“But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing; . . . and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel, ” Joshua 7:l

We all are acquainted with the account of how God gave Israel the victory over Jericho as the key city to the land of Canaan. We also know about Achan, who took of the things that God had cursed, things that Israel might not keep to themselves, and hid them in his tent. We know how God brought defeat upon Israel in their attack upon Ai, so that they were driven back from before the enemy. Scripture tells us of the distress of Joshua, how he cried to the Lord in the realization that if the Lord forsook them they could only expect defeat wherever they turned. What a disgrace this would bring upon Jehovah of Israel. God informed Joshua that one of their number had sinned by taking of the accursed thing, and that the Lord would not be with them until that “accursed thing” was taken away out of their midst. When Achan was exposed and admitted that he had stolen a Babylonian garment and a goodly amount of silver and gold, the people were called upon, likely through their leaders to put this evil out of their midst by stoning Achan, his family, and his cattle, and burying them with the stolen goods under a heap of stones that would stand as a witness of this horrible offence in the valley of Achor. Without removing this offence the children of Israel could not be forgiven the sin that they committed through Achan.

It cannot escape us, that God ascribes to all of Israel the sin committed by one of their number. “The children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing.” Verse 1. Again in verse 11, “Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.” (See also verse 18 of the previous chapter.)

This historical event plainly teaches us that there is a certain communal responsibility among the members of the church, as well as among sinners in the world.

There are other references to this in Scripture. In II Samuel 21 we read of the famine that God brought upon the land of Canaan for three years during the reign of David, because of the sin of Saul in slaying the Gibeonites, who were promised protection by Joshua when Israel captured the land of Canaan.

In II Samuel 24 we are told of the three day pestilence that came upon Israel, in which 70,000 died, because of David’s sin in counting the people.

This reminds us of the warning which God gives in the second command of His law, “For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.” Just as God’s covenant mercies continue in the line of continued generations of believers, so also God’s holy vengeance carries on in the generations, even from father to son, of the haters of God.

History bears that out. Parents exert a tremendous influence upon their children, even unconsciously, not only in that which is good, but also in that which is evil. Children are great imitators of their parents, so that the evil practices of the parents will show up in the children and in the grand-children. Moreover, certain character weaknesses, such as dishonesty, lying, stealing, immorality, drinking, gossiping and swearing, may very well appear in the succeeding generations. We do not live on an island. We influence others, not only in the home, but also in the church, and in the school. Sin works like a cancer in the church, until a large segment of the congregation is carried along with a certain sin.

Besides that, the sin of an individual member brings a certain responsibility upon all the members. Never may the sins of others be ignored as if that were none of our business. Never may we take the Cain attitude of “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The apostle Paul reminds us that we are all members of the body of Christ, and members one of another, so that if one member suffers we all suffer. If one member sins, we are all involved. In the affair of Achan no one seemed to know about his sin except possibly his immediate family. It does not seem likely that Achan could dig a hole in his tent and bury his loot without having the other family members know anything about it. But even so, the rest of the people must have been entirely ignorant of his transgression. Yet the sin was there, the “accursed thing” was in their camp, and all Israel suffered defeat at the hands of the men of Ai on account of it. Sin in a family necessarily involves the family, likewise in the school, and in the church.

The world of wicked men wants no part of this responsibility. Time and again we read of crimes committed openly, among many witnesses, yet no one interferes, no one wants to get involved. Every one acts as if he heard or saw nothing. People often refuse to be called as witnesses, because they take the “hands off” attitude.

That same attitude is often found in the church among fellow believers. It may be very well known that a member of the congregation is living in sin. There may even be a lot of gossip among the other members about it. Some will even ask, “Why does not the consistory do something about this?” But they themselves take no action. The sinner continues in his sin. The gossipers continue to spread their sorry tales. The evil works like a cancer in the congregation. Those outside of the congregation point the accusing finger at the whole flock. “That is the kind of church that is.”

That same attitude is naturally found often in both the elementary grades and in the high school. No one likes a tattle tale, or tale bearer. Small children, who like to tell the teacher about the wrongs done by other pupils, are told that they must not be tattle tales. That is proper, of course, but where does our responsibility enter in, and what do we do about it?

There is a grave danger that we become scandalmongers. One whispers behind his hand: “Someone stole a book from the class room.” The second one confides in his friend, “Someone stole a typewriter from the school. ” The third confidently adds, “You know Jim, well, I think he is the one who stole the typewriter.” And the fourth one goes around assuring his friends that Jim steals typewriters and other stuff and sells them. Jim gets a bad name. His family is looked down on. And the school is condemned for harboring thieves.

Yet no one will “squeal”, even though he knows the facts. There is a certain unwritten law among classmates that they owe it to their peers to cover up for them, anyone who would dare to break that unwritten law would be ostracized by the whole class. One seems to owe it to his classmates to say nothing that would expose the sin of the guilty party. No, not even if the wrong person should be accused and punished for it.

The question is, do we not have a responsibility to our God and to our conscience? Are we selfishly protecting ourselves from criticism and scorn because we are afraid to expose the sinner? Are we bringing God’s disapproval on the school or church in order to protect ourselves?

Discipline is one of the earmarks of the true church. Where discipline is neglected the church is on its way to becoming a false church. God will not be mocked. It is true, that the consistory carries the keys of the kingdom and must exercise discipline in Christ’s name. But does that relieve us of all personal responsibility?

What should we do when a sin is present among us and we are aware of it? Should we play possum? Should we pass this piece of information around among our friends as a choice morsel of gossip? Or should we have the spiritual strength and courage to travel that steep and hard road prescribed to us in Matthew 18? Should we speak to that person and tell him what he is doing to himself, and likewise to all those around him? And if that should fail, shouldn’t we be honest enough to report that to the proper authorities, whether in the home, in the school, or in the church? What do you think?

Achan’s sin had to be confessed and done away. For there is forgiveness through the cross of our Savior. Israel found that to be the solution, the only solution to their problem, the only way in which they could successfully conquer Canaan and inherit the promised land.