The Community Action of………………..

“And if one member suffers, all the parts [share] the suffering; if one member is honored, all the members [share in] the enjoyment of it.

Now you [collectively] are Christ’s body and [individually] you are members of it, each part severally and distinct [each with his own place and function].”                 I Cor. 12:26-27  AMP

Just as there is a community action in righteousness, which means I am forgiven my sins “for Christ’s sake,” so there is a community action in sins.  (Eph. 4:32)

Achan’s sin resulted in the death of many of his fellow countrymen. For that reason Achan was discovered with his sin, which was stealing what belonged to God and his whole family was destroyed.  (Josh. 7:5, 24-25)  

His family suffered judgment with him as a symbol that no one sins unto himself any more than he dies unto himself.

Community sin begins with Adam; I am a sinner because he was.  But if I were the only sinner in the world, others would still suffer because of me.  In fact, the more godly my acquaintances and fellow Christians are, the more they will suffer because of my sin.  

Since I am not a solitary Christian but a member of a body, when I sin I infect the body and the cells nearest to me suffer the worst.   The Bible warns me against having a “root of bitterness” in me by which “many (are) defiled”  Heb. 12:15.

Paul warns that sin, like leaven, permeates the whole dough. (I Cor. 5:6)

So sensitive is my example to my fellow believers that even the “appearance” of sin must be avoided for their sakes. (I Thess. 5:22)

I must never repeat the behavior of Jeroboam, who “made Israel to sin”. (I Kings 14:16)   The tragedy of Jeroboam was that he never realized the community action of sin.   He sinned and a nation sinned with him.

I am encouraged by the “keeping” power of God, “The Lord is your keeper”. (Psalm 121:5)

If He is my Keeper, He will protect me from all harm, the harm to others as well as the harm from others.