May 9th, 2007

Accountability without Condemnation

Read Luke 6:37-42 and 1 Cor. 5

"...first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you

will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." vs. 42

You will read me say this time and time again, "The Christian life is lived in a very deliberate and delicate balance." When we solely operate at either end of a spectrum, things become unhealthy and devoid the grace and guidance of God's Holy Spirit. For instance, as Christians we are called to live in community with one another. There is no such thing as "lone ranger" Christianity. Living in community is not always easy because it requires "koinonia" or the sharing of life. The closer we come to one another the more we begin to recognize one another's blemishes and faults. The question is then, what do we do when recognition is made.

The one side of the spectrum is to take the 1 Cor. 5 approach devoid of a Luke 6 understanding. At this end, each person becomes a mini Judge Judy who is constantly looking to ensure that the church is pure of any fault. In this community life is extremely and perversely judgemental and legalistic, each member constantly pointing out the wrongs of others. The general attitude is one of religious egotism and pride, putting oneself over and above others. This system makes the sinner a spectacle and enables the "judges" to never look deep inside themselves at the sin that may corrupt their attitudes and judgement.

The opposite side of the spectrum is one that only reads Luke 6:37-38. At this end, the members of the community maintain a general aloofness and indifference toward one another's blatant sin. There is no mutual admonition and correction and instead to ensure that no one is "judging" nothing is said. As biblical as this might sound, "Who am I to tell another that they are sinning," it is exactly the opposite. To fail to hold one another accountable to the call that Christ has placed in our lives is to plant the seeds of self-destruction within any local community. Indifference is license to spiritual lethargy, personally and corporately.

So how do we walk the balance? Luke 6 I believe points us toward this balance. In this passage Jesus references a plank and a speck. Both pieces of wood can be debilitating and blinding and both need removed. In fact, I would go so far as to say that we do one another a disservice if we allow ourselves to walk around blind. But what Jesus says is that I can't recognize the speck until I have evaluated my own blindness. Am I making a "judgment" about another's impaired state of sinfulness out of my own sinfulness? Do I see myself as better than they? Am I jealous, envious, arrogant, or self-serving? Am I making my brother a spectacle to others? Only after we evaluate our intent can we make the appropriate call.

Accountablity (judgment calls about a person's spiritual health) can not be done out of a spirit of condemnation and self-righteousness. This is a cancer that destroys koinonia. Accountability is done out of a spirit of love, humility and directed by God's movement within the Body of Christ. The desire to remove the speck is for restoration and healing. It is the willingness to resist the urge to "leave it alone" and instead do the hard work of living in a community together. Accountability recognizes that the call of Christ and the purpose of our redemption is too important to submit ourselves to either side of the spectrum, the side that alienates and wounds or the side that perversely permits.