Week 3 – We Are Accountable to God

Nov 28, 2010 Gary Henry A - God's Existence

“And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked
and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).

Every day, we make decisions about what we’ll do and how we’ll live our lives. When we’re making these decisions, there is no truth more important for us to take into consideration than the truth about God. God not only exists, but He is the God “to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). We’re accountable to God for our actions. Some day, we’ll answer to Him for the lives we’ve lived.

If there were no God, there would be no such thing as objective “sin.” No action would be more “right” than any another, except from the standpoint of ever-changing human laws and customs. The law of the jungle (“might makes right”) would soon prevail. But, in fact, there is a God. He does have a will for us. We are accountable to Him, and we will be judged by Him. But we must not only grasp that these truths apply to the human race generally, we must see their importance to each of us personally. Not only is mankind accountable to God, we ourselves are accountable to Him. Every single one of us must deal with God!

God has created us as free moral agents: (1) We are agents in that we’re able to act. (2) We are moral agents in that we’re able to act either morally or immorally. (3) And we are free moral agents in that we’re able to decide whether our actions will be moral or not. As our Maker, God will one day call us to account for the choices we’ve made. We’ll be examined as to how we’ve used our freedom.

To the Athenians, Paul said, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30,31). This God to whom we are accountable is also the God who has made possible our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. Through Jesus Christ, it’s possible for us to look forward to God’s judgment with hope and love. But the first step we must take is to accept our personal responsibility as creatures of God. We must recognize that we’ll be judged by our Creator for the deeds we’ve done.

“The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling
He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works” (Psalm 33:13-15).

Monday: Psalm 14:1-3

Key Idea: Wisdom indicates that we should take the reality of God into very serious account in our daily activities.

1. What different ways might we describe the attitude of the “fool” in v.1? Consider also Psalm 10:4 and 36:1.
2. Which type of “atheist” do we encounter more often: the “theoretical” atheist (who intellectually denies God’s existence) or the “practical” atheist (who simply lives without taking God into account)? Is there any worse insult to God than simply to disregard Him?
3. What dangerous attitude toward God is reflected in Malachi 3:13-15?
4. In James 4:13-16, how does James warn us not to leave God out of our calculations? What is the “arrogance” and “boasting” he speaks of?

Tuesday: Psalm 139:1-12

Key Idea: God’s knowledge of everything we do is both sobering and comforting.

1. Why is it sobering to consider that God knows everything about us? Is there anywhere we can go to hide from God? What does Hebrews 4:12,13 say? See also Eccl. 12:14.
2. Is there any sin we can commit that God does not know about? What did Moses say in Psalm 90:8? In Acts 24:24,25, when Paul had a chance to talk about God to Felix, the Roman official, what topics were discussed?
3. Why is it comforting to know that we are always in God’s presence? Is there anywhere we can be that is beyond the reach of His help?
4. Since we’re accountable to God, what is one primary reason we should store up His word in our hearts, according to Psalm 119:11? What are some different ways God’s word protects us from sinning against Him?

Wednesday: Psalm 86:1-7

Key Idea: The God to whom we are accountable is a God of compassion and mercy.

1. How would we feel if we knew of our accountability to God but we didn’t know of His compassion? How will we live if we take into account both our accountability to God and His compassion toward us?
2. What is the thought expressed in Psalm 130:3,4? Consider that our knowledge of God’s holiness makes the knowledge of His forgiveness all the more joyful.
3. How would you summarize the thought of David’s prayer in Psalm 25:6-11? Which is our hope and confidence of salvation based upon: our own perfection or God’s mercy? In this Psalm, David’s confidence in God’s grace didn’t cause him to take the matter of sin any less seriously, did it?
4. Today, what are the conditions upon which we may enjoy God’s forgiveness?

Thursday: Psalm 51:14-17

Key Idea: What God seeks from us is a genuinely penitent heart.

1. In considering our accountability to God, it’s important to understand what it is that God seeks from us. What does David mean in v.17 when he says that the “sacrifices”God desires are “a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart”? On this point, read also Psalm 40:6-8.
2. What are some of the things that would be involved in a true attitude of repentance? Consider, for example, the importance of taking full personal responsibility for sin, without making excuses. What about the importance of recognizing that our sin is against God Himself? What can we learn from David’s confession of sin in 2 Samuel 12:13?
3. Carefully read Psalm 38:3-10. How seriously did David take the matter of sin? How deeply did he desire God’s forgiveness?
4. What is the difference between “godly sorrow” and the “sorrow of the world”? What is said about godly sorrow in 2 Corinthians 7:9-11?

Friday: Psalm 32:1-5

Key Idea: Nothing gives us greater joy than God’s forgiveness of our sins.

1. What does the word “blessed” mean in the Bible generally? In Psalm 32:1, who is the person who is “blessed”?
2. In vv.3-5, what had to happen before forgiveness could be enjoyed? What does 1 John 1:9 teach? What did David say happened when he “kept silent”? Consider Proverbs 28:13.
3. What longing is expressed in Psalm 80:3,7,19? When we’re forgiven by God, isn’t it true that our joy is in proportion to the depth of our sorrow before forgiveness? Without godly sorrow can we really appreciate forgiveness?
4. Think about this carefully: what are some of the good things we lose when we quit believing in the reality of sin? What about our society and civilization? What happens when people begin to drift away from the concept that certain actions are objectively sinful before God the Creator?
5. In practical terms, what should result in our lives from the joy and gratitude we feel for God’s forgiveness? In Titus 2:11-14, what does grace “teach” us to do? According to 1 Corinthians 15:9,10, what did Paul do as a result of his gratitude for God’s grace?

Putting It All Together

As beings created in God’s image, we’ve been given a free will, and we’re personally responsible for the actions we choose to engage in. In the end, every one of us will give account to God for the decisions we’ve made. We’ll answer for the times we’ve refused to do that which we knew to be God’s will. So before it’s too late, we need to seek God’s forgiveness for these sinful choices. Nothing in this life is more important or urgent. In Jesus Christ, God makes this forgiveness possible, but only for those who take seriously their accountability to Him.

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com