The local church is an accountability club. We are here to hold one another to the standard of the truth. This is not permission to be hypercritical. Accountability is meant to prevent anything hypocritical. 

When sin is discovered. It is not our job to help keep it a secret. It is our job to help bring repentance. If that demands exposure, even public exposure, then so be it. 

11 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.” (Eph 5:11–13, NKJV)

15 “Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” (Matt 18:15–17, NKJV)

Let’s combine these passages and principles and recognize the process: Sin has happened… What now? 

(1) Go to the sinner privately—not to support it, but to stop it. Initially, this private approach protects them and limits the spread. You’re trying to gain back a brother. What if they don’t listen? 

(2) Get a few to join you and go together. The next necessary step is to include a few people from the community to add pressure. 

— Carefully notice it is not your job to protect the sinner, but to confront the sinner. The guilty will often try to protect themselves: “Don’t tell anyone… This will ruin me…” Don’t let sin-hiders guilt you into helping them hide their sin. — 

What if they still won’t listen? 

(3) Get the entire community involved; the whole church needs to know about it now. The whole church can add pressure. You’re trying to gain back a brother… Gain back your Father’s child… When a sinner repents and comes home, the family is restored: your brother is home, your Father’s child is home. What if they still won’t listen? 

(4) The person should be put out of the community. If they will not listen to the community, allow the community to help; then they have nothing more in common with the community. 

Accountability is designed to help prevent sin, practice true repentance, and put into place protection against any further or future failure.