The Accountability Question

To Whom Are Believers Accountable, God or Man?

The Accountability Question

Have you ever encountered a "lone ranger" Christian, one who is accountable only to God? This type of individual will often isolate himself from other believers because he thinks that the only way God speaks to him is directly. Frequently this type of Christian views himself as more spiritual than anyone else and therefore is unwilling to receive any leading, whether it is correction or guidance, from another individual. He mistakenly interprets John 14:26 to mean that the Holy Spirit never teaches or directs us through the ministry of another human instrument.

Over the years I have met more than a few people who fall into this category. One in particular, I will call him John, was an avid soul winner. He would walk the streets sharing the Gospel with anyone who would listen. John has led many to the Lord over the years. He is, however, a lousy disciple maker. Why? His personal testimony is poor and his personal life is a mess. He has been married and divorced several times, his children are estranged, he struggles with feeling of insecurity and depression, he could easily slip into alcoholism, and he is totally unwilling to allow anyone to question him or try to guide him. His "lone rangerism" has left him stunted, unable to reach the full potential for which God made him. Individuals like John pick and choose the Scriptures they need to justify their particular "brand" of Christianity. They stay away from any organized Bible preaching church opting instead to form their own fellowships where they can be the teacher and teach their own brand of spiritual "truth".

The fallacy of this type of behavior is seen throughout the New Testament where believers are called to be a body; a body that functions together; a body where each member uses their God given gifts to help the body grow; a body whose head is Jesus Christ; a body where the members are accountable to Christ and to one another. Here are a few references:

Romans 12:4-5: "Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other." (NLB)

1 Corinthians 12:12: "You can easily enough see how this kind of thing works by looking no further than your own body. Your body has many parts—limbs, organs, cells—but no matter how many parts you can name, you're still one body. It's exactly the same with Christ." (The Message)

Ephesians 4:15-16: "but, holding the truth in love, we may grow up to him in all things, who is the head, the Christ: from whom the whole body, fitted together, and connected by every joint of supply, according to the working in its measure of each one part, works for itself the increase of the body to its self-building up in love." (Darby)

Colossians 1:18: "And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy." (NIV)

As the body of Christ, we believers have a responsibility to one another. As members of one body, whose head is Christ, we are never instructed to be "lone rangers" setting about to do God's will on our own. Instead, we are exhorted to relate to one another. How? We are to:

ü "carry one another's burdens" (Gal. 6:2)

ü "confess our sins one to another" (James 5:16)

ü "consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. (Heb. 10:24)

ü not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Heb. 10:25)

If we choose to live our Christianity as a "lone ranger", cut off from the rest of the body, not only is our spiritual growth stunted but by neglecting our responsibility to the rest of the body we cause others to be stunted also.

Unfortunately we are living in a world, and a church, where people are becoming more and more isolated from each other and from Christ. A friend recently shared with me that his granddaughter had fifteen thousand (15,000) text messages on her cell phone in one month! She and her friends would walk side-by-side texting each other instead of talking with each other. Too often the same thing is happening among Christians; we come to church late and leave early to avoid having contact and speaking with others who are there. We choose to not participate in church functions because we don't want to be "forced" into relationships with other believers. How sad and how counterproductive to spiritual growth such behavior is! As the Universal Church is the body of Christ, we are all members together in Christ.

So how do we become "connected" with the other members of Christ's body? How do we protect ourselves from becoming stunted "lone rangers"? Here are a few suggestions:

Ø Attend Sunday worship services at a Bible preaching/teaching church. Come a little early and stay after the service allowing God to bring you in contact with other members of the body who may need your encouragement or who may be able to encourage you.

Ø Get involved in a Sunday School class appropriate for your age. Not only is this an excellent opportunity for you to grow spiritually, but it also allows you to fellowship in a smaller setting.

Ø Join a Small Group Bible study. The Small Group ministry is available to help all of the body grow in knowledge, fellowship and service to others. This is the easiest setting to get to know others in an informal and friendly atmosphere, grow in your understanding of the Word, and make yourself available to serve others.

Ø Find an accountability partner. Ask God to help you connect with someone who, like you, wants to be held accountable, wants to grow in their Christian walk, wants to pray together, and wants to encourage you as you encourage them.

So, what is the answer to our original question? To whom are Christians accountable, God or man? The answer is "yes"! If you want to be all that God wants you to be, commit yourself to Christ and His Word, learn all you can from your personal study of the Bible and allow God to speak to you through other believers who are walking in faith after Jesus. Become an active member of the body of Christ.

