Reflection for Re’eih
“Purge Evil”
1 Corinthians 5:9-13
1 John 4:1-6
excerpted from TorahScope Apostolic Scriptures Reflections
This week we are examining Re’eih (Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17), and the teachings of Moses continue to reiterate many of his earlier instructions. Within this Torah reading, we see the concept of choosing to do what is right, according to the Holy One, strongly emphasized. In the opening three verses, the idea of using the senses—of seeing and of listening—in order to obey the Lord, is set before the Israelites. Obedience to God will result in His blessings, while disobedience to God will result in curses or penalties:
“Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn away out of the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known” (Deuteronomy 11:26-28, WMB).
When the Israelites entered into the Promised Land, Moses instructed how they were to “set the blessing on Mount Gerizim, and the curse on Mount Ebal” (Deuteronomy 11:29, WMB). From Deuteronomy 11:31-26:15, there is a restatement of many of the commandments which Israel has already been given in previous narratives, along with multiple exhortations by Moses to simply obey. There is, however, an additional admonition to the people of Israel beyond simply obeying the Lord. The Torah includes a definite requirement to purge evil from the camp, or root out and eliminate those who might badly influence the population. This is anticipated to occur via the introduction of false prophets or false dreamers, entering in and demonstrating various signs and wonders (Deuteronomy 13:1-4), but whose intention would be to cause rebellion and disobedience against the Lord. The Torah prescribes capital punishment as the means to purge the evil influence from Israel:
“That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw you aside out of the way which the LORD your God commanded you to walk in. So you shall remove the evil from among you” (Deuteronomy 13:5, WMB).
In both ancient times and down through the millennia, there has been a chronic problem with various people and voices coming into the company of followers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—who through their words, actions, teachings, and attitudes—actually influence others to turn away and apostatize from Him.
While the Torah’s warning might be more easily applied to those who act like magicians or wizards or con artists, many of those who come into the assembly, to lead people astray, are simply sinners, whose behavior has a fiercely negative influence on others. Multiple times within the Apostolic Scriptures, warnings are issued and instruction is delivered, on how to handle evil persons within the assembly. The Apostle Paul was extremely concerned about the problems which had erupted in Corinth, specifically over the issue of sexual immorality. While he did not advocate that the Corinthians stone any sinners to death (with Yeshua obviously having absorbed such a penalty in His own sacrifice), sinners were to be cast out and ejected:
“I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners; yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortionists, or with idolaters, for then you would have to leave the world. But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person. For what do I have to do with also judging those who are outside? Don’t you judge those who are within? But those who are outside, God judges. ‘Put away the wicked man from among yourselves’ [Deuteronomy 17:7; 19:19; 22:21, 24; 24:7]” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13, WMB).
What is most sad, about seeing this passage, is that Paul was not talking about Believers interacting with non-Believers who were out in the marketplace, who obviously needed the presence of Believers among them so that the light and goodness of the Messiah could be demonstrated to them. Paul is largely talking about “sexually immoral people” (1 Corinthians 5:9, NIV) within the company of Believers, whose actions had undeniably brought in an influence that needs to be vacated—so-called “brethren” who were actually wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15). Yet, by recognizable actions of immorality, covetousness, idol worship, reviling, excessive drinking, or swindling—their real identity as pretenders to the faith should have been obvious. Yeshua the Messiah warned His followers about those wolves who will enter in, but who are nothing more than practitioners of lawlessness:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity’ [Psalm 6:8]” (Matthew 7:15-23, WMB).
The Messiah taught His followers about bearing fruit. What can be understood, is that the true Believer will actually bear good spiritual fruit, in contrast to the non-Believer who will bear bad fruit. The ungodly actions mentioned by Paul to the Corinthians were obviously bad fruit, and those within the assembly needed to do something about it. These sinners needed to be called out, and dealt with in a straightforward manner. This is how bad, at least for Corinth, the problems had developed.
There are appropriate ways to minister to sinners, in an effort to see them repent (cf. Matthew 18:15-17). When confronted with their offenses, unfortunately, many sinners will not choose to change, and it may behoove the leadership to purge and ex-communicate a wicked and evil person. The understanding is that a little leaven will leaven the whole lump (Galatians 5:9-10), so a disruptive person or false teacher, once removed, can then be dealt with by God (1 Corinthians 5:12-13). Telling someone to leave a congregation or assembly is not at all a “fun” thing to do, but it is often necessary in order to maintain a healthy community of Believers.
How can we prevent ungodly influences from even entering into the assembly in the first place, and things getting out of control? The Apostle John gave some instruction to heed, as he described how the spirit of antimessiah/antichrist is most at work in the world. He implored Believers to test the spirits, requiring that each possess some level of the discerning of spirits. He admonished that every spirit was not of God, as many creep in unaware (Jude 4) to do their nefarious work:
“Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Yeshua the Messiah has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit who doesn’t confess that Yeshua the Messiah has come in the flesh is not of God; and this is the spirit of the Anti-messiah, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn’t listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:1-6, WMB).
The First Century Apostles were very aware of the problems which arose from all of the false teachers, false apostles, false prophets, and a whole cadre of immoral people, who came into the assemblies to wreak havoc among the holy ones or saints. Just read the admonitions of Paul, Peter, John, and Jude, and you will know that their warnings are real. Some of Yeshua’s warnings about false voices are most severe. Just like Moses taught the Ancient Israelites as they were preparing to enter the Promised Land, it is imperative that Believers today adhere to the same advice: purge the evil from among you. If we do not purge evil persons and evil influences from the sphere of our lives, then not only will we suffer the effects of their poisonous tongues and wicked ways, but the spiritual vitality of our assemblies and our ability to minister for the Lord will be detrimentally drained. The key, however, is to make sure that people are living lives in obedience to Him, being fully aware of the consequences of sin for the unrepentant.
What ungodly or evil influences in our life, or the life of your Messianic congregation, need to be purged? How do you intend to see evil stopped at the door?
