More specifically, the concept of accountability has been significantly impeding my thoughts. According to the scriptures what does this mean? Easy enough put, one may say simply: coming along side someone when you know that what they are doing is not in line with what the Word of God preaches. Sure, this may read well and sound good on paper, but when it comes down to it, accountability becomes incredibly complex. An satisfyingly adequate definition for "accountability" is lost between emotion and words. Now, here is where my mind has been for the past month.
I am a firm believer in "let your convictions be your own". Let me explain. Don't worry I'm not a relativist. In the least I hope to be thoughtful on the topic. "Let your convictions be your own" simply refers to the notion that each individual has their own intimate and personal testimony. With this in mind, inevitably, each individual has encountered different experiences including: their culture, family habits, traumatic experiences, etc. As our culture and personal testimonies interpret the world around us we begin to create a moral compass. As a Christian believer, I firmly attest to the Law of human nature (a shared morality across all cultures attributed to a God). Although there is a shared core morality across cultures, for instance, Killing another human is not "good", every individual will distinctly interpret their own individual moral compass against minor moral questions, such as, drinking heavily or smoking marijuana. The latter would be considered a minor moral question because the choice of whether or not to partake does not immediately effect another human being, although it might.
How do we decide then, when accountability should take place. Well, here is what my mind has developed over the past month, while conversing with a couple friends. Accountability is intrinsic to the Christian life. Intrinsic meaning essential and innate to a bodily make-up. Accountability becomes intrinsic to our being the moment that the Holy Spirit penetrates our hearts. It is the Holy Spirit that guides and convicts our hearts daily. Most importantly, it is the Spirit that invokes our hearts to desire community in the Kingdom of God, and this is where accountability takes place. This is beginning to sound like a bunch of "Christianize" I know, but here me out.
As the Holy Spirit guides and convicts the individuals living in community with one another a reaction takes place. Accountability can only take place when two or more people desire to approach one another in a vulnerable, humble, and committed environment. This, and only this, is where the Holy Spirit begins to work. Again, I firmly attribute the conviction to live in accountability with one another to the Holy Spirit. As we live in desire to live in correspondence to the Kingdom of God, living out Christ centered lives, we inevitably become destined to live lives of accountability. You and I cannot be responsible for those who chose to disregard the Kingdom of God, when the Kingdom of God is at the core of the Christian life. Judgement does not need to be placed here, but ultimately we simply need to live our lives in desperation for Christ's Kingdom, being like Christ to a dieing world. This is what we have been called to stand up against. Stand strong and encourage one another in the faith.
