AM I ACCOUNTABLE?
BIBLE PASSAGE: ROMANS
14:12
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Picture taken from Google
Lesson Prepared by: Krisha of Solomon’s Wisdom FB page
JANUARY 30, 2022
MEMORY VERSE
So,
then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God.
ROMANS 14:12
INTRODUCTION:
Do you still remember your Constitution Subject?
Can you still recite some of its section?
How about this? Section 4: (1987 Constitution) – No law shall be passed abridging
the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or right of the people
peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.
Nowadays because of social media there are lot of
“fake news” and if we don’t confirm and search for that in the right website,
you would be fooled. We also have the so called, “Maritess”
which means “Mare, ano na ang latest?” Sometimes
the right to freedom of speech is abused by so many people. It’s true that we
have freedom but remember that freedom comes with accountability.
Galatians 5:1 says, “Stand
fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not
entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
And verse 13 says, “For,
brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an
occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
Your freedom shouldn’t lead you to the feeling
that you’re not accountable.
What is accountability? It is being accountable
which its synonym is “responsible or responsibility.” In Filipino means
“pananagutan.” From the meaning itself we can say that most people don’t want
to be accountable because attaches to it is the responsibility. Our lesson for
today is titles, AM I ACCOUNTABLE?
Last Friday, my sister, Carol, reminded me of my “sad moments” during our Bible Study before. Our group’s name is Joshua group if you still remember that time. I know I’d mentioned this already; we knocked the door but another woman appeared at the door and she said, the woman we were looking for was not there for some reasons but upon opening the door there was a feeling inside me telling me try to share the gospel. Because of time, it’s almost lunch, I hadn’t tried to share then we left but when we almost went our way, I handed her a bible tract. While we were walking, Carol and I talking about the opportunity to share. I said, “Let’s go back” and we began to move our feet but because of the thought “it’s almost lunch and we might disturb her,” the ending was, we didn’t do it. We had promised ourselves that next week, we would prioritize that lady we met. After a week I said to the woman, “You were not here last time, may I ask, where was the lady we met here last time? Sad to say, after a week she died; this is a true story. I said to teacher Carol, I don’t want to remember that anymore but that reminds me again. Am I accountable? Are you accountable with the commitment you’ve promised to the Lord?
LESSON OUTLINE:
1. YES, WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE
BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS SO (ROMANS 14:12)
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
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Based from our memory verse, to whom we’re
accountable? Yes, we are accountable to
God. Why does God want us to be accountable to Him? Let’s read Genesis 2:15-17. The instructions
God given are very simple and not confusing. Based from these verses, what were
the responsibilities given to Adam (Eve)? – dress and keep the garden then thou
shalt not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
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Based from the pastors’ sermons I watched and
commentaries I’ve read there was an idea that Adam and Eve had remembered more
in the 2nd instruction and swapped it from the first. The
instructions were just like this, “Thou shalt not eat the fruit of the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil; just cultivate and keep it.” Because from the
time Eve was tempted, she was near to the tree and Adam was beside her.
a)
Why does god want us to be accountable to him? First, because accountability protects us from harm.
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Let’s read Gen.3:8-10. When God asked Adam where he
was, Adam replied in verse 10…” and he said, “I heard Thy voice in the garden
and I was afraid…” To whom Adam was afraid of? Adam was afraid to give an
account for his actions.
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We are all accountable for our actions and promises
to the Lord. Let me ask you, do you know what is right from wrong? Of course,
we can distinguish what is right from wrong (based from laws and bible
standard). Therefore, what matters is not the knowledge of right from wrong; it’s the fact that
we’re all accountable to God. We know when we disobey God or not.
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God gave simple instructions to Adam and Eve:
cultivate and keep it (garden) but they decided to violate. They knew it
because they hid from God. In verse 9 God said, Where art thou?” Of course God
knew exactly where they were, but God wanted Adam to admit something. He wanted
him to admit that he got wrong. In your life, have you seen that God is
bringing you into accountability? Last January, we’ve committed to ministries
and whether we like it or not, we’re accountable. To those who didn’t commit
also are held accountable. Remember, we are all accountable to our actions.
b)
Why does God want us to be accountable to Him?
Second, because accountability involves
good stewardship.