The Battle Rages

(NOTE: This is a re-post of my blog from April of this year. The battle with Satan continues to rage and I am still fighting mad!)

The battle is raging and I am fighting mad! I am mad because I have seen firsthand the destroyed lives, the messed up kids, and tangled webs of deceit that are the causalities of this battle.

Ø A respected pastor of 25 years leaves his family, church, and friends for another woman after a secret illicit affair . . . the battle rages!

Ø A church leader struggles to the point of entertaining thoughts of leaving the church because someone on the church's staff is overly demanding and self-centered . . . the battle rages!

Ø A vibrant church is facing a devastating split because someone brought in an heretical teaching that undermined the orthodox teaching coming from the pulpit . . . the battle rages!

Ø A wife and mother who professes Jesus Christ as her Savior leaves her family and retreats into a self-centered life of affairs and alcohol . . . the battle rages!

Ø A prominent civic leader is disgraced through the lure of pornography . . . the battle rages!

Ø A successful business man wants to walk away because he can't get along with his business partner . . . the battle rages!

The battle rages on every front. Why? Why are families dissolving before our eyes? Why are relationships being destroyed at an alarming rate? Why are our children being pulled into every form of evil imaginable? It is because we don't understand the battle in which we find ourselves. We believe that our problems, issues, and unhappiness are caused by those around us when, in fact, we face an enemy whose end goal is to kill and destroy everything that is good and wholesome and God honoring. We face an enemy who is "hell bent" on the destruction of all mankind, especially those who call Jesus their Savior! We face an enemy who despises the Creator of all things and seeks to make those who believe on Him impotent and unable to carry out His call in their lives.

Since Satan's attempt and failure to overthrow God in the beginning of time, he has had just one goal – to wreak havoc on earth destroying the lives of as many people as he could in an attempt to undermine God's plan. In Isaiah 14:12-15 we are given a glimpse of that monumental confrontation that took place between God and Satan:

How you have fallen from heaven,

O morning star, son of the dawn!

You have been cast down to the earth,

you who once laid low the nations!

You said in your heart,

"I will ascend to heaven;

I will raise my throne

above the stars of God;

I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,

on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.

I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High."

But you are brought down to the grave,

to the depths of the pit.

Even though many "enlightened" scholars and thinkers of our day dismiss the idea of an actual, literal battle between good and evil, one would have to choose to ignore the overwhelming evidence to believe that such a battle is not raging. Unfortunately, the very idea that such a battle is imaginary disarms many who otherwise would be able to see the reality of the battle and chose to fight it by standing with the Victor.

The Apostle Paul understood this battle very well. In his letter to the Ephesians he admonished them that the battle was raging and they had to prepare and understand the enemy in order to overcome all of the weapons that the enemy would use against them.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.^. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. . ." (Ephesians 6:10-13)

The battle rages but the war is not lost! In fact, the war is already won and that great deceiver, destroyer, murderer, who we call Satan knows that he has been defeated. In his last gasp he is trying to bring down as many as he can. Jesus has won the victory and, in His perfect timing, will forever bind Satan and refrain him from causing any more havoc!

". . . the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Revelation 20:10)

The battle rages, however, when you face the temptations, struggles, and disappointments of life that come at us daily, remember that you have a choice: you can be a victim or you can be a victor. You can choose to follow Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith, or you can choose to get angry with your fellow man, the situation, or your circumstances and allow Satan to side track or derail you and make you impotent for God's work. Remember, our daily battle "is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

The battle rages but the victory is won! My prayer is: "Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus. But while I wait for You, give me discernment to know when Satan is using other people, situations, or circumstances to try and derail me from following You. Allow me to hear your Holy Spirit as He leads and directs me into decisions that will honor You and further Your Gospel here on earth. Lord, I want to be a victor not a victim. Amen."

"I don't care and I don't care that I don't care . . . "

In December of 2008 while sitting at my desk eating lunch, I experienced an uneasy pressure in my chest. Thinking that I was suffering from heart burn, I tossed the rest of my sandwich away. Then I got to thinking, I have never had heart burn before. Perhaps this as something else, something I had been sort of expecting. You see, my mother died of a massive coronary when she was 59 years old and my father died of a massive coronary when he was 65 years old. At the time I was 62 years old, right in the middle!

