“And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins.””
(Numbers 16:26, ESV)
The context of this verse has to do with Korah’s rebellion where Korah seems to have been the leader. The situation is that Korah, a descendant of Levi, along with Dathan and Abiram, rose up with a group of well-known men against Moses and Aaron. They claimed equality with them and attempted to claim the priesthood conferred to the Aaronic line. Their rebellion resulted in the judgment of God against them. The Lord would cause the earth to split open and swallow up Korah, Dathan and Abiram, and their families.
The command given to the congregation reminds us of a universal principle. Do not become so connected to wicked people so that you go down with them. Paul wrote, “Bad company ruins good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33) and, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14). The principle here is one of separation. How do we practice this in the real world where we are to be in the world but not of the world?
We must be careful on two main fronts. First, on the doctrinal front we must be careful to avoid connections that would cause a muddying of our proclamation of truth. As a church we must protect ourselves doctrinally. This means being careful in making ministry connections with groups that do not hold to clear Christian orthodoxy. The individual Christian must also be careful not to bind himself with unbelievers.
Secondly, we must be careful on the moral front. Corrupt people often seem to bring good people down. Individuals need to exercise caution in their associations. While believers cannot avoid all associations with the unbelieving world, the must avoid morally compromising entanglements. The church must do the same by seeking high standards of moral uprightness for the fellowship. A failure to do so will affect its testimony and may begin an erosion of moral standards for the congregation.
Renewing the Heart 