“Accountability”

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

BIBLE READING: 1 Corinthians 5

“And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5.2)

The church of Corinth was plagued with problems that needed to be dealt with, and that’s exactly what Paul does. He spoke directly to the specifics of their situation, with clear expectation that something be done by the brethren.

I suspect Paul’s words to these brethren wouldn’t go over well in many churches today. He would surely get hit with the “judge not that you be not judged” hammer. People don’t like to be confronted about their sin, especially not in this way. But Paul didn’t do it to tout his own righteousness; rather it was for the good of the sinner, the purification of the body, and to the honor of God.

Although it can be awkward at times, we need to see how important accountability is to our fellowship. We are people called to be different (1 Peter 2.9-10), and sometimes we can be deceived about our behavior (1 Corinthians 6.9; Galatians 6.1-2). When someone is acting in sin, it has serious consequences that need to be addressed. The function of the body is to ensure the spiritual health of all its members (1 Corinthians 12.21-27).

But more than that, one member’s choices don’t just affect them. As Paul would say later when one member suffers all suffer (1 Corinthians 12.26). This forces us to see that an individual’s sinful behavior doesn’t just affect them. Their choices can damage the influence a local body can have in its community. It most certainly affects the outlook of the members and the overall spiritual nature of the church’s relationship. Without accountability the church lacks cohesion and clarity.

In Paul’s second letter to this church, we will see the positive effects of accountability as this brother is reconciled back to this community of believers and to God through his forgiveness (2 Corinthians 2.1-11). That’s the goal of accountability. Not simply to point fingers and make people feel bad about their choices (although that sometimes happens: 2 Corinthians 7.8-11). Our motivator for accountability should be to encourage repentance, change and reconciliation within the body, and ultimately, with God (2 Corinthians 5.20).

Accountability is necessary and needed because we are held to a different standard than the rest of the world (1 Corinthians 5.9-12). As God’s people we must be committed to God’s ways and expect that from one another. Let us be humble in our efforts to both give and receive accountability, for the glory of God and the sake of our souls.

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God… and such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6.9-11)

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