If you don’t accept accountability for your actions, then you cannot be trusted. Repentance in a biblical context is acknowledging your sin, seeking forgiveness and turning from this behavior. People that do not want to be held accountable often do not seek repentance or forgiveness from their sins. They continue down their path of destruction. One of their favorite words to use to skirt accountability is grace. In the Bible, grace is God’s patience with us as we move towards repentance which then leads to accountability. The grace that these fools want is lack of accountability in their lives. They do not seek to receive the grace of the cross.
Accountability is clearly missing from our society. People make horrible choices all of the time and expect not be held accountable for their actions. God expects accountability from us, but Satan does not want us to change our ways. The devil is rebellious and a defiant spirit. Look no further than how he was thrown out of Heaven for his disobedience. God doesn’t let people get away with not being held accountable and neither should we. Let me clarify one point here. We should not be seeking vengeance against another individual. Accountability is not about getting even. It is about truth and making others live up to their responsibilities for the actions that they chose.
Romans 12:19 New American Standard Bible
19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
People that don’t accept accountability are running from truth.
We should openly and fully extend grace when there is repentance and accountability demonstrated by an individual. This is the example that God gave us to follow. However, as I explained above, actual grace is required to have repentance. Grace not attached to repentance is a cheap grace substitute for a secular society lacking God in their lives. When people do not adhere to a biblical form of grace, I wouldn’t call the end result grace at all. I would call it continued rebellion that lacks moral integrity. From the heart, the mouth spills over. When the heart of an individual seeks forgiveness, we can tell that they are genuinely sorry. When someone tells you to show them grace and they don’t seek forgiveness, they are manipulating the word grace.
Yes, it matters that we do not let these individuals off easy. Our world is full of the “hands off me” types of people. Just because someone is hiding in a church or behind a pulpit does not excuse them from accountability. As believers, we should all care about how situations are handled. Matthew 18 is the proper channel which to address sin. If you are unfamiliar with Matthew 18, I will lay it out for you below. Keep in mind that there are many variations of this verse. Not because they are accurate. But because cowards seek to manipulate the word of God to advance their own agenda.
Matthew 18 is as follows. First go to the other person and address the sin with them one-on-one. If that doesn’t work, then bring another brother or sister to talk to the other individual. The last step is to bring the issue to the church. Rarely does this happen because most people are too nonconfrontational and too big of wimps to address the issue with a greater body. The final step is laid out below. Keep in mind that being a gentile or a tax collector was one of the most despicable things to be back when this text was written. Basically, saying that the person is the scum of the earth. Keep this in mind when you are dealing with people who don’t accept accountability. Throw out the cheap and fake grace.
Matthew 18:17 New American Standard Bible
17 And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, he is to be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.