The Spirit searches...
When it comes to things that happen in the realm of man, a person has to see a person do something wrong for that person to be held accountable. Or, a person has to reveal their actions.
In the realm of the Spirit's operation, God sees everything. Everything. God even searches the motives and intentions of people. God understands things about us that we fail to understand about ourselves.
We often only concern ourselves with what people "catch" us doing. That's a dangerous attitude. We're already caught.
That being said, God does use human beings to hold us accountable. These people --be they social forces, such as police, or church family, such as leaders and each other-- do not know everything, but God knows. Even if we do get over on people, we don't get over on God.
When the Apostle Paul was dealing with the tumultuous Corinthians church, he said, "For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord." (1 Corinthians 5:3-5 ESV)
Paul wanted to address what was (1) plainly known --the sins of that congregation; they were no secret to Paul or the the church or to the public-- and he depended on his (2) apostolic calling / authority for them to respect his desire to hold them accountable and believed in (3) the Spirit's searching of men's hearts to bring them conviction.
When I read this, I ask myself if I am always ready for God to lead me --whether by chastisement or by edification-- no matter who the messenger is? I read this passage and evaluate if I am ready to be held accountable.
Whew...that's tough! However, when I think of how tough that is, I also remember how good God is.
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