“CPR for a Healthy Walk “Request and Respond to Accountability”
Review
I. Cleave to Christ and continually cultivate a dynamic relationship with Him.
A. Surrender to Christ
B. Present our members to His service
C. Renew our mind
D. Draw near to God
E. Walk in the Spirit daily
II. Pursue, develop and maintain meaningful community within the body of Christ.
A. Fervently pray for one another
B. Preserve the unity of the body
C. Continually build up the body in love
D. Gently restore the fallen
E. Readily Bear one another’s burdens
III. Resist the world the flesh and the devil
A. Renew and purify Your heart
B. Renounce the flesh
C. Refuse conformity with and love for the world
D. Resist the Devil
E. Request and Respond to accountability
These 15 practices are not necessarily chronological.
A better approach to them would be to view them as simultaneous or continuous life-style practices.
These three main areas are intricately interwoven all through Scripture and interdependent.
Nearly all the principles of Scripture may be organized under these three categories.
Today I want to finish exploring the biblical instructions regarding accountability, the last of our fifteen practices.
Resisting evil is not a Lone Ranger activity any more than the other practices.
God designed us to live CPR in the context of meaningful community.
We have already examined the Scriptures which instruct us to relate to each other through the love of Christ and our need for each other.
A healthy relationship with others is essential if we are to effectively resist evil.
We have seen the practice of confessing to one another when struggling.
Calling for the elders.
We have seen the importance of praying for one another in the context of spiritual warfare.
Besides purifying our heart, renouncing conformity with the world, denying the flesh, resisting the devil, there is one more essential element in the area of resisting evil; accountability.
To many, spiritual and personal “accountability” is a foreign concept at least in practice.
We endure and even invite accountability in most other spheres of life.
Occupational accountability -- boss, supervisor
Educational accountability -- teachers and tests
Social accountability--government, police
Accountability in these areas is not only tolerated but expected.
Why not in the Spiritual realm?
Accountability is not just some modern concept.
It is thoroughly Biblical.
I. Why Is Accountability Necessary?
I observe at least four reasons.
A. God designed us for dependence
God designed us to need each other.
The need for others only increased after the fall.
By the sheer number of one another passages, contained in the New Testament it is clear that we cannot properly grow without input and encouragement from others.
God has even gifted individuals to teach and a exhort and prophesy to keep us on track.
He gives gifted individuals to the church in order they not be tossed back and forth by every false teaching that comes along.
If we didn’t need these things, why are they in Scripture?
B. Natural tendency toward self-deception
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Heb 3:13
God established the practice of accountability and encouragement because we have a natural tendency to drift.
There is a way that seems right to a man (to desensitized senses) but whose end is destruction.
Every man did that which was right in "his own eyes."
We need the input of others who are tuned in to God's unchangeable truth to help us see and keep us on the right path.
C. Conduct Checked is Conduct Corrected and Continued
D. The Second Law of Spiritual Dynamics
II. What is accountability?
The Biblical instruction regarding accountability unfortunately seldom resembles the contemporary practice of accountability,
It is not the role of a policeman in the life of another.
Our perception of a policeman is often negative
How does it feel when a policeman pulls up behind you?
Unfortunately we feel like his only role is to look for what we are doing wrong.
Wouldn’t it be great to be pulled over and praised for safe driving?
Not to discount the role of policeman but societies perception of a policeman is generally negative until you need one for protection.
Biblical accountability should feel more like our perception of a fireman.
The fireman warns of danger and instructs regarding the proper handling of dangerous materials and the principles of keeping away from harmful things.
A fireman often risks his own life and health to rescue those suffering from the consequences of violating those principles.
The fireman doesn’t just shout instructions from the sidelines.
He faces personal danger in order to get close to the one actually in danger.
sometimes the danger stems from violating rules of safety.
At the moment that is not the fireman’s concern.
He is more concerned with rescue than responsibility at the moment.
So often we find it easy to tell someone where they are living wrongly but unwilling to be involved n the process of helping them live rightly for fear of getting burnt.
Accountability is the proper exercise of and response to Divinely-appointed individuals sent by God to help us maintain proper relationship with Him and willing obedience to His unchangeable standard.
Biblical accountability is a coin with two sides.
Side of the encourager.
Side of the encouraged.
God outlines the responsibility of those who encourage.
God also outlines the response of those who are encouraged.
Fireman can teach and risk their lives to rescue.
Ultimately there must be a willingness to listen and a willingness to be rescued.
The growth of the church depends on the practice of speaking the truth in love.
That in a nut shell is accountability.
but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ, Ephes. 4:15
III. Who are we accountable to?
I observe at least two levels of accountability in the Bible.
We are to be accountable to those in authority over us.
We are to be accountable to one another.
A. Accountable to our leaders
Much of our struggle overcoming evil comes when we take matters into our own hands and squirm out from under the authority of those God places over us.
Scriptures clearly calls for humble subject to God-ordained authorities.
slide
We live in an age where we resist accountability to anyone but ourselves.
That attitude cannot be justified in light of the clear Biblical instruction.
We do not have the option to pick and choose what commands we will obey and which ones we don’t.
We cannot say, “I will obey these commands, but not these.”
“I will obey only the ones that make sense or I think I can do.”
At that point we become the authority and Lord of our own life rather than the bible taking the place of ultimate authority over both our faith AND our practice.
