What steps can we take to avoid hidden sins like Achan's in Joshua 7:16? Achan’s Secret Exposed “Joshua rose early the next morning and had Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected” (Joshua 7:16). One hidden act in Jericho became public under God’s searching gaze. Nothing stayed buried. Why Hidden Sin Is So Dangerous • God sees it all—“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight” (Hebrews 4:13). • It stalls spiritual progress—Israel could not advance at Ai while Achan’s loot lay buried (Joshua 7:12). • It spreads—Achan’s private theft brought national defeat; our private compromises affect families, churches, and witness. • It invites discipline—“He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper” (Proverbs 28:13). Practical Steps to Stay Clear of Hidden Sin 1. Examine your heart daily • Pray Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God…see if there is any offensive way in me”. • Invite the Holy Spirit to spotlight attitudes as well as actions. 2. Keep short accounts with God • The moment conviction strikes, confess—“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive” (1 John 1:9). • Delay breeds callousness; swift confession restores fellowship. 3. Practice radical honesty • No half-truths, no secret “stash.” Joshua 7 shows partial obedience is disobedience. • Memorize Ephesians 4:25: “Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully”. 4. Cultivate accountability • James 5:16: “Confess your sins to one another…so that you may be healed”. • Meet regularly with a trusted believer who asks the tough questions. 5. Guard entry points • What we see, click, and purchase can become modern “devoted things.” • Employ filters, budgets, and Sabbath rhythms to cut off temptation before it roots (Matthew 5:29-30). 6. Treasure Christ above all • Hidden sin flows from misplaced desire. Colossians 3:2: “Set your minds on things above”. • Worship, Scripture memory, and gratitude train the heart to prize Him more than forbidden gain. 7. Walk in the light continually • “Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). • Transparency becomes a lifestyle, not a last-ditch emergency. Walking in Persistent Transparency • Schedule regular “heart audits” using Psalm 19:12—“Cleanse me from my hidden faults”. • Celebrate every evidence of grace; the joy of obedience is deeper than the thrill of secrecy. • Remember Achan’s tragic end and Christ’s open tomb—choose the light that leads to life. Living Forward: A Community of Light When believers commit to confession, accountability, and truth, hidden sins lose their hiding places. Churches become bright beacons, families walk in peace, and personal witness rings true. Let Achan’s buried treasure remind us to keep nothing buried before the God who already knows—and gladly forgives. |
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