Until You Address It
Addressing only the visible symptoms of a problem, while ignoring its underlying root cause, leads to persistent failure. Similarly, repeating ineffective actions while expecting change is an exercise in futility. This principle applies spiritually: until sin is confronted and dealt with—both personally and corporately within the Church—victory remains out of reach in certain areas.
Scripture affirms this truth with clear examples. First, when the collective sin of Israel provoked God’s judgment, national repentance was required before restoration followed. Second, during Israel’s conquest of Canaan, one man’s concealed disobedience—Achan—caused military defeat. Only when his sin was exposed and removed did God grant victory. We are going to look at both cases in detail.
Case 1: The Zeal of Phinehas
In the first case, we examine adulterous Israel and zealous Phinehas. According to Scripture, God commanded the Israelites not to intermarry with neighboring nations—not out of ethnic prejudice or a general prohibition against intermarriage—but to guard His people from spiritual compromise. These surrounding nations worshiped false gods, and such unions would inevitably lead Israel into idolatry. God’s concern was not racial, but relational—protecting covenant faithfulness by preventing His people from becoming unequally yoked with those who did not serve Yahweh.
Exodus 34:15–16 and Deuteronomy 7:3–4 clearly warn Israel against intermarriage with pagan nations.
Deuteronomy 7:3 (ESV)
3 You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, 4 for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.
God calls His children today to the same standard of covenant faithfulness. In 2 Corinthians 6:14, Scripture warns believers: “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” This command is not about isolation, but about alignment. Just as Israel was warned against alliances that would compromise their spiritual integrity, Christians are urged to avoid binding partnerships that lead them away from wholehearted devotion to Christ.
Israel did not consistently uphold this commandment. In fact, Numbers 25 records a direct violation, as the nation engaged in sexual immorality with Moabite women and took part in pagan worship—exactly what God had explicitly forbidden.
Numbers 25:1–13 (ESV)
1 While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. 2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. 4 And the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.” 5 And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.”
Although the passage does not specify which individuals were involved in the sexual immorality with the Moabite women, God held the entire nation accountable, beginning His judgment with the leaders. This highlights a sobering biblical principle: corporate responsibility. In covenant communities, the sins of a few can bring consequences upon the whole, especially when left unchecked by those in positions of leadership.
6 And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting.
While the entire congregation mourned before the Tent of Meeting, grieving under God's judgment, one Israelite man brazenly brought a Midianite woman into his tent, right before the weeping assembly. His actions reflected not only personal rebellion but public contempt for God's holiness at a moment of national repentance.
7 When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand 8 and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped. 9 Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.
The plague that had already claimed 24,000 lives ceased only after Phinehas decisively confronted and removed the sin from among the people. His zealous action turned away God's wrath and restored order to the congregation.
In every congregation, there must be men and women who are zealous for the LORD—those who can discern when something is spiritually out of alignment and will take decisive action. When Phinehas witnessed the man’s open rebellion, he did not remain passive. He rose from among the assembly, left the congregation, and took a weapon in hand.
We must ask ourselves: What do we carry when confronting sin? Spiritual battles require spiritual weapons. Phinehas took a spear; we can take up the sword of the Spirit, which, according to Ephesians 6:17, is the Word of God. We should also take up prayer—our lifeline and spiritual covering.
Approach sin—both in your life and in the Church—armed with Scripture and intercession. But be mindful not to use fleshly weapons. Do not confront personal sin with the weapon of self-pity, which paralyzes instead of restoring. And when addressing other peoples’ sin, avoid using gossip, malice, or slander—these tools tear down rather than heal. Genuine healing and reprieve only begin when we properly confront sin.
10 And the LORD said to Moses, 11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy. 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace, 13 and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.’” (ESV)
If you desire to act like Phinehas—zealous for the Lord and confronting sin—you must first examine your own life. As Jesus teaches in Matthew 7:5, “First remove the log from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Personal integrity is a prerequisite for spiritual boldness.
