Let me share my revelation about accountability because I’m not sure everyone truly understands what is happening when their group or church or doctrine teaches them to be accountable to their leaders and to each other.

It simply means that you have given others the ability to question your actions and behavior, and then demand (in love, of course) that you resume a course of action you chose at a past date.

the history

This is a very nicely staged form of programming used for behavior modification techniques originated by psychologist B.F. Skinner. It became popular in the ’70s and ’80s for treating addictions and socializing disruptive, unruly children. It uses positive and negative reinforcement to change the way a person behaves. And is sometimes helpful to stop bad habits.

Christianity embraced it freely because it fits some of the most popular characterizations of God which are based on positive and negative reinforcement. (like Jonah’s story)

Christ-like

But accountability isn’t about being more like Christ. It’s about being more like our IDEA of Christ. It assumes we have the power to change ourselves into Christ or be more like him. Many of the Apostle Paul’s teachings are interpreted to mean we modify our own behavior.

But I don’t believe that was what he meant at all. I believe he was trying to tell us about the inner battle within us between the Divine nature and our basic Self-nature. He advocated change but not via our own efforts but rather by asking and receiving from God. Paul himself said that he did what he didn’t want to do.

The Truth is that Christ lives within you and me. He lives inside our Being which is composed of both his Divine nature and our own Self-nature. And we chose each day and each moment whom we will serve, giving authority at that moment. That chosen nature is now authorized to govern in that moment or situation.

It isn’t about getting more of him. We can’t get more of him than we already have because he is here in his fullness But when we succeed in modifying ourselves to become more like our IDEA of him, the more we are displaying of our “filthy rags”. It is self-righteous hypocrisy and it doesn’t come from the work of our Divine nature, it comes from our Self-nature.

mind of Christ

We don’t need accountability to others to be more Christ-like. We simply need to choose His nature and then surrender to it in each moment and situation. Then we can watch what he does.

So, if I decide I want to run a mile every day but I don’t think I’ll stick with my plan, then I may choose accountability to help me modify my behavior. But I’m modifying my Self-nature via its own minuscule power.

The Divine nature doesn’t need our help in this work. He simply asks for our permission, our choice. The work is his. Only his. And if he isn’t doing what we asked, then we’re asking against his Will.

Because we have formulated an IDEA of Christ-like behavior we assume everything about our Self-nature is evil. It is not. God created us exactly the way he intended. Not to destroy one part, but to perfect it…..a job we can’t do…..but one we can choose to authorize him to do.

imagine

Imagine if Moses asked the children of Isreal to hold him accountable. Or if David had, or Elijah, or Daniel, or anyone else who was being used by God. Using accountability to be used by God is contradictory unless it is solely God doing it. No one else is in charge of God’s intentions or plans or hopes or dreams for you. No one is a go-between ambassador to our spirit. He is a personal God and he has no one between him and us. (Jesus and Holy Spirit are already here with him).

I’m fully convinced that putting others in a position of holding me accountable to God, is de-throning God and putting other human beings on his throne. I’m adamantly convinced it was never God’s intention. He always wants us to put him and only him on the throne of our lives and that requires the closest kind of relationship with him.

Accountability in a body of believers holds people in slavery to that group. It doesn’t empower them in their relationship with God, but rather it assumes they aren’t qualified to have a personal relationship being lead only by the Creator of the Universe.

Sometimes we’re told it helps to keep us from hearing the wrong voice and going off doctrine into cultish beliefs or aberrant behaviors. And the examples held up before us are people like Jim Jones or David Koresh.

Those are examples of mentally ill people. They aren’t honest examples of typical believers who walk away from church or its leadership.

freedom

The average believer who has walked away from church, has typically put God on his throne exclusively. And it doesn’t lead to a life of debauchery. It leads to more intimacy, more Truth, and more power in action in their lives.

Thank you for letting me share this with you. I send blessings with you on your journey.

Faith