Accountability

Gospel Doctrine, p 179; “NO NEED TO POINT OUT DEFECTS OF CHURCH LEADERS…I do not think it is my right or prerogative to point out the supposed defects of the Prophet Joseph Smith, or Brigham Young, or any other of the leaders of the Church. Let the Lord God Almighty judge them and speak for or against them as it may seem to him good—but not me; it is not for me, my brethren, to do this. Our enemies may have taken advantage of us, in times gone by, because of unwise things that may have been said. Some of us may now give to the world the same opportunity to speak evil against us, because of that which we say, which should not be spoken at all.—Oct. C. R., 1909, pp. 124-125.” – Joseph F. Smith

1 Timothy 5:19-21; “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. 20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. 21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.”

Everyone in life has a standard by which they live yet unbeknownst to many in life, that standard should be a reflection of God. While personal standards may or may not be verbally expressed to others, accountability should be of the utmost importance. 

Not being held accountable or teaching those in your flock they can’t speak out isn’t biblical, nor is it sound. Accepting the Bible as our blueprint for life, we can easily see the apostle Paul’s explanation that Christians have a divinely appointed right to stand up and speak out. 

God, in His infinite mercy, gave us a system to do this by and has shown us through His word the relational standard by which church members are to live.

Did You Know 

There are more than fifty ‘one another’ obligations Jesus told us to fulfill? Much like being part of a family, membership in a church obligates us as Christians and places us in a relationship with each other. To operate in a cohesive and effectual manner there has to be some sort of semblance, otherwise we’re just loose cannons waiting to explode. 

Anytime a pastor, teacher, or anyone else in authority is in front of a crowd, he should expect criticism because he and those he shepherds aren’t perfect people. 

Using the God’s method of how to hold people accountable protects the pastor/teacher/elder from undue harassment and accusations. We need to speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15) and accept admonishment (Ps 141:5), but first and foremost we need to call sin, sin. We mustn’t cower to the feel good stuff we see today, or as in our dilemma, just go with it because we’re told to do so. 

James 3:1; “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.”