Forgive and Forget?

Does accountability contradict forgiveness? If people of Christian faith are supposed to be people who forgive and show grace, does this mean that we should not hold people accountable for wrongdoing? Should we simply forgive and forget the offenses of others?

To be sure, God is exceedingly gracious and empowers the people of God to forgive others. Our ability to forgive deliberately runs against the grain of the rest of the world. It is counter-cultural and it is powerful.

But accountability is also a necessary part of our faith. When we hold others accountable, it becomes the means by which we move in the direction of change. Accountability is not about punishment, but about positive change.

In the spirit of accountability Jesus overturned the tables of money changers and merchants in the temple of Jerusalem. The purpose was not simply to express outrage, but to call God’s people to something different.

In the same way, Christians must lead the call for racial justice in our world. Join us for online worship this Sunday as we take a closer look at accountability and the church!

Blessings,
Pastor Paul Cook