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Chapter 16
ACCOUNTABILITY
The Need For Accountability
THE TERM ”ACCOUNTABILITY” is more widely used today than in the past quarter century. Today, it is hard to have a serious discussion about the things of God without someone raising the issue of accountability. Why is this? It could be because this day and age can best be characterized by the last verse in the Book of Judges, which says, “…everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”(NASB). Many people today, especially in western cultures, are not strongly connected to a specific geographic locale where strong ties to family and long-time friends offer built-in accountability. Thus the tendency might be to start doing things you normally would never do. Unfortunately, this has been true even among leaders in the Christian community.
In trying to shore up this sagging wall of responsible behavior, the body of Christ has begun talking a lot about the importance of personal accountability. Everyone is clamoring to let other people know that they are accountable. With its rising popularity it would be helpful to look at accountability from a biblical perspective.
Types Of Accountability
To begin, you need to understand the different kinds of accountability. First of all, there is the area of overt sin. This involves obvious breaking of God’s commandments, and the offender is approached whether he wants to be or not.
A good example is in II Samuel, chapter 12, after King David had committed adultery and murder. Nathan (the prophet) went to rebuke him, and David did not offer any excuses. He simply says, ”I’m guilty. I have sinned against the Lord.”
Second, there is the situation when someone comes to you and offers help or counsel regarding impressions that have been created. These are not necessarily sins, but actions or attitudes that are counter-productive either to the cause of Christ or to the individual’s personal life. Again, David is a good example of this. In II Samuel 19:1-8, he bemoaned the death of his son, Absalom. Joab came to the king and told David that he seemed to be more concerned about his dead son, who was his enemy, than about the loyal, valiant men who saved his life. There was no sin involved, but David’s behavior was clearly counter-productive.
The third kind of accountability is in the area of decision-making. Note the distinction between decision-making and counsel. In seeking counsel, you already know what you want to do. You go to someone and say, ”This is my plan. I want you to evaluate it and give me counsel. But unless you can show me something that I’ve missed, I’m going ahead.” In decision-making, however, you do not know what to do, so you go to your accountability partner (or group) and ask, ”Should I do this or that? Help me make the decision.”
With all of our desire to see more accountability, there are some basic indisputable facts we must accept. First, it is conferred or delegated, but never usurped. You cannot go to an individual and say, ”Okay, Bob, I want you to be accountable to me.” You cannot do that with your wife, your children, or your brothers in Christ. People are accountable only to the degree that they want to be held accountable. They decide that, you do not. People do not like others intruding in their lives without permission. Likewise if you want accountability in your life, you must give others permission to speak into your life.
Reasons For Accountability Relationships
The one basic question that always arises in a discussion about accountability groups is, ”How do I go about establishing an accountability relationship, and with whom?” Obviously, that is an important question, but before you set out to become part of an accountability group, you need to be clear on why you are doing it. The Bible gives us at least four primary reasons for accountability.
God’s Law Of Injury
We can be injured by four entities — others, Satan, God, and ourselves. But Jesus tells us not to fear physical harm, but only the one who can kill us spiritually. In an eternal sense, others cannot hurt you. And in reading the Book of Job, you find that although Satan is powerful, he is under God’s control, so even he cannot hurt me. He may ”sift (me) as wheat” (LUKE 22:31), but he cannot kill me spiritually. That leaves only God and you, and since God is clearly committed to your good, you can be assured that He will not hurt you. The one person you need to be concerned with, then, is yourself. The reason you need accountability is to protect yourself from you.
God’s Law Of The Body
When Jesus sent out the disciples, He directed them to go in two’s. The Apostle Paul even found it necessary to travel as part of a team. Throughout the Scriptures we see that God created in us need for others. In His priestly prayer (John 17), Jesus emphasized the importance of unity.
”I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name — the name you gave me — so that they may be one as we are one (JOHN 17:9-11). “…My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (JOHN 17:20-23).
Therefore, to keep your focus on the eternal, you need accountable people around you.
God’s Law Of Negotiability
There is nothing negotiable in the Law of God. Truth is truth. But people seem determined to negotiate God’s Word. Without accountability, the history of humanity is a story of negotiating away God’s truth.
God’s Law Of Submission
Although the Bible underscores our need for a submissive attitude (”Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” EPHESIANS 5:21), people in our society do all they can to avoid authority in their lives. But God’s plan is for all to be under authority. So accountability is a requirement not only to fulfill the need to submit, but also to model authority in our lives to others. With such convincing reasons for being accountable, the need to comply is obvious. So what are some of the rules of accountability?
To be truly accountable to others, you must be willing to accept their authority. That requires the sometimes painful experience of letting people see below the surface of your life. Men seem to have the most problem in this area. They have no problem with surface relationships, because they can make sure people see them only when they look good. Even in group Bible studies, there is a tendency to protect the image that you want others to see. But in an accountability relationship, people must be allowed to see you as you truly are — warts and all! This necessitates an open, honest exchange with the group, especially in the three areas men are almost never open and honest about: money, private fears, and sex.
Guidelines For Accountability Partners
Basically, a successful venture into personal accountability requires the willingness to be transparent, a commitment to obedience to God, and the desire to find godly people to look over your life. Presuming these three prerequisites are present in your life, here are some simple guidelines on what to look for in accountability partners:
- You need to share the same basic vision;
- You should not be financially vested with each other, since accountability should not be tied to financial gain;
- You and your partner(s) should have no hidden agendas for the relationship;
- You must pray faithfully for one another;
- You need to make time for each other. Consistent follow-up is tiring;
- You must be willing to ask the hard questions of each other.
It is advisable not to seek accountability with celebrities or pastors. Although you may regard them as authority figures, you need to seek people you can relate to, and who can relate to you. Pursue people of God who clearly demonstrate God’s control in their lives, whose spiritual maturity is communicated through their actions, not their positions. All information in an accountability exchange must be held confidential unless explicitly stated otherwise. With this clearly understood, accountability partners can feel free to submit all critical decisions for review and be willing to share weak and vulnerable areas of their lives. Your openness also demands that you be teachable, willing to consider and accept what God is trying to show you through the wisdom and insights of others. You may be thinking, ”All right, I’m willing to become accountable to someone or some group. But what things should I become accountable for?”
This is by no means a complex or minutely detailed list, but some suggestions would include: your commitment to God; a commitment to faithful, daily time in prayer and reading the Bible; and a commitment to establishing a personal ministry. You should be willing to be held accountable for your relationships with your wives and children, as well as your jobs. Sexual vulnerabilities and the use of our money should be vital accountability concerns.
One of the best passages on personal accountability is Hebrews 10:24-25, which has much more to say to us than an exhortation to attend worship services regularly: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” This passage also says that you are to meet often with an attitude of encouragement, ultimately focusing your thoughts, words, and actions, i.e., on the things that are eternal.
Accountability is not something God intends as an additional burden for you. It is for your own good. As you recruit godly people into your lives for accountability, they will actively affect your growth and thinking. Accountability, without a doubt, is God’s plan for people to assist other people. It is one of His best ways for helping you stay on course for Jesus Christ.
NEXT: Chapter 17
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Chapter 15
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Last Updated: 12/2022
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