If there is one thing I hate (although I am sure there is more then one) it is sin in the Church. I hate sin full stop, but sin in the Church, just seems like a double whammy.

I think we are familiar with the story of Achan. He sinned and the Israelites couldn't continue on until it was revealed who was the sinner and then that sinner was purged. So the Lord called him out tribe by tribe by clan by clan by family by family by man. Then Achan was stoned.

The beauty of the Cross though is that after confession there is forgiveness and Christ, by his suffering and death, made an atonement for the whole world and whosoever will may be saved (ht:d6), and so that means the sinner in the Church doesn't necessarily need to be stoned.

But in the meantime, before confession what happens? We stop. Our personal holiness affects our corporate holiness. Our personal fruit, good or bad, affects our corporate fruit. And you know a tree by it's fruit. So we stop....while we wait for confession and forgiveness we stop, halt in our tracks. Our fruit stops, and actually when fruit stops and is idle is when it begins to rot. On the vine and growing the fruit is good, but that banana on my kitchen table will begin to go bad very shortly if it stays idle. We will begin to go bad if we idle, but we cannot go on until sin is purged.

So how do we go about exposing this, so that we are not in halt position so long that we go bad? Joshua and the elders wore sackcloth and fell facedown on the dust. Maybe that's what we need to do - I'm game.

What about a big Church confession time. Everyone takes turns confessing and repenting of sin. And because of Jesus, we wont have to stone anyone. I bet we could get the whole world saved by our holiness in no time.

I realise I'm being a bit jumpy in this post - but I am just fed up with it.

Sin sucks.

Sidenote - I think it's kinda profound that the story of Achan is right after the victory of Jericho...hmm something to think about.

So, then - what is the balance between confidentiality and exposing the hidden sin? If someone confesses sin to you, but rejects accountability, and has asked you to keep it confidential?

Can I be so bold and suggest that confidentiality is sinful?

Well, now that I have been somewhat of a downer - let me end with some good news...
Jesus has made the atonement. There is no death for us. No stones or pebbles will be thrown our way. Repent. Confess. Be holy.

And if you aren't going to be Holy for yourself (although it is a much sweeter life then the ulterior) - do it for the Church, so we can move on.

Consecrate yourselves today - for tomorrow the Lord will do great things.