by: Mark Eaton
Luke 22:31 – 34 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.”
When I look back at my Christian life, I see many mistakes and failures. If I could go back and put into my life the ingredient of the focus of this message, I am sure I would have fewer failures and mistakes. The ingredient we will focus on is a key in helping weak Christians become strong and helping strong Christians remain strong.
Peter was not strong, but he thought that he was. Jesus was about to give Peter a great blessing. It was something that would help him become strong. Without it, Peter would have never accomplished much for Christ. Jesus was saying in essence, “Peter, you are not strong. I am going to help you get strong. After you are strong, THEN there is something I want you to do.”
Peter disagreed with the Lord concerning his lack of strength and said, “I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.”
This blessing that Christ was about to give Peter we desperately need in our lives. We parents need to be sure to give this blessing to our children. As Christians, we can give this blessing to each other.
Luke 22:59 – 62 “And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.”
Christ gave Peter accountability. Christ wanted to move Peter from weakness to strength, so He gave him accountability. Accountability is the state of being liable to answer for one’s conduct. Peter had denied the Lord three times. Christ had already told him that it would happen. Peter said, “No, I’m strong.” Jesus said, “Satan hath desired you. I prayed for you. When you are converted, then in your strength you will be able to strengthen the brethren.”
All of us are at different stages in our Christian life and growth. The stronger we are; the more God can use us. Praise God He is able to use even the weak, but He can do more with the strong.
After Peter’s denial, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked upon Peter; immediately, Peter remembered Christ’s words of warning. Christ did not say a word. He did not have to. Praise God for accountability. Peter’s life was never the same.
This accountability that Christ gave to Peter was a key ingredient that helped him move from weakness to strength. There is nothing wrong with being weak, but everything is wrong with staying weak! Being strong is having the strength to stand for God and not turn back. Standing for God means standing for right and doing right when everyone else is doing wrong. Peter thought he was strong, but he was weak.
Strength is the ability not to turn back no matter what anybody else says or does. Weakness is the possibility and the probability of turning back. God told Joshua, “You all get over that river, engage the enemy, conquer that land. There is no turning back. You must stay strong.” I am not saying that we can be perfect. I am not saying that we can move beyond backsliding. I am saying that we can move from weakness and the probability of turning back to strength and the resolve never to go back. Too many Christians go back! Too many church members go back! Too many preachers go back!! Too many husbands – too many wives! The world does not have one thing to offer us – not one thing!
Proverbs 27:6 “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” Real friends tell the truth even if that truth hurts. Peter did not want to hear the words. When Christ looked upon Peter, just that look broke this man to the point that he went out and wept bitterly. David experienced this when Nathan said, “Thou art the man.” Those words cut David to the heart, but David, who fell in weakness, repented and forsook his sin and had the joy of his salvation restored.
Sometimes we need our feet held to the fire. I need that! Peter needed that! David needed that! Accountability after sin helps us get right; but if accountability is woven throughout our lives, that will help us avoid the sin altogether. God will hold every man accountable at one of the judgments.
Matthew 12:36 “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” God is going to hold us accountable.
Romans 14:12 “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Some people live like there is no accounting for sin – they are wrong. God is going to hold each of us accountable for every word, every deed, every thought, everything. Nothing will be left out. Nothing will be overlooked. Nothing will be forgotten. But this accountability deals with sin in the past. There is an accountability that can keep us from future sin.
Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” One of the blessings of real friends is an added level of accountability. Accountability reminds us that our actions have consequences. The person here with the least accountability has the least reminders that their actions have consequences. Many children – precious, innocent children – are raised without any accountability and have no idea about the consequences of sin only to wake up to the reality after tasting the bitter fruit of their sin.
Number 1, Let’s be accountable to our Bible convictions. If you will be accountable to your convictions, this will help you move from weakness to strength. There are other levels and forms of accountability, but this is the foundation for them all. The Bible is truth. The Bible is steadfast. The Bible is without error. The Bible is the only infallible form of accountability on this earth. There is nothing else that I can hold and see and touch upon this earth that is without error. The Bible must be the basis for our accountability, and against the Bible all other accountability must be weighed. If the Bible says it is right – it is right. If the Bible says it is wrong – it is wrong. This point is not a take-it or leave-it point. If you leave it, then chances are you will leave the faith someday.
Romans, chapter 4, speaking of Abraham says, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief: but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.” Too many people are staggering through life. The next verse says that Abraham was “fully persuaded.” Each and every one of us must become “fully persuaded” concerning the truth, power, and necessity of the Word of God. May God, through His Holy Spirit, right now bear witness with our spirits and grant us holy discernment in this area!
