Hebrews 2:4
God’s Word is not still being authored by the apostles – it is complete, and their authentication was completed in the first century.

1 Corinthians 13:11-13
The church is not in its infancy any more – our serving love is to have replaced a dependence on signs or an infatuation with revelatory knowledge.

The heart is deceitful above all things and thus requires accountability.

Human beings need to be held to a particular standard through the supervision and scrutiny of others with the possibility of punishment or reward, or else ‘every man will do what is right in his own eyes’ – Judges 21:25.

Accountability is seen in everyday life in the form of auditors, exam invigilators, speed traps, performance reviews, health inspectors and so on.

Why do we need accountability?

Jeremiah 17:9, 1 John 1:8-10
The church is supposed to judge its own – 1 Corinthians 5:11-13.

The kind of judging that is forbidden is to judge proudly, harshly, or beyond what we know – Matthew 7:1-2. Love believes the best about others – 1 Corinthians 13:7.

Do we need accountability in the church? If so, how would you define biblical accountability?

Accountability in the church is when you voluntarily place yourself in relationship with others, where you are lovingly held to the standard of the Bible by other believers, and lovingly hold others to the same standard.

What should we keep in mind when holding others accountable?

Leviticus 19:17, Proverbs 27:5-6, James 5:19-20

ACCOUNTABILITY
God commands us to hold one another accountable.

Memory Verse
Proverbs 27:5-6

Matthew 7:3-5, Galatians 6:1, 1 Corinthians 1:31
We must judge the sin in our own lives, so as to have the integrity and spiritual clarity to hold others accountable.

2 Timothy 3:16

Remember: Accountability occurs in a fourfold way:

• Doctrine – refers to the teaching of the Word of God. The standard of the Word is given out. Whether it is preaching, Bible studies, one-on-one discipleship – the standard of God is to be proclaimed and repeated. We need repetition.
• Reproof – this is where we are shown by the Holy Spirit through another where we fall short of the standard.
• Correction – this is where we see how we are to remedy this shortfall in our lives. The obedience necessary to substitute and replace the disobedience must be done.
• Instruction/training in righteousness – these are structures or training programs we develop for ourselves and others – disciplines of life that reinforce obedience and make disobedience difficult.

Matthew 18:15, Galatians 6:1
We are to hold others accountable when it is clear that a sin or a pattern of sin has placed us or them out of fellowship with God and others. Accountability is an attempt at restoration.

Matters of preference or personal annoyance must be forborne in love.

Emphasise restoration, speak with meekness.

Use Scripture as the standard, not personal preferences.