Accountable to Who?

Over the past couple years I have been involved in many conversations about accountability. Accountability is usually spoken of in broad and specific terms. Sometimes an individual is said to be accountable to another individual or group. Other times a group is said to be accountable to a larger group. Ultimately we are all accountable to God, but this post is not about that… it is about the accountability we have towards one another.

Pragmatically the scenario above works out like this. I might ask Alan, Gary, and Stan to hold me accountable in a certain area. I also may place myself under the authority of what is commonly known as a “local church” for accountability. Also, you will find that a small group (etc.) is urged to do a similar thing, to place themselves under the authority of a larger group, usually the “local church” that they are associated with.

I sense that this view of accountability is different than what we see in scripture. The idea that we choose who will hold us accountable does not fit. Rather, it is the duty of all our brothers and sisters to hold us accountable. In a sense, we all have authority over each other because we have all been instructed to submit to one another. To say that one group holds you accountable while another has no right is very damaging to the unity that we should have in Christ.

So, how does this all work out in scripture? Let’s look at a few verses (I encourage you to see their context, but I will only quote what I need to make my points).

1. Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Paul encourages the Colossians to hold each other accountable by teaching and admonishing one another.

2. Hebrews 10:24-25 “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deed, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

Here we see our duty to hold our brothers and sisters accountable by urging them to love and good deeds. This verse is also important because it tells us that if we are not encouraging our brothers when we meet then we are forsaking them.

3. 1 Corinthians 14:26 “When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.”

Paul tells Corinth that accountability happens whenever they assembling, by bringing a psalm, a teaching, revelation, tongue, interpretation, etc. All these things should be done for edification.

4. Hebrews 12:14-16 “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.”

This verse probably hits the closest to what people think “accountability” is today. But I believe we hold each other accountable best when we do the previous three points. By looking at accountability as encouraging, teaching, admonishing, etc. one another we will best be able to see to it that no roots of bitterness spring up.

What do you think about accountability? Are we to find someone to make us accountable or should we realize that we are already accountable to all of our brothers and sisters? How does this idea of accountability work with your understanding of the “local” church?