Sometimes you know that you know something is wrong and eventually I allowed my wife to take me to the emergency room of our local hospital. Several tests later I was taken by ambulance to a heart hospital several miles from our home. They did a heart cath. and inserted two stents. The Lord had seen fit to spare me and I returned to "normal" life with all its clutter and busyness.

Six months later, after experiencing lethargy and the need for way too much sleep, I realized, as I was studying for a Bible study that I lead, that I didn't care and I didn't care that I didn't care. Wow, I thought, I must be depressed. This was something new for me and something about which I knew very little. A little internet searching and I found out that depression is a common occurrence for those who have suffered a heart attack.

What to do? I am not a fan of medication because of the side effects (that is another story) so I did not want to go the route of seeing my family doctor. Sitting at my desk again and talking with my heavenly Father about the situation, He turned me to an amazing passage in His Word.

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and

saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18)

I broke down and wept at those words! My heavenly Father understood my broken heart and crushed spirit! He was there with me holding me in the palm of His hand! I can not express the depth of love I experienced from Him at that moment. It was as if those words, written so many years ago, were written directly to me.

Since then I have found many other Psalms that have ministered to me like never before as the Lord has taken me from the grips of depression and has set my feet back on solid ground. What a truly awesome and amazing God we have! Not only did Jesus Christ die on the cross for my sins, but He is well aware of my physical and mental frailties and He carries me daily through the mine fields that Satan lays before me. Thank you Lord, I love you!

Radical Living in a Dysfunctional World

     Over the years of walking with the Lord and learning from His Word, He has on many occasions pointed me to a particular portion of Scripture, usually one with which I am well acquainted, and said: "Hey, this is for you!"  This passage is one of those Scripture portions.  I have read it numerous times, heard it preached, and taught on it myself.  But this time around it has taken on new and deeper meaning for me.  The Holy Spirit knows what we need when we need it and I pray that He will use this in your life as He has in mine.

Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. ² It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. ³ So watch yourselves.

"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴ If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."

⁵ The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"

⁶ He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.

⁷ "Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? ⁸ Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? ⁹ Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? ¹⁰ So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' " (Luke 17:1-10; NIV)

      This is a passage in which our Lord teaches life principles and corresponding life actions that He expects from those who choose to follow Him.  While the context indicates that it was first directed to His disciples and apostles, the principles involved are applicable to all who seek to follow Him.  From the response of the apostles to the words of Jesus these principles and actions are not easy to do.  However, it is a teaching that when property understood and put into action will demonstrate a radical departure from the "norm" of this dysfunctional world in which live and show that dysfunctional world a better way.  Unless we believers start living radical Christianity as Christ taught and commanded, the world will never see a reason to change.  He has ordained for us to be the instruments of communication by demonstrating to the world, through our lives and words, a better way.  This passage is one of His teachings on Radical Living in a Dysfunctional World.

     Whenever I had read this passage before the phrase that stuck in my mind was the "seven times a day" that I am supposed to forgive someone.  But there is so much more than that, in fact, that is not the major point at all.   Emphasizing the "seven times a day" focuses the verse on me and it is not about me as an individual. It's about my responsibilities to other members of the body of Christ. Christian living is about more than how you and I live our lives; it is about how we can help each other live lives that honor Christ.

There are three radical teachings of Christ in this passage that ministered to me:

1)  Jesus taught the reality of sin (vs. 1a & 3).  Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come . . . so watch out for them."

 

Ø  Sin here is an interesting word.  Not the normal word we would expect but the Greek word σκάνδαλον [skandalon] from which we get our word scandal.  It literally refers to a trap or snare; or any impediment placed in the way that causes one to stumble or fall.   (TDNT)

 

Ø  The NIV reads that these stumbling stones are inevitable.  A more literally rendering is:  "it is impossible that temptations not come."   Why?  Because we are all sinners living in a sinful world. As Paul said in Romans 5:12-14 (The Message):  "You know the story of how Adam landed us in the dilemma we're in—first sin, then death, and no one exempt from either sin or death. . . Even those who didn't sin precisely as Adam did by disobeying a specific command of God still had to experience this termination of life, this separation from God."

 

Ø  Can we, this side of glory, ever experience a time and/or place where we will not have to deal with sin, our own sin nature, and the sin nature of others?  NO!  That's why He tells us to watch out, to be on our guard, for stumbling blocks; they are all around us!

