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“Lookin' Out For #1” - �Bachman–Turner Overdrive ‧ 1975�

… I found out every trick in the book

And that there's only one way to get things done

I found out the only way to the top is looking out for number one

I mean you keep looking out for number one

Do these lyrics accurately reflect the attitudes

of today?

… Every day is an endless train

You got to ride it to the end of the line

Be a troubleshooter, blow the bad luck away

And you will make it to your station on time

… And you'll find out every trick in the book

And that there's only one way to get things done

You'll find out the only way to the top is looking out for number one

I mean you keep looking out for number one

… Every night is a different game

We got to work for our fortune and fame

Success is a ladder, take a step at a time

And the people will remember your name

… Yes, I found out all the tricks of the trade

And that there's only one way you're gonna get things done

I found out the only way to the top is looking out for number one

And that's me, I'm looking out for number one

… Every day is an endless train

But I ride it to the end of the line

I'm a real troubleshooter and I blow it away

No one's gonna get what's mine

… I found out every trick in the book

And that there's only one way to get things done

I found out the only way to the top is looking out for number one

I mean you keep looking out for number one

… That's us, keep looking out for number one

That's me, I'm looking out for number one

What is a more subtle, common way we show individualism?

Self-reliance

Reluctance to submit ourselves

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Read Genesis 4:6-9

Cain’s question assumes the answer to be “no”.

Why would he make that assumption?

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Read Joshua 6:15-19; 7:1, 11-12

Who, precisely, committed the sin?
Who felt the punishment from the sin?
How do you feel about this?
In what ways did all of the Israelites bear responsibility for Achan’s sin?

In Joshua 6–7, the text explicitly frames Achan’s sin as something that brought guilt and consequences on the entire community, not just on Achan alone. Several theological and narrative factors explain how all Israel bore responsibility in some sense:

Covenant solidarity (corporate identity)

Israel is portrayed as a covenant people, not just a collection of individuals. When one member violates the covenant, the whole body is described as affected.

Joshua 7:1 says: “But the Israelites acted unfaithfully…” even though the act was committed by Achan.
This reflects the biblical idea that the nation shares a corporate identity before God.

So the text intentionally treats Achan’s sin as Israel’s sin in a representative sense.

Shared accountability under the “devoted things” command

In Joshua 6, the entire nation was commanded regarding the devoted things from Jericho—nothing was to be taken.

The command was public and binding on all Israel under Joshua’s leadership.
Since the covenant was national, obedience was a collective obligation, not just an individual one.

Failure of communal vigilance

Achan’s act was hidden, but the community still bears indirect responsibility because:

The violation occurred within the camp.
There was no mechanism that prevented or detected the breach before it affected everyone.
Israel later learns that the sin was “in the midst of you” (Joshua 7:13), implying communal awareness and purification responsibility.

Consequences fell on the whole nation

Because of Achan’s sin:

Israel was defeated at Ai.
About 36 men died (Joshua 7:5).
The entire nation experienced fear and divine displeasure.

This shows the theological point that sin contaminates the covenant community, not just the individual.

Collective purification was required

The resolution of the crisis involved the whole nation:

Israel had to consecrate itself (Joshua 7:13).
The tribes, clans, and households were brought forward in a structured process to identify the offender.
The community participated in the judgment of Achan and removed the “accursed thing” from among them.

This shows that restoration required communal action, not just individual repentance.

Leadership and discernment responsibility

Joshua and the elders also bear a form of responsibility:

They did not initially discern the cause of Israel’s defeat.
Joshua’s lament (Joshua 7:7–9) shows that leadership failure in interpreting events is part of the narrative tension.

Summary

All Israel shares responsibility in Joshua 7 in three overlapping ways:

Covenantal: They are one people before God.
Communal: Sin within the camp affects the whole body.
Practical: Leadership and communal vigilance failed to prevent and initially detect the violation.

At the same time, the text does not erase Achan’s personal guilt—it holds both individual responsibility and corporate consequence together, which is a key feature of the narrative.

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Read Hebrews 10:19-25

According to verse 25, what is one of the purposes of the church meeting together?
In what ways do we accomplish this?
In what ways do we fall short?

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Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

What encouragement does this passage offer?
What convictions or warnings does it offer?

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Individualism

Strengths of an individualistic attitude

Personal responsibility
Taking initiative
Independence

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At what point does healthy independence become harmful self-reliance or�individualism?

Viewing relationships as optional
“Whatever feels right to me”
Individual desires override commitments
Correction and wisdom from others resisted; struggle to admit need, weakness, or dependence
In worship, “What do I get out of this?”
Personal comfort outweighs compassion
Spiritual independence from God
We must create our own identity, meaning, and purpose -> loss of shared purpose

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Application

If we believe the Biblical view of our communal nature and obligations, what changes for you?

