Achan Revisited: Why His Sin Matters to Your Church

Achan Revisited: Why His Sin Matters to Your Church is the second in a two-part series of posts on Achan-like characters in churches. From our experience working to heal churches, their presence in churches is common. The consequences of tolerating them can be devastating for ministries. Like Israel, churches fall under a disciplinary curse when leaders fail to address those who taint their corporate holiness with Achan’s sin.

From God’s perspective, His people are holy, set apart to Him. He takes issue with us when we contaminate our collective holiness. God was passionate about Israel maintaining its sanctified condition. That’s why He took exception to Achan’s actions. He feels the same way about the Church. His passion for our holiness flows from His holy character. His holiness shapes His relationship with us. When something unholy exists among us, God takes it seriously.

Achan the Archetype

We read the story of Achan’s sin in Joshua 7, focusing on what he did wrong. But we overlook his impact on the larger body. His sinful choice led to defeat in battle and the death of numerous soldiers.

Do we see Achan-like scenarios in the New Testament? The Apostle Paul rebuked the church at Corinth for not disciplining one of their own who had “taken his father’s wife” (1 Cor. 5). Considering how the Corinthian church tolerated the offense, Paul took extreme measures. He delivered the evildoer over to Satan for “the destruction of his flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” Fortunately, the man repented and was restored to fellowship.

Sickness and death broke out in the Corinthian church tied to their mishandling of the Lord’s Table (1 Cor. 11). Jesus disciplined them because the church was not disciplining itself.  In Jesus’ Letters to the Seven Churches, Pergamum tolerated false teachers. He threatened to visit His sword on the perpetrators if the church did not deal with them.

Jesus’ letter to the church at Thyatira (Rev. 2:18-29) is another example. What was the church going to do with their “Jezebel,” a false teacher in their midst? Let’s say the elders responded to Jesus’ advice to repent, and deal with her. How many elder meetings would it take before confronting “Jezebel?” They would have to steel themselves because she would, no doubt, counter their charges of heresy. How would they handle the fallout in the congregation when her followers learned that the elders sought to “get rid of her?” Satan would frame it in their minds just that way! With a name like “Jezebel,” she was the vicious sort who would not go down without a fight. How much time in prayer would they need to spend seeking the Lord for courage and asking Him to protect the flock from further damage? Church leaders face the same issues when confronting Achan-like scenarios today.

Handle with Prayer

Addressing Achan-like situations takes time. It must be done thoughtfully and prayerfully, lest we bring more trouble on the congregation by mishandling it. Harsh over-correction can cause Divine disfavor, adding to the sin already in question.

Jesus allows churches the time to work through their issues. His disciplinary sword does not swoop down on a congregation, cutting and excising as soon as there is a problem. He wants the church to grow in maturity. It cannot do so unless they handle problematic situations themselves. He exercises patience with churches as He does with individuals like us. We must not mistake His patience, though, for tolerance. He expects church leaders to deal with known sin in the congregation, otherwise He will. Such is His commitment to holiness among His people. Is it time to address Achan’s sin in your church?

Mark Barnard serves with Blessing Point Ministries. Blessing Point has worked to heal ministries with painful histories since 2006. This post is an excerpt from Mark’s newest book, The Corporate Church: Why We Need to Get Our House in Order.