 

2)   Jesus taught in this passage that we must not only watch out that we don't stumble, but we also are responsible not to cause others to sin or stumble.  After Jesus' warned about the inevitability of stumbling stones, He said: "Woe to that person through whom they (the stumbling blocks) come."

 

Ø   It is a serious thing to cause or tempt another to sin.  In Rom. 14:13 Paul tell us:   "make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way."  The liberties that we each take for granted in our lives must be examined to see if we are causing others to sin by our actions.

 

Ø  I fear that we do not take this responsibility seriously.  Some of that is because of our culture, after all we are Americans and we have our rights.  What I do is my business and no one can tell me what I can or cannot do.  That is faulty thinking for a Christian – we are first followers of Christ.  Our earthly citizenship is secondary to that!  And some of not taking our responsibility seriously is because of our sin nature which loves company.  If we can bring someone else down to our level, we can justify our actions and sins by looking at them instead of looking at Jesus. Too often we forget that people are watching us - believers and unbelievers alike.  People observe us hoping to find actions that will justify their own wants and desires. 

 

ü  After I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior back in 1972 I learned quickly that others, with whom I had associated for a long time, were watching my every action.  I had been a drinker and the Lord convicted me that alcohol was not something He wanted in my life anymore.  At a party we attended, shortly after my conversion, I was drinking a Diet Coke in a glass and was confronted with:  "I thought you had religion now, and you are still drinking?"  I immediately realized that any appearance of evil could cause others to stumble.  I had to be very aware of my actions which, in and of themselves, may not be wrong but which could be misunderstood and give offense to Christ's cause.

 

ü  Others who watch us very closely are members of our own families, especially our children.  Who of we parents has not wanted to take back something we have said that our children parrot back at the most in opportune time?  We must remember that our actions and words are being observed and heard by others and may cause them to stumble.

 

Ø  In the second verse He amplifies the seriousness of causing others to stumble and He also explains the ones for whom He is particularly concerned.

 

o    The Message paraphrases verse 2 like this: It would be "better to wear a millstone necklace and take a swim in the deep blue sea than give even one of these dear little ones a hard time!" 

 

o    In Matthew 18:6, Jesus refers to these "dear little ones" as those who believe in Him.

 

o    If you have never thought about the seriousness of the consequences to sin, this verse ought to get your attention.  The literal point here is that one would be better off committing suicide than causing one of God's children to stumble.  Let me be perfectly clear, it is obvious that Jesus is teaching a principle here that believers are responsible for helping each other by not causing another to stumble. He is not advocating suicide but he is pointing out the seriousness of our actions and their impact on others.  If we would each stop and think before we engage our mouths, we would stop a lot of the problem.  Then, if we would stop and think about our actions and how they influence others, we would stop the majority of what is left.

 

3)   Jesus taught in this passage: "If your brother sins, rebuke him and if he repents, forgive him." Not only are we to live lives that do not cause others to sin; but we must also confront and help each other get the victory over sin.

 

Ø  Look at verses 3-4:  "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.  If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."   What does it mean "to rebuke" someone?  It is an interesting word literally meaning [ἐπιτιμάω [epitimao] to show honor and/or to reprove, to admonish.  The essence of this word is that we honor someone by admonishing them because we are showing them how much we care about them.  We care enough to help them become more Christ like.

Ø  This is the most difficult part of this passage for me.  I have enough trouble dealing with my own sin that I sure don't feel comfortable pointing out someone else's sin to them.  Who am I to rebuke another?  Isn't that like judging someone?  I don't have my act together so why should I attempt to straighten out someone else?  While those are interesting questions, they are irrelevant because each of those questions is "I" centered!

 

 

Ø  On the other side of this coin are those who look for opportunities to "rebuke" others, usually without showing love, and they do it to elevate themselves in their own eyes.  Both of these extremes are wrong and sinful.

 

Ø  It has also become fashionable in Christian circles to become the "victim" of being rebuked and thus appear more spiritual than others. Jesus didn't intend any of these responses to His command.  He wants us to be brothers and sisters who to build one another up.

