- Joshua 7:1 (NKJV)

As the children of Israel began to take possession of the land that God had promised them, something happened. When the City of Jericho was defeated, God warned the Israelites that they were not to take any of the plunder for themselves. A man named Achan decided to disobey. He secretly stole a few things. God saw it and brought Israel's progression into the Promised Land to a screeching halt.

From heaven's vantage point, Israel was infected with a deadly disease, and God told Joshua that there was only one way to deal with it:

"‘He who is taken with the accursed thing 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 a disgraceful thing in Israel.'" (Joshua 7:14-15 NKJV)

Notice that God didn't negotiate here. It was an ultimatum. The sin in Israel's midst had to be thoroughly annihilated. Nothing else would satisfy Him. It was all or nothing.

That's the stance God takes toward our sin, as well. He never negotiates with us. He never says, "You can do that on all the even days of the month but not on the odd days." No. It's always all or nothing. That's not to say God won't accept us unless we're sinless but that our goal should not be to cling to our sin but to be set free from it.

Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us ... (Hebrews 12:1 NKJV)

Discuss, Dig, Decide

Discuss this topic of negotiation. Do you consider yourself to be a good negotiator? Have you ever tried to negotiate with God? How did it turn out, and what did you learn?

Dig into Joshua 7. In what ways do you see the power and holiness of God in this story? What does this story reveal to you about the seriousness of sin? How do you think this incident changed the people's perspective on God's holiness? How does it change yours?

Decide to get honest with your group. Is there something you have been hiding from God, hoping to negotiate and eventually get your way? Take some time as a group and challenge each other to get real about any areas of your life that don't align with God's standard. Take some time to practice James 5:16.