We must all eventually be judged and held accountable for everything we do. This is the Law of Accountability. And again, this is just a part of the Law of Justice.

The Law of Accountability is requisite with the Law of Justice. Without accountability, there can be no justice, no righteous judgement, no mercy, no punishment for sin, and no blessings for faithfulness and obedience.

Evaluation is always taking place. Judgement and accountability are ongoing. We are all being judged and held accountable on a continual basis. Our actions are being recorded. Every day is a test. And every day we are being evaluated.

Thankfully, though, the great day of judgement is deferred, and justice is deferred, that we might have time to learn from our mistakes, improve ourselves, and develop faith in God; otherwise, there could be no righteous judgement or justice.

This is the day of grace. This is the time we have to benefit from the faith of others, and by faith rise to the challenge of receiving what is offered so graciously. As we receive what is offered, we abide, we abound, and we increase proportionally. As we decline what is offered, we diminish and multiply our sorrow and suffering incomprehensibly.

Judgement and accountability at high levels occur as we pass through important phases, stages, and changes in our lives. Before we came to this earth, we made choices, and we were judged. This continues throughout mortality and into eternity. As we are elevated to higher degrees of privilege and responsibility, we are evaluated and judged. When we die, we are judged. And at the resurrection we are judged, which is the final judgement relative to our choices and actions in this world. To describe what that judgement entails would take many pages. But suffice it to say, eventually we will face the total truth and be required to respond to it. For some, the truth is exalting, for others, it is not.

Often in life, it seems like there is no justice for the wicked. They seem to perpetually get away with all their corruption, evil, and wickedness, but be assured, God’s mill of justice may grind slowly, but it grinds exceedingly well. And the wicked must be allowed to do their wickedness to test the faithful, and to receive a righteous judgement for their crimes.

We are all held accountable according to the law we have received.

The first law we are accountable to is the Law of Conscience. This is that little voice and that little feeling deep inside of us, called conscience, that tells us what is true or false, right or wrong, good or evil, safe or dangerous, wise or foolish, a good idea or a really dumb idea. This is the voice of God to each of us guiding us in our lives. We will be held accountable for how we respond to this tiny little voice and feeling.

As we are taught additional principles, laws, and commandments of God, and as we have these teachings available to us, and as we are prompted to pursue them, we are held accountable accordingly. A true prophet of God explained this as follows:

“And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God. And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be damned; for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it.

“Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him. For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel.

“But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!”[1]

We will all be held accountable for our actions, to include our thoughts, words, and deeds.

This is the law of accountability.

In the next chapter, we will discuss the Laws of Justice and Judgement.

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[1] Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 9:23 – 27

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