Would you like to see what we have written on a subject? Use the search below.

[If you purchase anything on this site, I may make a commission. Disclosure Policy]

Sin Of Others Hurts Us

Why do we, whether as individuals, as a church, or as a nation, fail to possess our land—the inheritance God has for us? There can be many reasons: one of which is God's timing, and another significant one is either our sin or the sin of others. Problems are not always a sign of sin; sometimes they can be a reward! However, as we see below, sin can indeed be the cause of our problems.

"And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them...therefore the hearts of people melted and became like water. Then Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord..."O Lord, what shall I say when Israel turns its back before its enemies?"...So the Lord said to Joshua: "Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant..." Joshua 7:5-11, NKJV

Sometimes, it is not even our sin! These thirty-six men died, and their families were left husbandless and fatherless because of another man's sin. We never sin alone; our sin affects others even if we don't see it, and the sin of others can have an impact on us. The sin of doubt and fear of the ten spies Moses sent into the land of Canaan turned an entire nation, with the exceptions of Joshua, Caleb, and Moses, against the purpose of God and caused them to wander in the wilderness until another generation arose who would have faith. These faithless spies also delayed Joshua and Caleb from entering the promised land for 40 years. Joshua and Caleb had faith to take the land, but they spent 40 years of their lives wandering in the desert because of the actions of others.

The Sin Of Others May Delay But Not Prevent The Will Of God

This may seem unfair, but let's look at it.

First, no one can delay or hinder your personal relationship with God. That is between you and Him. Joshua was initially prevented from entering the promised land because of the sin of others, but nothing could hinder his relationship with God. Such apparent setbacks can even drive us closer to God. We must be firm and not allow any disappointment or tragedy to drive us away from God.

Second, sin is ugly. Sometimes, we think it isn't so bad—nobody's getting hurt, nobody knows, etc. Sin will always affect those around us, whether we see the immediate connection or not. I'm sure Achan thought his sin would go unnoticed and not impact anyone else, but thirty-six innocent men died, and fear came upon an entire nation! Never think that your sin or mine is a personal matter. God has connected us like a seamless garment, and our sin affects others.

Third, Joshua went before God in tears [prayer] to discover what was wrong. God basically told him to quit whining and deal with the problem. Men and women of integrity who want to possess their land will not spend much time [or any time] in condemnation or regret for the past, but neither will they ignore it. The past affects the future. If it is a sin, it must be dealt with, and then we move on whether it is our sin or the sin of others. When we sin, we need to run to God immediately with repentance and receive His forgiveness. We are not to be condemned but to forsake our sin and move on in God. We also follow the Biblical standards for repairing, as much as possible, the damage we have done. If it is the sin of others, then we need to encourage them to repent; sometimes - as in this case of sin which affected a nation - it involves exposing the wrongdoer. Achan was unwilling to repent and forced the issue until it could no longer be hidden. The Biblical principle is to solve the problem in as small a circle as possible. If two people can Biblically deal with the issue, then that is as far as it needs to go. If not, then the circle keeps getting bigger until a solution is reached. The highest penalty a church can give an unrepentant member is excommunication.

Final note: If Joshua had consulted God BEFORE going into battle, the sin would have been revealed, and the men would not have lost their lives. No city [or problem] is too small to get counsel from God before tackling. We may not see the entire picture, but God does. God knows the sin of others as well as our own. Always take decisions to God before taking action. It will prevent a lot of heartache.

For more information about Glenn Davis, see our About Glenn page or visit Glenn Davis Books.

Please note: We no longer have the commenting feature [maybe again in the future]. Joshua Institute students who have questions or comments on their courses can use the contact button and mention the course name and lesson number in the email. Thank you. Glenn