable to the divine standards set forth in Holy Scripture.
The issue (and the reason for this blog) is when a person negatively reacts to this and says something lots of politicians say when debating. Kids are also famous for saying the same type of things to their parents. In fact, the issue is also prevalent in just about any authority-subordinate relationship we can think of. The response typically sounds something like, “Who are you to point out a sin in my life when you have sinned in the same way?” Or, “Where do you get off calling me out on this little issue I’m having when you are a known worse sinner?” The savvier sophomores will also quote God’s Word out of context, summarizing Luke 6:42 as “First take the log out of your own eye before you point out the speck in mine!”
Let’s carry this evil strategy out to completion here. Since we’re all sinners, when would it ever be OK to call out a sin in another person, based on the perverted logic above? The obvious answer is never, which is exactly what the arrogant sinner wants. This is precisely why they play politics with the Truth, taking Holy Scripture designed to set us free (John 8:32) and using it to imitate Satan’s strategy (Matthew 4:1-11) in order to satisfy their fleshly desires. Arrogant people despise being corrected, so they look for ways to deflect their own guilt.
If a person’s first response to being held accountable is to turn the tables on you, then you know you’re dealing with their flesh. The flesh abides in darkness and, therefore, hates being exposed by the light.
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
– John 3:19-21
If a person responds with gratitude, even though there are clear signs of discomfort, then you have a reason to rejoice! If not, then as I taught in great detail in the Commitment, Responsibility, and Accountability To the Local Church series, you need to take appropriate measures in order to preserve the spiritual health and welfare of the church, as Jesus clearly described.
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
– Matthew 18:15-20
Never allow a person’s arrogance to successfully play politics with the Truth, especially when you show up in a spirit of gentleness, motivated properly by love and affection for them and the local church. In my experience, the best way to handle these difficult situations is to respond with something like, “If you wish to talk to be about my own sins at a later time, then I’m open to it, as long as your motivation is to help me. For now, let’s keep it simple since it’s your present sin on the table.” Expanding the battlefield is rarely a good idea, so insist on keeping it a targeted conversation. Arrogant people love to blow up conversations in order to bury their own guilt in a flurry of emotions. Don’t let them control the conversation with any of that. If they refuse to listen, then walk away with something like, “Hey, listen, I don’t want to fight with you about this, so let’s chat at some later time.”
In the history of humanity, two wrongs have never made a right.
Just because you may have sinned in the past in a certain area doesn’t mean a person’s present sinning is somehow excusable and “off limits” for discussion. If only perfect people had the right to hold others accountable, the very concept of accountability would be a moot point. That’s obviously not what God wants for His family. The Lord wants honesty to pervade His Church, which includes all of us confessing our own sins before Him, sometimes with a little help from those who love us.
Just remember that when you approach someone about their sin, first do so privately, with dignity and respect, motivated by love.
Love in Christ,
Ed Collins