Accountability means to be liable to be called on to explain your actions or behavior. We’re all accountable in some form or fashion. We are accountable to the federal, state, and local government to pay taxes. I’ve got a homeowner's board in my subdivision that writes me a letter if a tree falls down in my yard, a shingle comes off my roof or I don’t trim around the bushes of my house that I am not in compliance. Sometimes the whole “accountability” thing becomes a nuisance and if you are with a controlling husband or wife it can be like that too.
Children are accountable to their parents until they are 18 years old. Employees are accountable to their employer, and most importantly we are accountable to God - Matthew 12:36-37; Romans 14:12. The Bible talks about being accountable to spiritual leaders and those leaders are not to abuse their power like a cult, not to lord over the flock.
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. Hebrews 13:17Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 1 Thess 5:18Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. Acts 20:28
Jesus talked about being stewards and he talked about being faithful. Being a faithful steward will require much consistency, steadfastness, and the never give up attitude (john 8:31-32; I Corinthians 15:58) There will be some that will not desire to fulfill their responsibility. There will be people that want to do whatever they desire and forsake their duty to God, and expect everything to be alright in that day of accountability – Proverbs 14:12; Matthew 7:13-14
Many in our society are living together, but did Jesus recognize marriage? Jesus did not condemn the woman at the well who had five husbands, but pointed out that the one she was living with was not her husband, that is a strong indication that living together is not marriage in the eyes of God. (Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” john 4:17-18.)
Notice he did not say you “Dirty rotten sinner you are going straight to hell."
Who knows if the other five husbands were through a divorce or if she was widowed all five times. Maybe they all had a heart attack on her? I think it’s a little hard to get remarried after having that many former spouses and maybe that was her problem. Maybe she would lose her husband’s pension. Wow, maybe she was tired of losing husbands? Next going back to the good touch/bad touch when we were children. Paul said it is “not good” for a man to touch a woman (1 Cor. 17:1).
I know of two people who lost their spouses and they did not want to lose their pensions so they went and got married before a preacher and wore wedding rings, but never obtained a marriage license. Some may question were they married before the eyes of God, but not in the eyes of the law. There are situations like Corrie ten Boom where they broke the laws of men to hide the Jews during the rein of Hitler. In many of the Bible days bringing a woman into a tent was marrying her. I believe you have to follow God and do what your conscience allows you to do. We will be judged by our conscience. Does going before God and a preacher out rule man's law? Others have gone out of the country to get married. This is a situation between the couple involved.
But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 1 Peter 3:16
What really is marriage? It's a vow/covenant before God and we have to be careful to honor our covenant agreement. Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but they did not have a physical union yet. During those days Joseph's mother would teach Mary how to be a good wife to her future husband and how to minister to his needs. Now I know what my problem was, I just never went and lived with my mother-in-law. Although, some mother-in-laws will try to straighten you out.
Marriage is a covenant agreement like God made a ccovenant with Abraham through blood. There is a shedding of blood with a virgin and for men blood through an erection. (You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. Malachi 2:14).
We have a blood covenant with God through Jesus Christ only it's circumsion of the heart. (This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. Genesis 17:10)
(No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God. Romans 2:29 & The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. Duet 30:6)
Like accounting, marriage is a check and balance system to keep us “in line.” We see in cases of politicians, priests, televangelists, professional sports players, Hollywood and just every day people who have multiple affairs or incest in our society and “it gets complicated.” It goes back to lets lead a simple and quiet life and keep things as uncomplicated as possible. They made a movie recently called, “It’s Complicated.” What I’m seeing in our society is less accountability for one’s actions. We don’t want to be held in account for our actions.
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 1 Thess. 4:11
This is different from judging and being critical of another person. It’s more of general concern for a person’s well being. It’s more like being a wing-man in the sense, “I’ve got your back.” I walked in a church one time and I had my dress stuck in my underwear and frankly if that happens than it’s not love to me that a person does not tell me! “I’ve got your back sis.” As iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 and the “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. Proverbs 27:6 “
(Accountability is a concept in ethics and governance with several meanings. It is often used synonymously with such concepts as responsibility, answerability, blameworthiness, liability, and other terms associated with the expectation of account-giving. As an aspect of governance, it has been central to discussions related to problems in the public sector, nonprofit and private (corporate) worlds. In leadership roles, accountability is the acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions, products, decisions, and policies including the administration, governance, and implementation within the scope of the role or employment position and encompassing the obligation to report, explain and be answerable for resulting consequences.)
I’ve worked in a number of companies where people have carried on affairs and even my managers. I used to watch Peyton Place with my mother growing up and felt like my work place was becoming a Peyton Place in the past. When I went through a divorce a married relative made a comment that he was glad he was not on the single scene with AIDs and Herpes. The ground does not open up anymore and Charlton Heston (Moses) yells and throws down the ten commandments and snakes bite the people, but there are these “snakes” in life. Sometimes snakes can be other people. The problem with the snakes is that many victims get bit such as the man on Plentyoffish.com with AIDS who had sex with 100 women.
Are we leaving our children to be raised by the Family Guy and the Simpsons? I know some favorite shows by teenagers in the past were 90210 and Dawson’s Creek. Next, we wonder why our lives and others are more like a soap opera? I don’t see how we can keep our lives free from the love of money and other things if we are watching shows that promote the love of money.
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5.
In the Light: by Charlie Peacock
For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. Romans 16:19
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