The Cost of Lack of Accountability
Discover why obedience matters more than perfection and how King Saul’s story reveals the cost of avoiding accountability.
God Is Not Looking For Perfect People
God is not looking for perfect people, but for obedient people. Let that marinate.
Sometimes we say someone is “perfect,” but we usually mean they’re exceptional. The truth is, there is no perfect person. There never has been and never will be. What God gives us instead is grace.
One thing that goes hand in hand with obedience is accountability. Accountability is defined as:
“the state of being accountable, liable, or answerable.”
— Dictionary.com
You cannot be answerable or liable for something you’re not responsible for. We are accountable in many ways: for the gifts and talents God has given us, for our relationships as fathers or mothers, as sons or daughters, as employees in the workplace, and as citizens in our neighborhoods and societies.
In all of these areas, we are accountable for our words and deeds—and for the consequences that may arise from them.
In the workplace, smart managers don’t usually terminate a direct report for making mistakes. In fact, good leaders know how to create a blameless culture that encourages a fail-fast, learn-faster environment. But they will terminate a direct report who consistently demonstrates a lack of accountability.
God deals with us in a similar way. He doesn’t need you to be perfect, but He does want you to be accountable. Apostle Paul says:
“So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.”
— Romans 14:12 NIV
This speaks to final, end-time judgment. However, I’m focusing on accountability in the here and now—what it looks like in our everyday lives. In this post, I’ll be discussing what a lack of accountability looks like.
Three Key Elements of a Lack of Accountability
There are three key elements that reveal a lack of accountability: disobedience, avoiding responsibility by blaming others, and rationalization—making excuses for wrongdoing. We see all three play out clearly in the life of King Saul in 1 Samuel 15:10–29.
The first pillar of accountability is obedience—doing what God has commanded or called you to do. Earlier in chapter 15, Saul had been commanded by God, through the prophet Samuel, to wage war against the Amalekites and completely destroy them and their animals:
“Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.”
— v3
Saul failed to obey. He spared Agag, their king, and also kept the best of the livestock. This displeased God, who revealed it to Samuel. Samuel, in turn, grieved over Saul’s actions (v10–11). The matter was so serious that Samuel later described it as rebellion—comparing it to witchcraft:
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft…”
— v23
By calling it rebellion, Samuel was making it clear that Saul’s actions were not a mistake but an intentional act of defiance against God. Whenever you willfully do something the Bible condemns, you are also walking in rebellion.
Blaming Others
Next, after Samuel confronted Saul about disobeying God by sparing the animals, what did Saul do? He blamed his army.
“They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.”
— v15
Saul framed it as though the decision belonged to the people, but he was clearly responsible. Verse 9 makes that unmistakable:
“But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them.”
— v9
If you’re wondering how this act of disobedience rises to the level of rebellion, it’s right there in the text. Notice the phrase “were unwilling.” This wasn’t forgetfulness or misunderstanding. It was a deliberate choice to reject God’s command.
Making Excuses
Finally, in verse 24, after Saul’s attempt to blame his army fell apart, he admitted that he had sinned. Even then, his confession was half-hearted, because he added this:
“Then Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.’”
Whenever we apologize to God for wrongdoing, it must be total and unconditional. You can’t hedge. You can’t make excuses. God understands our mistakes and will forgive us when we ask—but He cannot use us if we refuse to be accountable for them.
Because of all this, God rejected Saul as king. Samuel told him:
“…you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
— v26
The Consequences of Rejection
Notice one more thing about King Saul. Even after God rejected him, he continued to sit on the throne. God was already done with him—the Spirit of God had left him, and he was tormented by an evil spirit. From there, his life spiraled downward. Instead of ruling, he spent his time chasing David all over the land, trying to kill him.
You might wonder why this matters. Here’s why.
Do you know a pastor or church leader you once admired, but now you’re scratching your head, wondering what happened—because they now say or do things that clearly aren’t biblical? It’s because God has already rejected them. They no longer carry God’s anointing.
One sign that God has rejected a pastor, church leader, or anyone at all is that they begin doing strange things—just like Saul did. Instead of governing, he obsessed over David. He consulted a witch. His behavior became erratic. In the same way, people like this may start acting strange, dressing strange, organizing strange programs, participating in questionable activities, or asking for strange donations.
When a Christian singer or musician starts performing strange events or singing strange songs, beware. It’s possible that God has rejected them.
Like King Saul, they no longer have revelation (1 Samuel 28:6). Remember how, in his desperation to hear from God, Saul went to consult the witch of Endor (v8)—something that would have been unthinkable before, especially since he himself had banished them from the land (v3). In the same way, these pastors and church leaders no longer speak by the Spirit of God, but are now inspired by demons.
Take Action
God doesn’t reject anyone because of their mistakes, but He will if they consistently fail to be accountable for them. Take action:
If you recognize that you are worshiping under the leadership of such a pastor, you would do well to find another church. Don’t make the mistake of remaining under them. This was the mistake of Jonathan: he remained aligned with his father, Saul, and perished on Mount Gilboa along with him (1 Samuel 31:2).
Also, remember that Saul first disobeyed, and even though Samuel said the kingdom had been taken from him (1 Samuel 13:14), God overruled him. However, a lack of accountability is not something God will overlook forever. He ultimately rejected Saul. If God has given you a responsibility, make sure He doesn’t reject you because you fail to be accountable.