Imagine if Phinehas had secretly harbored the same sin he condemned—if he had hid a Midianite woman in his own tent. His sin would have undermined his moral authority. He would neither have had the courage to act nor received God’s commendation. God honors those who confront sin with clean hands and a pure heart.
Case 2: The Sin of Achan
In the second case, following Moses’ death, the LORD appointed Joshua as Israel’s new leader to guide the nation into the Promised Land. God assured Joshua of His continued presence and unwavering support, declaring that just as He had been with Moses, so He would be with him and give him good success (Joshua 1:7).
God, through Moses, had previously given Israel a specific command that Joshua was expected to uphold. Deuteronomy 20:16–18 details God's instructions to Israel concerning the conquest of certain nations, emphasizing the complete removal of idolatrous influence to preserve the people's spiritual purity.
Deuteronomy 20:16–18 (ESV)
16 But in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes, 17 but you shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the LORD your God has commanded, 18 that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have done for their gods, and so you sin against the LORD your God.
Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River and secured a decisive victory at Jericho, marking a powerful beginning to their conquest of the Promised Land. The nation appeared to be experiencing unbroken success under God's direction. However, beneath the surface, there was hidden disobedience within the camp—an issue that would soon threaten their progress.
Joshua 7:1-26 (ESV)
1 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the LORD burned against the people of Israel.
A single act of disobedience by Achan—taking items that had been devoted to destruction—provoked God's wrath against the entire nation. Yet Israel was unaware of this hidden sin and, not recognizing that God's favor was withdrawn, confidently advanced to their next battle.
2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai, 5 and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.
Despite Ai being a smaller and seemingly weaker opponent, Israel suffered an unexpected defeat. This loss revealed a critical truth: victory is not determined by human strength or strategy, but by the presence of God. Unaware that Achan’s hidden sin had disrupted their covenant with the LORD, the people had moved forward against Ai without realizing their vulnerability.
6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord GOD, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?”
Joshua cried out to the LORD in distress over Israel’s unexpected defeat. In his anguish, Joshua sought God’s intervention, not realizing that the root issue lay within the people, not outside of them.
In a similar way, many believers today passionately pray for national revival—for God to address the moral decay, injustice, and brokenness in society. Yet, like Joshua, we may overlook the fact that revival begins not “out there,” but “in here.” Before God transforms a nation, He often calls His people to confront sin within themselves and within the Church. God's response to Joshua was direct: “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned…” (Joshua 7:10–11). Until the internal issue was exposed and removed, God would not grant victory.
10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.
Two significant truths emerge from these verses. First, although Achan alone committed the offense by taking what was devoted to destruction, God held the entire nation of Israel accountable. This illustrates a foundational principle of corporate responsibility in a covenant community. God regarded Israel not merely as individuals, but as a collective—a covenant people bound together in responsibility and purpose. Consequently, when one member violated the covenant, judgment fell upon the whole assembly. As Romans 5:12 teaches, “sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin,” and in a similar pattern, thirty-six Israelite soldiers perished because of Achan’s hidden transgression.
Today, this principle continues to apply. Believers in Christ are described as members of one body—a new covenant community of God’s people (see 1 Corinthians 12:27; Romans 12:4–5). Therefore, each part's faithfulness or failure affects the health of the whole.
Second, God withdrew His presence from Israel. God revealed to Joshua that because of the nation’s unaddressed sin, He wasn’t with them in battle and that was why they could not stand against their enemies. This highlights a sobering truth: some battles in our lives remain unwinnable without the presence of God.
Though Christ has secured ultimate victory over sin for the believer, persistent disobedience can lead us into spiritual defeat and separation from God’s favor. As God essentially said to Joshua, “This is not the time for lament—there is sin among you that must be dealt with.” God’s favor on the nation would only return after the sin was addressed.
Let’s now consider how Joshua responded to this call for repentance.
13 Get up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the LORD, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.” 14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the LORD takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the LORD takes shall come near by households. And the household that the LORD takes shall come near man by man. 15 And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel.’”
