Jeramiah debunks the difference between accountability and being judgemental

One thing I love about having very new Christians and non Christians alike around me is their very different perspective. I think something happens the longer we are Christians; that we stop looking for the right answer to very important questions. Instead of really trying to get to the core of how we are supposed to treat sinners who are committing adultery, homosexuality or idolatry, we just ignore the sin and don't bring up Jesus. All the sticky subjects get forgotten and we just hope we don't come across any body we have to confront and if we do we simply avoid them. After all how many gay friends do you have and how many friends do you know who are struggling with say pornography? I can tell you I don't have a friend who is gay and if any body struggles with pornography, they certainly haven't told me about it.

Well, last week in Sunday school a new Christian had joined us. When he asked about the difference between accountability and being judgemental we all sort of fumbled with the answer not really able, I think, to give a clear answer.

I didn't necessarily seek out an answer to that question this week but I did come across a very powerful example in Jeremiah. Here is what Andrew E. Hill and John H. Walton have to say in their book, A Survey of the Old Testament:

He was a man sent by God at Israel's darkest hour and proclaimed God's word at great personal cost for over forty years. More than any other, he provides us with glimpses of a prophet struggling with the God he served faithfully and with the message he was commissioned to deliver. His piety and integrity stood out as beacons in a generation that was to feel the scorching heat of the wrath of God. Jeremiah was their last chance, he felt crushed under the weight of that responsibility.

First, accountability wasn't just in the ten minutes of "Hey dude, stop sinning or else." Jeremiah was called to give up a great desire; to be a husband and father for his fellow people. God may not call us to this but he does ask other things of us. I know an alcoholic so I don't drink. I know men struggle with the temptation of flesh therefore I consider both my brothers in Christ and all men alike when I dress as to not draw their attention away from God. There are cute outfits I want but I won't wear them and have at times gotten rid of something because of this.

Here is an example of a man asked by God to be His prophet, give up any domestic life; a wife and children and to proclaim the coming doom to people he dearly loved despite the sin that consumed them and trust me sin consumed them. They sacrificed their very own children in hopes of pleasing false Gods to prosper their harvests, to bring rain. A fire is lit under the hands of this false God made of metal and their babies were placed in these hands to die a very slow painful death. I cringe at this as a human being and a mother and as such believe I could never have love for someone who could do that. Jeremiah did.

Indeed, Jeremiah prayed and begged God not to bring this impending doom and God told him to not pray but he did anyway. This is an important key in that those Jeremiah spoke to, he had a great love for them. A friend of mine, Cayce, once said that when it comes to accountability if you want to hold someone accountable, it isn't of God but if you really don't want to but can't escape the thought of it then it is. Being judgemental has that feeling that comes with it that feeling like doing something you shouldn't but it feels so good. We bask in it and it is cathartic. In judging, we feel bigger, in accountability we are made aware of how small we are and how we also were given forgiveness when death was the payment.

So that is a huge difference for us in holding our fellow believers accountable and being a witness to those who are not. We are to be obedient in speaking God's truth into the lives of those around us and indeed there is personal sacrifices that comes with that. It is in us that the difference is. Like Jeremiah, we are to love and fervently intercede for them through prayer and sometimes fasting. Judging is withholding love, compassion and holding accountable is done with a decided mind, an open heart and a broken spirit.

I encourage Christian to continue looking for the truth to the questions that are uncomfortable. I understand maybe we don't look for the answers because we don't want to make that sacrifice. What sacrifice can God ask of us that compares to the sacrifice he made for us? I ask even of myself, what sacrifice does God ask of me that can compare to that? Is facing ridicule, a possible lost friendship, a bruised reputation comparable?