Nome, Alaska, is covered with snow nine months a year, making it look like a quaint winter wonderland of pure white. However, during the other three months, the temperature rises and the snow melts. Once the snow is gone, large amounts of debris are exposed. It is not uncommon to see yards filled with broken washing machines, junked cars, old toilets, scrap wood, and piles of non-degradable refuse. The yards are a mess all year, but during the long winters, the snow covers the mess. Could that be the story of our lives? On the surface, we look good, but below the surface, there is a mess. Everyone has some work to do. That takes us to our reading, Joshua 7:16-26.
The main character in our story is Achan. He was a soldier in Israel’s army when Israel defeated Jericho. It was a great military victory for Israel because no one predicted victory. God granted them the victory with only one condition: no soldier was to take any plunder. Plunder was how a soldier was normally paid. Refusing to take plunder showed obedience to God. The problem was that Achan did not obey that command. He took a beautiful mantle, along with some silver and gold. At first, his sin went unnoticed. It was only after Israel lost its next battle against the city of Ai that people began to ask questions. How could Israel defeat the superior forces of Jericho and then be defeated by the inferior forces of Ai? The answer to that question was sin. Achan reminds us that sin should be taken seriously.
Sin is any action, feeling, thought, or failure to act that violates God’s law, character, or perfect standard. Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” In my experience, most people do not take sin seriously. Rather than comparing ourselves to Jesus, the sinless One, we compare ourselves to other sinners. Our society has created three myths that lessen the seriousness of sin. In this blog, I will address those myths and use Achan’s story to illustrate each one.
Myth Number One: One sin will not hurt. That simply is not true. God commanded that no one take any plunder from Jericho, and everyone followed that command except Achan. Nearly 100% obedience was not good enough, because God expected 100% of the troops to obey the order. In God’s eyes, one sin does matter. The story ends with Achan being taken out and stoned. The point is clear: one sin does matter!
This is not an isolated case in the Bible. Adam and Eve committed just one sin and were expelled from the garden. Moses committed just one sin and was not permitted to enter the Promised Land. The sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, committed just one sin and died by fire. Uzzah committed just one sin, he accidentally touched the ark and died instantly. Even in the New Testament, God will not tolerate a single sin. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit and died. One sin does matter to God! The world says one sin won’t hurt. In God’s eyes, one sin does matter! Are you concerned about the sin in your life?
Myth Number Two: One sin will not affect others. That simply is not true. In our story, Achan’s sin affected many people. Without God’s protection, Israel lost thirty-six soldiers in a losing effort in a battle against Ai, bringing shame to the entire country. One person’s sin can affect the whole community by damaging relationships, eroding trust, and creating a ripple effect of negative consequences. How many examples do you need?
Vienna is a small town in northeast Ohio. Located twenty miles from my home, it has been on the local news regularly because it is in a fiscal emergency. Its budget is $1.3 million short. Part of the problem involved the township treasurer. Between August 2021 and March 2024, the treasurer made 127 electronic transfers from township accounts to pay for her personal expenses. Those transfers totaled more than $120,000. To balance the budget, the township was forced to lay off police officers and firefighters. The 4,000 residents of Vienna Township will tell you that one person’s sin affects others. Are you concerned about the sin in your life?
Myth Number Three: Sin can be hidden. That simply is not true. In our story, Achan hid his plunder in his tent, but Joshua found it. While it may be possible to hide your sins temporarily from the people in your life, it is not wise. Hiding sin creates guilt and stress, damages relationships, and frustrates spiritual growth. More importantly, it is impossible to hide your sins from God, who is omniscient. In other words, God is all-knowing. Proverbs 28:13 encourages us to confess our sins to God because we will receive mercy. Are you concerned about the sin in your life?
My Great-Uncle Grant was a dairy farmer near Conneaut, Ohio. He was the last person in the family to live on a farm. I remember visiting his farm as a small boy. He spent his life milking cows and worrying that one of them would wander off. He knew why cows wandered off. It started with a cow nibbling at a tuft of grass. When it had finished that tuft, it found another and then another. Each tuft of grass led the cow farther away from the farm until the cow had nibbled itself into being lost. Could that be our story?
You may have nibbled yourself away from God. It is easy to do. Perhaps you rationalized that one sin would not matter, would not hurt anyone, or could remain your little secret. But as you nibbled away at those little sins, you eventually became lost. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death.” Isn’t it time you took sin seriously?
Russ Adams 