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We already knew the story in Matthew 25:14-29 about
talents. In verse 15, “And unto one he gave first talents, to another two and
to another one; to every man according to his several ability…” In this verse
people are given according to their ability and no one could say, “There’s
nothing I can do in church ministry” but maybe this is just their reasons or
they don’t want to accept responsibility. Every one of us has the
responsibility to fulfill. In the church everyone
matters. We have given forms to fill in and check which ministry you want
to involve in. Every ministry you involve; you’re accountable to those.
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What will happen if the company has irresponsible
employees? Why company still need the time in and time out machine for
employees? Is it not enough to trust the employees with their mouths saying the
time they in and out? It’s because some people are dishonest, they come thirty
minutes after the call time and go out 30 minutes before the end of their time
out. Also, some people don’t go to work
and give dishonest reasons. For example, he’s sick though it’s not true. Doing
this shows a bad testimony. If the company has irresponsible employees that
would be a great problem and it would give a negative effect output service of
the company.
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Whatever you and I do if we know that someone’s
holding us accountable and they’re expecting the best of you.
2. YES, WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE
BECAUSE NOTHING IN ALL CREATION IS HIDDEN FROM GOD’S SIGHT (HEBREWS 4:13)
Neither is there any creature that is not
manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him
with whom we have to do.
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Anything
we think is hidden is a crystal clear to God, including our own thoughts, ad
motivations. We may fool other people (1 Samuel 16:7), and we may even fool
ourselves (Jeremiah 17:9), but we cannot fool God (Psalm 44:21).
https://www.bibleref.com
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Like
what happened to Adam and Eve, they hid from the presence of the Lord. This is
a natural reaction when we sin; hiding from God’s presence. This gives me that
when we are living in sin, life is lifeless and sad because God’s presence is
not there. Imagining yourself out in the presence of our Almighty God is a life
full of pains, temptations, sufferings or anything worldly.
3. YES, WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE
BECAUSE WE ALL APPEAR BEFORE THE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST (2 CORINTHIANS 5:10)
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The Bible speaks of a special
judgement that God will hold for believers only. It is known as the Judgement
Seat of Christ, or the Judgement Seat of God. Paul wrote, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat
of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to
that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
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Any times the Judgement Seat of
Christ is referred to by the biblical scholars as “The Bema Seat.” The reason
for this is that the phrase, “Judgement Seat” is taken from one Greek word,
“bema” which translated from Greek means “Judgement Seat.” During the time of
Christ, this world could refer to the platform on which a ruler or judge
decided to athletic competition in the New Testament, he was likely using the
term as it applied to Greek sports. If the winner of a particular contest had
followed the rules of competition and won, he has honored at the bema; there he
was crowned. https;//www.arewelivinginthelastdays.com
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In the city of Corinth, a stone
platform was constructed to support the Bema Seat (Judgment Seat) of the local
officials. The seat was used to give out awards to athletes for their
competitive performances (usually a crown of wreath of leaves), but also to
address legal charges brought against individuals. Apostle Paul was quite familiar
with this seat. This is where he was brought before Gallio, who was the
proconsul oF Achaia at the Bema Seat (Acts 18:12), “And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection
with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,” This seat was also what Paul referred to in 2Corinthians
5:9-10 as the “Judgement Seat of Christ.” In this context, Paul explains to us
tha this is where the Christians will receive an evaluation for works done in
the body, whether good or bad. https;//www.arewelivinginthelastdays.com
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The participants in the Judgement
Seat of Christ are members of the spiritual church. These are people who have
trusted Christ as Savior from the Day of Pentecost, until the coming of Christ
for His church. The Bible said that God will reward the actions of believers.
“Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every
man according to his work.” – Psalms 62:12
For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father’s glory
with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what He has
done (Matthew 16:27).
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The Lord Jesus Christ is the Judge
(John 5:22-27). It is for Christians only (2 Corinthians 5:8-10).
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The rewards we receive on earth are
all temporal and perish. The rewards in the Judgement Seat of Christ are
eternal and will never perish.
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By consistently focusing on the
Judgment Seat of Christ, you will naturally develop a desire to please God
rather than men. Developing this attitude is the surest way to handle criticism
and opposition.
CONCLUSION:
Most people don’t want to be
held accountable. Whether we like it or not we are all accountable. We feel and
act like we’re not accountable but in reality we cannot escape from the
accountable to the Lord. If we act unaccountable in the work we do, we will be
unable to do our best, it wasteful time and it hinders our spiritual growth.
God’s Word motivates us to do our best in our commitment to God,
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the
