Accountability
In order to develop accountability,
avoid listening to the wicked. You are not accountable to them but to God.
Therefore spend your time thinking about God’s Word.
- Psalms 1:1-2
HCSB How happy is the man who does
not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path of sinners, or join
a group of mockers! 2 Instead, his delight is in the LORD's
instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.
Have faith in and trust God’s
commands. They will teach you good judgment and knowledge.
- Psalms 119:9, 66
HCSB How can a young man keep his
way pure? By keeping Your word… Teach me
good judgment and discernment, for I rely on Your commands.
Choose your friends wisely and then
listen to their counsel.
- Proverbs 27:6
HCSB The wounds of a friend are
trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.
When there is no standard, no
accountability we will inevitably fall prey to relativism and chaos.
- Judges 17:6
HCSB In those days there was no
king in Israel;
everyone did whatever he wanted.
Left unaccountable, we will always lean toward sin and we will pay the
price.
- 1 Samuel 13:11-14
HCSB and Samuel asked, "What
have you done?" Saul answered, "When I saw that the troops were
deserting me and you didn't come within the appointed days and the Philistines
were gathering at Michmash, 12 I thought: The Philistines will now
descend on me at Gilgal, and I haven't sought the LORD's favor. So I
forced myself to offer the burnt offering." 13
Samuel said to Saul, "You have been foolish. You have not kept
the command which the LORD your God gave you. It was at this time that the
LORD would have permanently established your reign over Israel, 14
but now your reign will not endure. The LORD has found a man loyal
to Him, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because
you have not done what the LORD commanded."
Our closest friends may not always
be the best advisers, especially if their counsel is not consistent with God’s
word.
- 1 Kings 12:8, 16
HCSB But he rejected the advice of
the elders who had advised him and consulted with the young men who had
grown up with him and served him. .. 16
When all Israel
saw that the king had not listened to them, the people answered him: What
portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Israel,
return to your tents; David, now look after your own house! So Israel
went to their tents,
If we are going to serve others by
holding them accountable, we must be wise, honest, godly, and trustworthy.
- Exodus 18:21-22
HCSB But you should select from all
the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating bribes. Place
them over the people as officials of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and
tens. 22 They should judge the people at all
times. Then they can bring you every important case but judge every minor
case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load, and they will
bear it with you.
- Titus 1:7-9
HCSB For an overseer, as God's
manager, must be blameless, not arrogant, not quick tempered, not addicted
to wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, 8
but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy,
self-controlled, 9 holding to the faithful message as
taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and
to refute those who contradict it.
Enjoy life, but stay within God’s
guidelines. God will hold us accountable for everything we do, and who wants to
explain ungodliness to a holy god on the Day of Judgment?
- Ecclesiastes 11:9
HCSB Rejoice, young man, while you
are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. And walk
in the ways of your heart and in the sights of your eyes; but know that
for all of these things God will bring you to judgment.
- Ecclesiastes
12:13-14 HCSB When all has been
heard, the conclusion of the matter is: fear God and keep His commands,
because this is for all humanity.
14 For God will bring every
act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
- Hebrews 9:27
HCSB And just as it is appointed
for people to die once--and after this, judgment--