Re:Verse passage – Joshua 7:6-12, 20-21 (day four)
We live in a very individualistic culture here in the West. It’s easy for us to think of sin as mainly personal. “No one knows the sinful thought I had this morning,” we think, “it’s not impacting anyone else.” “Surely no one will be hurt if I take a few things for myself when no one is looking,” Achan probably thought.
But I don’t think the Kingdom of God shares this individualistic culture. Passages like this remind us that even private sins have corporate consequences. Living in genuine, Christian community with one another means that the sin of one person impacts the whole, just as the faith of one person impacts the whole. There are real people on the other side of our obedience.
As we look towards Good Friday, we can be grateful that the passion of Christ was big enough to cover us, both personally and collectively.