Put Out Without the Camp
Under the Law of Moses, if a man was found to be leprous, or defiled by the dead, he was to be put without the camp until he was clean, "Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead: Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell" (Num 5:2 & 3). The lesson is plain, that any brother or sister who defiles the ecclesia by their actions must be "put out without the camp"Leprosy typifies sin, and what happened to Israel happened unto them "for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (ensamples: or, types) (1 Cor 10:11). The lesson is plain, that any brother or sister who defiles the ecclesia by their actions must be "put out without the camp".
Even a man who had come into contact with a dead body had to be "put out without the camp". Although the man had not sinned, he became defiled by contact with the dead, for death, as the consequence of sin, stands closely related to it, and so the man who touched a dead body was judged unclean. To quote Bro. Roberts, "The presence of death - the touch of death - means the presence of sin" (The Law of Moses, page 263). Contact with death stood for contact with sin - and it made a man unclean! To quote Bro. Roberts again, "Contact with death made a man defiled" (The Law of Moses, page 264). If a Nazarite came into contact with a dead body all the days of his vow of separation were lost. We read in Num 6:11 & 12, "And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned (Hebrew - chatta - trespassed) "Personal friendship often interferes with a clear and healthful discrimination of duty in divine matters, and so the guilt of an offender against God may cleave to us.....There is such a thing as being partakers of other mens sins" (1 Tim 5:22)by the dead.......but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled." We are Nazarites, and have made a vow of separation. The lesson is obvious that, if we associate with those who practice sinful ways we have "sinned by the dead", our separation has been "defiled", and we break the conditions of our vow! Bro. Roberts puts it very clearly in The Law of Moses, Page 284, "Personal friendship often interferes with a clear and healthful discrimination of duty in divine matters, and so the guilt of an offender against God may cleave to us.....There is such a thing as being partakers of other mens sins" (1 Tim 5:22). We may 'sin by the dead' while not sinning in our own action." This is clear teaching by Bro. Roberts of defilement by contact.
"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are"
The Apostle Paul, in 1 Cor 3:16 & 171 Cor 3:16 & 17 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are., writes that the believers are the temple, or dwelling-place of God, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are". Those who practice sinful ways are like the dead body - they defile those who associate with them in fellowship. Paul takes hold of this in 2 Cor 6:14-18, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Their actions will put them out of fellowship with Yahweh, and with His Son. How, then, can they expect to be in fellowship with brethren and sisters who are upholding the teaching of Christ?Like the Nazarite, we are commanded to be separate, and to touch not the unclean thing". If we do as we are commanded, then God will "receive" us, and be a "Father" unto us. The other side of the coin is that if we do not do as we are commanded, then God will not "receive" us, nor will he be a "Father" unto us, and we will not truly be his "sons and daughters". God said of Israel, "your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you" (Isa 59:2). The same will happen to those brethren and sisters who do not uphold the teaching of Christ in their lives. Their actions will put them out of fellowship with Yahweh, and with His Son. How, then, can they expect to be in fellowship with brethren and sisters who are upholding the teaching of Christ?