Lesson 3: Accountability

Although the Bible defines judgment primarily as the ability to discern God’s will in different real-life circumstances, it also uses the term to evaluate how accountable we are in living this way.

Most Christians associate the term with this second meaning. At least in the US, God is described as a judge we must satisfy. That judgment inherently involves being accountable to our neighbors, foreigners, animals, and the land.

That has always been an important message. A healthy community is built on trusting people to be accountable for their words and actions. We depend on each other for everything, from observing traffic signals to fulfilling promises that affect life and death. We assume people tell the truth when they speak to us.

It is essential because American society is in the middle of a breakdown. Individuals and groups accuse those who differ of deliberately lying. It’s become acceptable to use words and acts in ways that hurt if it gets what you want. Everything is about winning power over others. Simple courtesy is regarded as weakness.

This has led to the assumption that many students will cheat on schoolwork. Young adults worry about marriage because so many break their promises. Adults are wary of being manipulated in business transactions—the aged fear they will not be granted fair health care.

It does not help that the kind of mass evangelism found in the US has focused accountability on a Last Judgment that declares all humanity worthless sinners capable of doing nothing right. Or that, in reaction, some theologies of radical grace advance unconditional forgiveness that enables you to do whatever you please. Both blunt the call to discipleship.

We can build a proper perspective on accountability by returning to the first meaning of judgment. Working together to discern the will of God in our time and place recognizes our responsibility to base our decisions and actions on what we find. The promise of forgiveness assures us that failures can be overcome as we commit ourselves to do God’s will. It does not negate responsibility or accountability.

Tags: Accountability and Forgiveness, Accountability in a Healthy Society, Accountability in Christianity, judgment, Judgment and Accountability, Lack of Trust, Last Judgment, Mass Evangelism and Judgment, Unconditional Forgiveness and Accountability