Introduction

Am I accountable to anyone for what I do, or am I my own boss? To whom do I have to give an account? Why? Where do I begin in a study of accountability?

Body

I. Where do I begin in a study of accountability?

A. Let’s begin in Genesis.

1. The first man and woman were accountable to God?

(Gen 3:9-11 NKJV) Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" {10} So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself." {11} And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"

2. Cain was accountable to God even though he tried to act like he wasn’t.

(Gen 4:9-10 NKJV) Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" {10} And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground.

B. Claiming to not know God or our responsibility to Him does not change matters.

1. Pharaoh claimed to not know God.

(Exo 5:2 KJV) And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

2. The wicked do not recognize God.

(Psa 10:13 NKJV) Why do the wicked renounce God? He has said in his heart, "You will not require an account."

II. To whom do I give an account?

A. First and foremost, we are accountable to God.

(2 Cor 5:9-10 NKJV) Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. {10} For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

(Rom 2:5-11 NKJV) But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, {6} who "will render to each one according to his deeds": {7} eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; {8} but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, {9} tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; {10} but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. {11} For there is no partiality with God.

B. Children are accountable to their parents.

(Eph 6:1-3 NKJV) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. {2} "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: {3} "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."

C. Husbands and wives are accountable to each other.

(Eph 5:33 NKJV) Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

D. We are to be accountable to each other.

(1 Pet 5:5 NKJV) Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."

1. We need to be accountable in not being offensive.

(Rom 14:13 KJV) Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

2. Paul says, pay everyone what you owe them.

(Rom 13:7-8 NKJV) Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. {8} Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

III. If we are accountable, what do we do?

A. We will live and act responsibly.

1. I will do things to the best of my ability that I know I am supposed to do.

2. I will be accountable by explaining to someone why I cannot, or will not do something that might be expected of me.

B. We will acknowledge mistakes and offer apologies.

C. I will ask forgiveness of God and ask for help to overcome.

(1 John 1:9-10 NKJV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. {10} If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Conclusion

I. Are you a responsible person?

II. Are you acting in a responsible way toward those who are about you?

III. Have you turned to Jesus for the forgiveness of sins – to pay a debt you cannot pay, or at least one you do not want to pay?

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