Accountability (n): The fact or condition of being accountable; responsibility.These two words might be the reason that Christianity is not terribly popular. People generally seem to not want to be held accountable for their actions, or have consequences to their decisions.
Consequences (n): A result or effect, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant.
(Definitions from the online "Oxford Dictionaries" http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/)
Nobody wants to be responsible for anything. There are rules and regulations governing everything we do or say or think (maybe not think, but almost.) You aren't allowed to ____. You aren't permitted to _______. Don\t _____. I'm certain you can fill in the blanks with any number of things that aren't allowed, or permitted.
In Matthew 5:3-11, Jesus outlines 9 different person-groups who are blessed, and the consequences of their conditions.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account." Matthew 5:3-11 ESV (http://www.blueletterbible.org)So, after this, He goes on to say that our righteousness has to exceed that of the Scribes and the Pharisees! (who, then, were viewed as being the most righteous there was.) Then, He goes on to take many of the 10 commandments and jack them up to the next level!
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire." Matthew 5:21-22 ESV (http://www.blueletterbible.org)Then, He ends the "Sermon on the Mount" with"
That's a pretty tall order.
“God’s love never ceases. Never. Though we spurn him. Ignore him. Reject him. Despise him. Disobey him. He will not change. Our evil cannot diminish his love. Our goodness cannot increase it. Our faith does not earn it anymore than our stupidity jeopardizes it. God doesn’t love us less if we fail or more if we succeed. God’s love never ceases.”What does this have to do with accountability and consequences? In Christianity, we are accountable to God; in thought, word, and deed. For things done, and left undone. (Actually, in all life, we are accountable to God. However, in Christianity, we are forgiven. C.S. Lewis says, "“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”) However, in Christianity, true believers are covered by the Lamb of God. (Max Lucado has said, "“In the Chinese language the word for righteousness is a combination of two characters, the figure of a lamb and a person. The lamb is on top, covering the person. Whenever God looks down at you, this is what he sees: the perfect Lamb of God covering you.” Max Lucado, Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine")
― Max Lucado, Just Like Jesus: A Heart Like His (https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/search?commit=Search&page=8&q=Max+Lucado&utf8=%E2%9C%93)
Here, in North America, we are not held accountable for much of anything. You can't make your payments? Declare bankruptcy. Don't "love" your spouse anymore? Get a divorce. Don't want the child you're carrying, anymore? Get an abortion. C.S. Lewis observed, many years ago, "“A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is... A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in.” ― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity"
Why does North America not think that marriage is for life, anymore? Why isn't bankruptcy, or divorce, or abortion a shame anymore? Why is everything talked about in shouts all the time? What ever happened to shame? It seems as though nobody knows how to blush over anything anymore. Shacking up, aborting, bankruptcy, cancer, "women issues", they're all spoken of openly; there isn't any "taboo" subjects left. Everything is all over the television, and the internet and the radio. (Actually, thinking about it, I lie: Christianity is taboo. Truly believing in the Son of God is taboo. Absolutes are taboo. Creation is taboo)
Judging is taboo. If you judge anything, the verse "they" quote is "Judge not lest you be judged". Ask them where in the Bible that is, they couldn't tell you, but they are certain it is in the Bible -- somewhere! (They're also certain the Bible says "might makes right", and "God is on the side of the strongest battalion.") It is Matthew 7:1.
A short couple of verses later, in Matthew 7:6, it states, "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you." People don't want to believe in absolutes because what they are currently believing is wrong. There is a God, and He does have Commandments, and He will judge.
