Sin Affects The Whole Body
Chapter 6 of Joshua records the account of the victory of God's elect over the city of Jericho. In verse 18, the word of the Lord regarding the spoils of the city are revealed. "And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed things, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing and make the camp of Israel a course and trouble it." (vs. 18). Thus, the command to refrain from the spoils was given. All of these were to be consecrated unto the Lord and come into the treasury of the Lord.
In chapter 7, vs. 1, however, we read of one individual's disobedience. "But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel" Due to his transgression the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel. As one continues to read the account, he finds that this one individual's sin caused the entirety of Israel to suffer. "So there went thither of the people about 3,000 men and they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down:" (7:4-5). Thus, due to the sin in the camp the whole body was affected. It was not until the sin was cleansed, 7:16-26, that victory over Ai was obtained, Joshua 8:1-29.
This same lesson is found in the New Testament also. In 1 Corinthians 5:1, we read of a member of the church in Corith who had involved himself in fornication. Rather than weeping and mourning and cleansing themselves of the sin, the congregation became puffed up, (5:2). Paul, at this time in his epistle, addresses this issue and demands them to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, (5:5). In verse 6, he explains that their glorying is not good. He then states why it was not good. "Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?" In other words, the apostle was telling the church that this one man's sins will ultimately affect the whole body.
We, in the churches of Christ, need desperately to learn this lesson. When sin raises its ugly head in our midst, we need to "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened." (1 Cor. 5:7). As long as we allow iniquity to persist among us, we can be assured that we will lose in the battle against Satan, just as Israel lost to Ai. When elderships come to realize that one of the purposes of disfellowshipping is in order to keep the bride of Christ pure, they will take the lead in the withdrawal from an individual in order to keep the church holy. When the church realizes the same, they will follow the elder's lead in the action rather than murmuring and complaining about the cruelty of the action. Is not the sin against God more severe than the withdrawal action in order to save the individual's soul and to purify the body?
Sin affects the whole camp. It did in Joshua's day. It did in the apostle Paul's day. And it continues to do so in our day. May elderships and congregations come tot his realization. And let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Cor. 5:8)
From Our Archives, 1986
By: Victor Eskew