The Reason For Accountability

Introduction

House on fire, Has air pods in and is unaware of it, finally receives a call just in the knick of time.

You have the opportunity to be the the one calling out to the person who is unaware of the spiritually dangerous situation around them.

Those people may not understand the situation around them.

They may have stuff going on in their private lives.

They may be okay with being in a dangerous situation.

but we have a responsibility to show them the way out of the situation.

How do we do this?

Body

1 Timothy 1:18–20 CSB

18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the good fight, 19 having faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and have shipwrecked their faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

This passage brings up a unique situation.

It brings up two individuals Hymenaeus and Alexander, who both have rejected to fight the good fight and have thus shipwrecked their faith.

They had a sin problem, blasphemy.

Paul says a unique phrase in this passage, “I have delivered to Satan.”

What’s this mean?

This phrase is used in 1 Corinthians 5:5

1 Corinthians 5:5 CSB

5 hand that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

Paul is essentially saying that he has let them go on living in their sin, so that they see their need for Christ and will come back to the Lord.

Paul would have known for the biblical model of church discipline.

Every Christian is commanded by God to discipline their brothers and sisters in Christ in hopes that they come back to the Lord.

How would you handle this situation?

How does the bible say to handle this?

THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE CHRISTIANS

Matthew 18:15–20 CSB

15 “If your brother sins against you, go tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he won’t listen, take one or two others with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established. 17 If he doesn’t pay attention to them, tell the church. If he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like a Gentile and a tax collector to you. 18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven. 19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”

Go alone

This should be done as soon as possible.

The main focus here should be explaining why you came to them and explain the need to follow Christ and his plan.

Take one or two with you, so every fact can be established.

Perhaps they think that you are wrong in the way you believe, so bring others with you to strengthen your plea against them.

Tell the church

This may be seen as unloving or gossiping, but done in truth after the previous steps failed this can be an effective way for the church as a whole to help this Christian out.

It also helps when the “Christian” who has been justifying their sin hears from the church they belong to that it is not faithful to live as they have been living.

Let them be treated as unsaved

If a Christian remains in their sin after so many pleas from the local church, the reality of the situation is you strongly have to consider the genuineness of their salvation.

At the end of the day it is between them and God, but on the outside looking in if it is so visible that they are living in open rebellion to God, the faithful thing for you to do is to choose to approach them with the saving gospel of Christ.

Conclusion

Today choose to Love your fellow Christians and tell them of the sin they are living in.

Are you going to sit by and watch as the fire around them takes them or are you going to make the call and help your brother out?