Put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead.
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Where God dwells there must be purity:
I. God himself is pure, and cannot associate with the impure. If discipline is lax, God departs. It is not the large church, or the intelligent or the wealthy one, that attracts Him, but the pure one. As the lightning passes by the polished marble and the carved wood to touch the iron or steel, because there it finds something akin to itself, so God passes by those to dwell with the pure, because in them He finds a character akin to His own.
II. God will not, because he cannot, do any good to the impure. Any one tolerating sin would not appreciate the design of God and accept His blessing; and where He cannot bless, He will not come to dwell. Let us then “put out of the camp every leper,” everything that defileth; for the presence of God in our midst is of the utmost importance to us as His Church and people. His presence is essential.
1. To our comfort as Churches and Christians. What the shining sun is in nature His presence is with us--our brightness, our joy, &c.
2. To our prosperity. God with His Church has been in all ages the secret of its power and success. His presence is the life of the ministry and of all Christian work (D. Lloyd.)
The exclusion of the unclean:
I. As a sanitary measure.
1. The universal application of the rule.
2. The sacred reason by which it was enforced. Impurity separates from God.
II. As a spiritual parable.
1. Sin is a defiling thing.
2. Sin is a deadly thing.
3. Sin is a separating thing.
Where sin is cherished God will not dwell.
(1) The openly and persistently wicked should be expelled from the Church on earth.
(a) Because of their corrupt influence (1 Corinthians 5:6-13).
(b) Because of the dishonour to God which their presence in the Church involves.
(2) The wicked will be excluded from the city of God above.
Conclusion:
1. He who demands this purity has provided the means whereby we may attain unto it. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
2. Let us diligently use the means which He has provided. “Wash you, make you clean,” &c. (W. Jones.)
In the midst whereof I dwell--
God ever present with His people
This teaches us that God is evermore present with His people. This appeareth in the example of Joseph (Genesis 39:21; Genesis 39:23). I will propound a few reasons.
1. He will save those that are His. His presence is not a vain presence, neither is He an idle beholder of things that are done; but His presence is to prosper and to save (Jeremiah 30:11). We must not therefore dream of a presence that effecteth nothing, but rather willeth His people oftentimes to stand still, while He worketh all in all.
2. They have good success in their lawful labours, so that He maketh the works of their hands prosperous.
Uses:
1. For the increase of a sound faith in God. He leaveth them not to themselves; He with-draweth not His strength from them; He delivereth them not to the lust and pleasure of their enemies. This is it which He telleth Joshua after the death of Moses (Judges 1:5).
2. This teacheth us this good duty, that we take heed we do not defile ourselves with the pollutions of sin. For how shall we dare to commit sin that is so highly displeasing in His sight, forasmuch as He is with us to behold us and all our actions? (W. Attersoll.)
God dwelling with His people:
I. God is present with his people.
1. Influentially (Psalms 139:1; Psalms 139:10).
2. Sympathetically (Genesis 28:16-17; John 14:16-26; 1 John 1:3).
II. God is present in the midst of his people.
1. As to the centre of union.
2. As the source of blessing. Life, light, power, beauty, &c.
III. God’s presence in the midst of his people should exert a great and blessed influence upon them.
1. A restraint from sin.
2. An incentive to holiness.
3. An encouragement to duty.
4. An assurance of support in the toils and trials of life.
5. An assurance of victory in the conflicts of life.
6. An assurance of perfect salvation. (W. Jones.)
The presence of God among His people demands holiness on their part
Redemption was the basis of God’s dwelling in the midst of His people. But we must remember that discipline was essential to His continuance amongst them. He could not dwell where evil was deliberately sanctioned. It may, however, be said, in reply, “Does not God the Holy Ghost dwell in the individual believer, and yet there is much evil in him?” True, the Holy Ghost dwells in the believer, on the ground of accomplished redemption. He is there, not as the sanction of what is of nature, but as the seal of what is of Christ; and His presence and fellowship are enjoyed just in proportion as the evil in us is habitually judged. So also in reference to the assembly. No doubt, there is evil there--evil in each individual member, and therefore evil in the body corporate. But it must be judged; and, if judged, it is not allowed to act, it is rendered null. We are not to judge motives, but we are to judge ways. The very moment a man enters the assembly, he takes his place in that sphere where discipline is exercised upon ever, thing contrary to the holiness of the One who dwells there. And let not the reader suppose, for a moment, that the unity of the body is touched when the discipline of the house is maintained. We frequently hear it said of those who rightly seek to maintain the discipline of the house of God, that they are rending the body of Christ. There could hardly be a greater mistake. The fact is, the former is our bounden duty; the latter, an utter impossibility. The discipline of God’s house must be carried out; but the unity of Christ’s body can never be dissolved. And why, we may ask, was this separation demanded? Was it to uphold the reputation or respectability of the people? Nothing of the sort. What then? “That they defile not their camps in the midst whereof I dwell.” And so is it now. We do not judge and put away bad doctrine, in order to maintain our orthodoxy; neither do we judge and put away moral evil, in order to maintain our reputation and respectability. The only ground of judgment and putting away is this, “Holiness becometh Thine house, O Lord, forever.” God dwells in the midst of His people. (C. H. Mackintosh.)
No Church ought to tolerate open offenders:
No Church ought to tolerate any filthy livers, or unclean persons, or notorious offenders among them (Deuteronomy 23:17; 1 Corinthians 5:1-2; Ephesians 5:3-5). This truth may be further strengthened by many reasons.
1. For it is a comely thing for the saints of God to do so: that as they differ from heathen men, so they may differ from heathen meetings. Moses teacheth that they ought to put out evil from them, because they are an holy people (Deuteronomy 23:14).
2. For the neglect of this duty, the wrath of God falleth upon the sons of men. He is the God of order, and requireth that all things in the Church be done in order. Hence it is that the apostle saith (Colossians 3:6). And we have sundry examples of this in the people of Israel, who were diversely destroyed because of their sins (1 Corinthians 10:5).
3. We showed before that they were as unclean beasts, and should not be admitted to the fellowship of Christ’s sheep which are clean, lest they defile them through their contagion, and tread down with their feet the residue of their pastures. The apostle saith (1 Corinthians 5:6). Sin therefore being infectious, the sinner is not to be tolerated in the assembly of the righteous.
Uses:
1. It should minister great matter of much sorrow to every society of Christian men and women, when any of the congregation grow to be thus profane and defiled with the contagion of sin. Is it not a great grief to have any one member of the body cut off? This the apostle teacheth (1 Corinthians 5:2.)
2. It is a cause of great mercy and of a wonderful blessing from God, when such as transgress are resisted and punished. So long as sin is suffered, God is offended, and His wrath is extended over those places and persons. He hath a controversy against those that sin against Him.
3. Every congregation is bound to purge their own body from such excrements and filthiness as annoy it. We must have herein true zeal and godly courage in the cause of God and His truth. We must not stand in fear of the faces of men, though they be never so great and mighty. The censures of the Church must not be like the spider’s web, which catcheth flies and gnats, whereas the bigger creatures break from it. This reproveth such as dare not deal with great men, rich men, and mighty men: they are afraid to touch them lest they purchase their displeasure.
4. Is no Church to tolerate any open offenders among them? Then they must use the censure of excommunication as an ordinance of God, not an invention of men; and not only know the nature and use of it, but practise it to the glory of God, and to the good of others. This is it which our Saviour Christ hath left and commanded to be executed among us (Matthew 18:17). (W. Attersoll.)