Accountability: What is it?

The Collins English Dictionary defines accountability in terms of being answerable or responsible to someone for certain actions. (Dictionary.com). But what is it in the Biblical sense? There is first personal accountability. Romans 14:12 says that everyone will give to God an account of their own life. Whether we do it now, or wait till it’s too late, it still has to be done.

            1 John 4:21 says, “And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” So, in a sense, everyone is called to at least a basic level of accountability to God and to each other. If one loves God, one will also love their fellow believers as well. This love carries with it the desire to know how things are going with each other and to see if anyone needs prayer or other help (be it spiritual or otherwise).

            Titus 2:9-10 says for slaves to obey their masters and to avoid doing evil to them. The purpose of this was to “make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.” When applied to modern day life, this purpose should be everyone’s goal, especially in accountability. New and mature believers alike both need this. Whether the purpose is to attain a closer relationship to God, or to overcome an addiction, or both, one foundational and cardinal truth of accountability is to become more attracted to God’s teaching and love for us.