Title: The Infectiousness of Sin/ Topic: Sin

Today’s Reading: Joshua 7; Joshua 8; Psalm 69; 1 Corinthians 5

Scripture: Joshua 7:1; 1Corinthians 5:1,12-13

1 But the Israelites acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things ; Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the LORD's anger burned against Israel.

1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father's wife.
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."

Observation: The story in Joshua 7 is a very sobering account of the infectiousness of sin. The entire nation of Israel suffers defeat because of the sin of one man. It even says that the Lord's anger burned against Israel (not just the perpetrator) and 36 men are killed when they go out to battle because of Achan's sin. It actually doesn't seem just to me and also incongruent with other verses where God declares that each man will die for his own sin, not for anyone else's. The only thing I can think of is that the whole nation knew that nothing from Jericho was to be taken as plunder and that others must have seen Achan do this but didn't say anything, bringing guilt on the whole group. Whatever the reason, it does demonstrate that other innocent people are damaged when any of us sin. What we do affects those around us. The passage in 1 Cor. 5 is related. The church knows there is a man living in gross sin but does nothing to confront him. The apostle Paul gives clear instruction that we are to judge those in the Church, who claim to be Christians but are clearly disobedient to God. We are not to judge non-believers, but we are to judge those in the Body and not allow overt disobedience to God. It damages the Body by allowing others to think they can have God in their lives without having to obey Him and it also damages the witness the Church has to the world.

Application: I have a responsibility to keep my life pure and free from sin. I must do this to stay close to the Lord and have his blessing on my life but also for the sake of others in the Church. I bring harm and shame not only to myself when I do not repent of sin but also to others. I am my brother's keeper. When sin stays hidden in anyone's life it brings ineffectiveness and powerlessness to the entire Body as well as to myself.

Prayer: Father, help me to hate sin and be ruthless in my desire to root it out of my life through repentance. And also help me to properly judge others; not to put them down, but for the purpose of helping them to come to repentance so that all of your people may abide in your blessing and experience your power.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.