Many no longer view the Bible as ultimate authority.
Those who do, often go to great lengths to interpret it in such a way as to eliminating
unpleasant portions.
God establishes position of authority and leadership at every level of life. God, Christ, husbands, parents, teachers, government, employers, masters, elders.
When it comes to the church, there seems to be very little accountability.
My spiritual life is a private matter.
No one should know what I do in my private life.
Case in point.
The Bible indicates that there is a very close link between faithfulness in finances and spiritual health, yet what individuals give to the kingdom is a closely guarded secret.
I am not advocating dictatorship or intrusion by elders.
The Bible also contains many warnings concerning proper leadership procedure.
Illust: Japanese church publishes giving records.
It seems to me that since God established elders as those who will give account for the condition of our soul, it would benefit us greatly to find out what it means to apply these biblical principles.
Scripture outlines several ways to respond to authorities.
Come under their authority
Allow them to be a part of your life and struggle.
By acknowledging them
By receiving them with joy and holding them in high regard
By appreciating and esteeming them highly
By consider them worthy of double honor
Imitate their faith
Pray for them
Why do we resist this level of accountability?
Pride and independent spirit.
We live in a culture that resists accountability to anyone.
If we cannot properly respond to the God-ordained earthly authorities we will find it equally distasteful to properly respond to the God who appointed them.
“No one is going to tell me what to do.”
“If I don’t like how things are run here, I’ll go to another church.”
“I’ll shop around until I find a church that serves me better.”
People leave without consulting leadership. “I am my own person.”
I find no such concept in New Testament teaching.
Where is the authority of church leadership
Pride prevents us from inviting others to come along side and encourage growth.
Lack of confidence in leadership
It that is a problem, then one needs to take steps to respond Biblically.
Fear of ridicule or rejection
When was the last time you came along side your leadership?
When was the last time you prayed for your leadership?
When was the last time you honored or demonstrated appreciation for the leadership.
We are often long on complaints, short on compliments.
B. Accountable to each other
“and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” Ephes. 5:21
But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13
We need to pursue accountability in this arena as surely as we need accountability to authorities and for some of the same reasons.
We were designed for dependence
Natural tendency toward self-deception
Conduct Checked is Conduct Corrected and Continued
The Second Law of Spiritual Dynamics
For some of the same reasons we resist accountability to God-ordained authorities, we also resist accountability to one another.
Pride
Lack of confidence in leadership
Fear of ridicule or rejection.
Perhaps some of these issues and fears would disappear if we also understood the guiding principles regarding our relationship to one another and this thing called accountability.
III. How do we relate to one another?
A. The encourager
1. In love
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Eph 4:15
2. In humility
For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged. 2Co 12:20-21
3. In gentleness
And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. 2Ti 2:24-26
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Gal 6:1
4. In the Spirit
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Gal 5:25-26
5. In purity, after personal examination and cleansing
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Gal 6:1
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Mat 7:3-5
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Mat 5:24
6. With a record of positive encouragement
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Eph 4:29
7. With the love of a loving Father
For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. 1Th 2:12
8. With patience
Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction. 2Ti 4:2
9. With much prayer
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. 1Sa 12:23
If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. 1Jo 5:16
10. With a sacrificial heart
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Joh 15:12-13
These are all important principles.
We cannot pick and chose.
We must be careful to check all of them.
Only when we have established an atmosphere as described above will the climate be set for genuine, lasting healing of such fragile diseased and damaged souls as ours.
In the church we need the skillful scalpel of dedicated surgeons not the awful axe of self-motivated log splitters.
Oh that we would pray for and work toward a family atmosphere of unconditional acceptance and realization of the worth and dignity and necessity of each member.
When we bite and devour one another we only bite the hand that may use to feeds us or the feet that transport us or the eye that sees or the ears that hear.
We need a ministry mentality to flood our family.
B. General foundational considerations for the Encouraged
1. Be Humble
committed to see things as they really are, not as I want to see them.
2. Be Honest and vulnerable
Willing to consider all input and take it before the Lord. Willing to let someone see me as I really am. Willing to examine inner motives behind external behavior.
3. Be Teachable
True motive to learn, not simply pass judgment on a new truth based on my own past experience.
A willingness to reexamine any truth in light of new input from the Scriptures and life.
4. Be Non-defensive
Willing to allow someone to ask some of the hard questions without becoming self-protective or self-justifying every behavior.
God mandates accountability .
Accountability is the proper exercise of and response to Divinely-appointed individuals sent by God to help us maintain proper relationship with Him and willing obedience to His unchangeable standard.
We are accountable to God-appointed authorities
We are accountable to God-directed friendships.
The first kind of accountability is by mandate.
The second kind of accountability is by invitation.
Pray that God would bring someone into your life who you can trust with your life.
Invite them to ask some of the hard questions related to your areas of struggle.
Pray for the kind of relationship and church body that we studied in the “connecting” video series.
Pray for one who will come along side with our best interest at heart.
One who will celebrate our mutual identity in Christ.
One who will not ignore the dirt but focus on the possible gold.
One who will be faithful to stick with the refining process until it turns to gold.
TODAY
How are you responding to your God-ordained authorities?
How do you tend to approach others when trying to help them see God’s standard?
Do you have a close friend to share your struggles and draw help?