Achan had the opportunity to confess his sin privately to Joshua before the following day, but he chose silence. Perhaps he assumed others might be guilty too, and hoped to blend unnoticed into the crowd. However, God had already given Joshua a clear process of identification—beginning with the tribe, then the clan, then the household, and finally the individual. Despite this narrowing search, Achan clung to secrecy, hoping his transgression would remain hidden.
16 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
Although God already knew Achan was guilty, He instructed Joshua to follow a step-by-step process to uncover the source of Israel’s defeat. Why? Because God is not only just—He is merciful. This deliberate approach may have been an extended invitation for Achan to repent. At multiple stages—when the lot identified his tribe, then his clan, and finally his household—Achan had many opportunities to come forward. Yet he remained silent.
Rather than confessing, Achan likely hoped the lot would fall elsewhere. His unwillingness to acknowledge his sin suggests a heart hardened by fear of exposure, not reverence for the LORD. What might have changed if Achan had humbled himself and repented before being publicly identified? Scripture leaves that question open, but the process reminds us: God's judgment is often preceded by opportunities for repentance.
Do we truly fear the LORD enough to repent before our sin is exposed? When our wrongdoing is brought to light—whether by the conviction of the Spirit or the confrontation of others—is our reverence for God deep enough to lead us to immediate repentance, or do we rationalize and excuse our actions to avoid accountability?
Genuine repentance is not driven by fear of earthly consequences but by a holy fear of God and a recognition of sin's seriousness. As Romans 6:23 warns, “the wages of sin is death.” That includes every sin, no matter how small it may seem in our eyes. Therefore, repentance must be rooted in reverence, not reputation.
19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
Achan eventually confessed to stealing devoted items and hiding them beneath his tent—believing no one would discover his secret. He had dug a physical hole in his tent to conceal his sin, just as many today attempt to bury hidden sins within the recesses of the heart, hoping they will go unnoticed.
But Scripture reminds us there is no hiding from the One who sees all. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13, NIV). The God who knew what lay beneath Achan’s tent knows what lies buried in every heart.
Therefore, rather than concealing our sin, we are called to address it by bringing it into the light of God’s mercy—approaching His throne of grace with humility and repentance.
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. 23 And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the LORD. 24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.
The consequences of Achan’s sin extended beyond himself—his entire family and even his livestock were destroyed alongside him. This underscores the far-reaching impact of sin to those around us. Sometimes, the consequences of our unrepented sin affect those close to us. It was only after Israel fully removed the offender and destroyed the stolen devoted items that God's righteous anger was turned away.
Once the sin was dealt with, God’s favor returned. He then commanded Joshua to lead the people in a second assault against Ai—this time with the assurance of victory.
Victory after addressing sin
Joshua 8:1 (ESV)
1 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land. 2 And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its livestock you shall take as plunder for yourselves. Lay an ambush against the city, behind it.”
Joshua 8:24 (ESV)
24 When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them to the very last had fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it down with the edge of the sword.
Israel only experienced victory after they confronted and removed the sin within their camp. This principle still holds true today: there are spiritual battles we cannot win until personal and corporate sin is acknowledged and addressed.
Before believers can expect to influence the world or engage in spiritual warfare effectively, they must first pursue repentance and purity within their own lives and within the Church. The call to holiness begins “in the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17).
In conclusion, consider the following:
Personal Examination Are there sins we’ve justified, minimized, or ignored in our hearts? Have we become desensitized to behaviors that once brought conviction? Like David, let us humbly pray: “Search me, O God, and know my heart…” (Psalm 139:23).
Corporate Accountability Are there areas in the Church where sin is tolerated, overlooked, or left unaddressed? God holds His people collectively responsible for unrepented disobedience within the body.
Misaligned Expectations Are we asking God to transform our communities while refusing to confront sin within ourselves? Like Joshua, are we weeping over defeat while God is calling us to first deal with internal compromise?
The Path to Renewal Do we believe God stands ready to restore when we repent? Genuine victory—both personal and corporate—begins only when sin is exposed, confessed, and removed. Until then, we cannot walk in sustained victory or reflect Christ faithfully to the world.
Amen.