What beliefs does it change?
What behaviors does it change?

What would it look like for Christians to embrace this view when it comes to our responsibility to others?
What are the blessings of being in community with other Christians vs a “me & Jesus” sort of faith?

1. What beliefs it changes

A. From “I’m only responsible for my own actions” → “I’m partly responsible for the systems I belong to”

You start to see yourself as embedded in communities—family, church, workplace, nation—where outcomes aren’t purely individual.

That doesn’t mean guilt is evenly distributed, but it shifts your mental model:

Individual actions matter

But group health is also morally significant

�

B. From “sin is only personal” → “sin can be structural or shared”

The Joshua narrative pushes the idea that wrongdoing isn’t only about private intent. It can:

contaminate a group environment

go unnoticed yet still have consequences

require communal correction, not just private repentance

This can extend (in modern terms) to things like:

enabling wrongdoing

ignoring injustice in a group you belong to

tolerating patterns that harm others

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C. From “justice is purely individual” → “justice includes restoration of community”

Instead of only asking “Who did it?” it also asks:

“What needs to be repaired in the community?”

“What conditions allowed this to happen?”

So justice becomes partly reconstructive, not just punitive.

�

2. What behaviors it changes

A. Increased attentiveness to group health

You become more likely to ask:

Is my workplace culture drifting in a harmful direction?

Are there behaviors being quietly tolerated that shouldn’t be?

Am I ignoring warning signs because “it’s not my problem”?

This is less about control and more about awareness and early correction.

�

B. Greater willingness to speak or act earlier

In a strict individualist mindset, people often wait until wrongdoing is obvious or “their business.”

A communal responsibility view pushes toward:

addressing small issues before they escalate

not outsourcing moral vigilance entirely to leadership

being willing to raise concerns even when not directly affected

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C. More humility about “I didn’t do it, so I’m fine”

It challenges passive detachment. You may become more likely to think:

“Am I indirectly supporting this?”

“Am I benefiting from something harmful without questioning it?”

That can change how you engage with institutions.

�

D. More emphasis on restoration over scapegoating

In Joshua 7, the resolution is removal of the wrongdoing and purification of the community, not just punishing Achan and moving on.

Applied today, this can lead to:

focusing on repair systems, not just blaming individuals

distinguishing between accountability and collective collapse

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A necessary balance (important)

This idea can be misunderstood in unhealthy ways if taken too far:

It does not mean you are guilty for things you didn’t do

It does not erase individual responsibility (Achan is still held accountable)

It does not justify guilt by association in a simplistic way

The biblical tension is both:

personal accountability is real

communal life is morally real too

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In short

Adopting this view tends to produce a mindset shift from:

“I’m responsible for my behavior within my life”

to something closer to:

“I’m responsible for my behavior and for how I participate in and influence the communities I’m part of.”

When Christians live in real community rather than isolation, a few key blessings tend to show up:

1) You’re formed in ways you can’t self-generate alone�In isolation, it’s easy to shape a version of faith that fits your preferences. In community, you get exposed to patience, forgiveness, humility, and love in real time—especially when people are different from you or even difficult to deal with. That friction often becomes a major tool for spiritual growth.

2) Encouragement when your faith is weak�No one sustains steady trust, hope, or obedience forever on their own strength. In community, other people carry you through seasons of doubt, grief, burnout, or spiritual dryness. That’s part of what “bearing one another’s burdens” looks like in practice.

3) Accountability that protects you from self-deception�It’s surprisingly easy to justify unhealthy habits, bitterness, or moral blind spots when you’re alone. Trusted Christian community provides gentle correction and honest reflection that helps keep a person aligned with their stated beliefs.

4) A fuller picture of God is reflected through others�A single person’s experience of God is real but partial. In community, you see different gifts, perspectives, and ways of loving and understanding God. Together, people reflect more of what Christianity claims about God’s character than any individual can alone.

5) Shared worship and sacraments deepen faith�Christianity has always treated shared practices—like prayer, communion, teaching, and worship—as formative, not optional extras. These practices root belief in something embodied and communal, not just internal and private.

6) You’re trained to love in a real-world sense�It’s easy to say “I love people” in theory. Community forces that love to become concrete: forgiveness after conflict, patience with differences, service when it costs something, and joy in others’ growth.

7) Mission and purpose expand beyond the self�A solitary faith can unintentionally shrink into personal comfort or self-improvement. Community pushes outward—toward serving others, caring for the vulnerable, and participating in something bigger than individual experience.

At the heart of it, Christian community is less about adding social life to faith and more about the idea that following Jesus Christ is meant to reshape how people live together, not just how individuals relate privately to God.

A “me & Jesus” version can be sincere, but it often misses how much of Christian teaching assumes transformation happens in relationship—with God and with other people.

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