 

Ø  Remember, these principles that Jesus teaches are not just about me.  They are about teaching me how I can love and help another brother/sister become all they can be in Christ and how I can allow other brothers and sisters to love and help me become all can be in Christ. When we get our eyes off of ourselves and onto the Lord, we begin to see that He desires to use us in the lives of others and to use others in our lives – no part of the body of Christ is independent of the other parts.  The end goal here is the building up the body of Christ.  "Speaking the truth in love, [so] in all things [we] grow up into Him who is the Head, that is Christ."  Eph. 4:15

 

 

Ø  One other caution about rebuking that needs to be said.  Before you rebuke a brother or sister, be certain, after prayer and seeking God's wisdom, that you are addressing something that really is a stumbling stone and not something that irritates you or a personality trait that you dislike in another person.  This is not about changing or conforming someone to fit your image.  It is about helping each other grow up into the Lord.

 

 

Ø  Jesus' aim is not to embarrass or hurt a brother or sister in the Lord, but to encourage him or her to repent (Gal. 6:1). If they do repent, Jesus says, then we must forgive.  How many times?  Every time they sin and repent!    In fact, we must be in the habit of forgiving.  What is the end goal for rebuking and forgiving? Is it getting our way?  Is it fighting back?  No!  It is demonstrating love with the desire for repentance and restoration!

In these four verses Jesus gave three very important principles for radical living in a dysfunctional world: 

1.  Sin is a reality and stumbling stones, are inevitable.  Each of us will experience them.  So watch out for them!

2.  Be careful that you are not the one causing others to stumble.

 

3.  If a brother or sister sins, or stumbles, we have a responsibility to rebuke them with the goal of seeing them repent and be restored to fellowship.

Notice the response of the apostles in verse 5:  "The apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith!"

Ø  They saw the magnitude of what Jesus was advocating.  They saw the uncomfortable position in which they would be responsible for their actions and how those actions affected others; they did not like the thought of "rebuking" a brother; and they did not like having to forgive habitually.  In essence they were saying to Jesus:  "You want us to do what?  You must be kidding; we don't have that kind of faith.  That's way too far out of our comfort zone.  You have got to increase our faith!"

 

Ø  I can relate to their sentiments.  Last year I met with a group of men for a retreat during which we all took a personal gift/strengths/values assessment.  One of the items that was high on my assessment inventory was "harmony".  That does not, by the way mean harmonizing as in singing.  My musical abilities would not fill a thimble.  It speaks of desiring harmony in relationships, not wanting discord or contention.  Like so many others, I desire that everyone get along and like the apostles in this passage cringe at confronting and rebuking a brother or sister even if I know it is in their best interest.  I am convinced that is why the Holy Spirit stopped me at this passage.  He said, "Time to move out of your comfort zone!"   And to quote my granddaughter, I responded much like the apostles:  "I can't want to!"

In verse 6-10, Jesus responds to the apostle's demand for increased faith by talking about a mustard seed and a servant both of which are illustrations that this is not about faith – it is about obedience.

Verse 6:  "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."

Ø  Literally Jesus is saying that it takes more faith to move a mulberry tree into the sea than it does to simply obey His commands.  And it only takes faith the size of the tiniest seed to move the tree.  Faith is not the issue here; obedience is!

 

Verses 7-10:  "Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? ⁸ Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? ⁹ Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? ¹⁰ So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' "

 

Ø  As a servant would you expect special privilege or praise for doing what you are told to do?  Of course not. What Jesus is commanding in these verses is something that is expected of those who choose to follow him.

 

Ø  Our response to Jesus ought not to be asking for more faith. It ought not to be: "I can't want to."   It ought to be: "Yes, Lord."  And after obeying Him we ought to praise Him for using us as He sees fit. "We are unworthy servants, we have only done our duty."

 

     It is obvious that Jesus does not want us to respond to His teaching the way the apostles did, He rebuked them.  He wants us to do what he commands, by choosing to abbey Him, not because of His prodding. 

 

He has given us three principles in this passage:

 

1.  Sin is a reality and stumbling stones, are inevitable.  Each of us will experience them.  So watch out for them!

2.  Be careful that you are not the one causing others to stumble.

3.  If a brother or sister sins, stumbles, we have a responsibility to rebuke them with the goal of seeing them repent and be restored to fellowship.

 

How can we take these principles and demonstrate radical living in a dysfunctional world?  It is not as difficult as we might think.

 

     In 1988 Nike began an ad campaign that was, I think, based on this passage – it went something like this:  "Just Do It!"  Although I have never heard Nike give Jesus credit for the idea, it is literally what Jesus was saying as He responded to the disciples.  He is responding to our reservations and fears the same way.  He is asking each of us: "Do you trust Me?  Then just do it!"