We will make a mess of our lives by neglecting Bible convictions. The truth is most of us know what the Bible teaches about many things. We know about absolutes. Many things are absolutely right or absolutely wrong. Many things are always wrong. Many things are always right. Most of us will admit that there have been times that we knew something was absolutely wrong, and we did it anyway. When we do that, we are refusing to be accountable to Bible convictions. When we do that, we know what is right, but we willfully choose wrong over right. Never, never does this end well! People say, “Well, I feel…” Your feeling will get you into trouble. People say, “I deserve…” You deserve hell. I deserve hell. People say, “I think…” It does not matter what you say. I want to know what God says. And we have all been there.
Bible convictions do not change because the Bible does not change. Your convictions might change, but the Bible has not. Allow the eternal, everlasting, innocent, complete, perfect will of God hold you accountable.
Number 2, Let’s be accountable to Godly Company. I love church because that is where my friends are. I really believe that the more accountability we have, the better off we will be. We start with the Bible and convictions, but then we allow people who God has placed in our lives to hold us accountable. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.”
Peter was not in the battle alone. Jesus Christ was praying for him. Jesus was holding him accountable. In Bible convictions, we have a fundamental accountability. In good, Godly company we find an accountability that encourages us to do right. Good accountability comes from good company. You will not find accountability in the wrong crowd.
My children need me to hold them accountable. My children need their mother to hold them accountable. Children need a mother and a father. Your children need responsibilities and then you need to hold them accountable. This is for our children, but it is also for me. I need my wife to hold me accountable. A husband comes home. His wife asks him where he has been, and he blurts out, “None of your business.” He is an idiot! It is my wife’s business where I have been. It is my wife’s business who I have been talking to. It is my wife’s business what I have been doing.
Ephesians 5:21, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” When you got married, God took two lives and joined them together. It is not two, it is one.
Genesis 2:24, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” It is not his life and her life, it’s their life. A man gets off the phone and his wife asks, “Who was that?” Praise the Lord for accountability. Accountability is safe. My wife has all my computer passwords, and she is welcome to them. My wife is welcome to my phone anytime. There is a reason some people are so protective of their cell phones. I will tell you a good philosophy to adopt at your house – NO SECRETS. Secrets will get you into trouble. Secrets are a tool of the devil.
Young men need a godly man to hold them accountable. Young ladies need a godly lady to hold them accountable. I have heard of pastors who got into some trouble and said something like, “I don’t answer to anyone but God.” STUPID – no wonder you messed up! Pornography is more common than we would like to think. One of the keys to victory over that lust is accountability. It is good and wise to have an accountability partner—someone you trust. You have to trust them because you have to let them get close enough to you to help you.
Secrets that are hidden can fester and grow and spread until they are serious infections. People usually do not get into deep sin overnight. Marriages usually are not ruined overnight. It happens over weeks and months and sometimes years. During those weeks and months of backsliding, there are many opportunities for accountability if there was just one friend who would ask the hard question.
Fellowship with God’s people provides accountability. The teaching and preaching of God’s Word provides accountability. A good pastor can provide accountability. A Godly man several years my senior sat in my office this week and asked me to hold him accountable concerning his life, his children, and his wife. I do not take that responsibility lightly. Who is it that you are accountable to? Someone thinks to himself, “I’m accountable to myself.” I would not trade places with you for a million dollars.
Number 3, Let’s be accountable to the Cross of Calvary. I Corinthians 1:18 “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” The cross is powerful. You and I, sinners bent towards sin, need something powerful to keep us in check. Think about what your sin cost Christ. Think about the suffering He endured for you.
Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The cross was a cross of shame. I know that our culture has adopted the cross as a decoration, but the Bible says Christ despised the shame. He hung on that cross naked, in shame, fully exposed for all to see – that was shameful. I know that our culture glorifies nakedness, but Christ was ashamed. My sin put Him on that cross. My sin caused Him to suffer, bleed, and die.
The cross helps me. Convictions are the foundation for accountability. Good company encourages me to do right. The cross motivates me.
The cross moves me. John 19:16-18 “Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.”
The thought of the cross moves me. Philippians 2:8 “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Christ died on that cross. They took His lifeless body and placed it in the tomb. And for three days, His body lay dead in that tomb. He is not on the cross! He is not in the tomb! He is alive and forever more will be. What motivation we have – the cross. The ultimate accountability begins when you bare your soul to God and trust Christ as your Savior.
Mark Eaton
Pastor
Central Baptist Church
Mount Vernon, KY