Accountability. I’ve been thinking about this word, lately. Proverbs 9:10 from the New American Standard version of the Bible states, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” If this is true, and I believe it is, does it follow that the rejection of God is the beginning of foolishness?
Psalms 53:1 states further, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God,’ They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; There is no one who does good.” Does accountability begin with having a healthy fear of God, too? I suppose if you reject God, you have no reason to fear Him. If people do not fear Him – the Holy One Who can condemn them to eternal damnation – they will act above the law, unaccountable to anyone. If they don’t fear Him, why would they choose to be accountable to law and order legislated or constituted by mere men and women, regardless of their title.
If a person is not accountable to anyone, then it’s easy to embrace the lie, “The ends justify the means,” popular with today’s culture. Once this false notion becomes internalized, corruptible flesh suffers corruption and then, that person rises above all authority – a god unto oneself.
I have become fully persuaded that it is a fearful thing to find oneself in the hands of an angry, Almighty Creator and Supreme Judge of the Universe, and discover, all too late, the ultimate, eternal accountability.