We Need Someone to Hold Us Accountable
A Lesson from John Ortberg
We are accountable for the lives we lead and the choices we make. But we’re quick to make excuses for our mistakes. This started since Adam and Eve, with Adam blaming Eve and Eve blaming the serpent. This tendency to shift blame still haunts us today.
On judgment day, we are accountable to God. We must give an account of ourselves to Him, including everything we have done and every empty word we have spoken. (Romans 14:12, Matthew 12:36). Our account to God also includes sins of omission—that is, the things we should have done and did not. God holds us accountable for what He has given us (Matthew 25:19, 29). Nothing is hidden from Him, with all our secrets judged (Hebrews 4:13, Romans 2:16).
Let us start today to be honest, take responsibility of our mistakes, accept our faults, and stand up again. With God’s offer of forgiveness and grace, we can have a fresh start.
One secret to successful physical training is to have partners holding us accountable. They can encourage each other and keep each other focused on their goals.
Similarly, we should have an accountability partner to help train our character and train us to be godly (1 Timothy 4:7-9).
A successful accountability relationship is difficult. It requires honesty and takes courage.
We can make our commitment with our partners to follow Christ. Confess sins to each other. Be honest and open. This will help us heal (James 5:16). Ask our partner to remind us of our commitment, and the good thing we should be doing. This can help us do what we cannot by ourselves.
Accountability can be a key factor in our progress towards godliness. It can push us toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24). Such an accountability partner is God’s gift for us, and since we will be accountable to God, let us start with our accountability partners today.
Summarized from a sermon by John Ortberg:
https://menlo.church/series/the-way#/modal/message/5591/mlo
On judgment day, we are accountable to God. We must give an account of ourselves to Him, including everything we have done and every empty word we have spoken. (Romans 14:12, Matthew 12:36). Our account to God also includes sins of omission—that is, the things we should have done and did not. God holds us accountable for what He has given us (Matthew 25:19, 29). Nothing is hidden from Him, with all our secrets judged (Hebrews 4:13, Romans 2:16).
Let us start today to be honest, take responsibility of our mistakes, accept our faults, and stand up again. With God’s offer of forgiveness and grace, we can have a fresh start.
One secret to successful physical training is to have partners holding us accountable. They can encourage each other and keep each other focused on their goals.
Similarly, we should have an accountability partner to help train our character and train us to be godly (1 Timothy 4:7-9).
A successful accountability relationship is difficult. It requires honesty and takes courage.
We can make our commitment with our partners to follow Christ. Confess sins to each other. Be honest and open. This will help us heal (James 5:16). Ask our partner to remind us of our commitment, and the good thing we should be doing. This can help us do what we cannot by ourselves.
Accountability can be a key factor in our progress towards godliness. It can push us toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24). Such an accountability partner is God’s gift for us, and since we will be accountable to God, let us start with our accountability partners today.
Summarized from a sermon by John Ortberg:
https://menlo.church/series/the-way#/modal/message/5591/mlo