There are many expectations from believers; from the time they commence a walk with the Lord. One of this is that they must endeavour to abide constantly on the Lord’s side. The children of Israel failed to stay on God’s side. This was why He, through Moses, called them back from their backsliding. “Who is on the Lord’s side? Let him come unto me.” The question Moses asked the Israelites required a practical answer that is not limited to physical movement to where he was.

It is to: one, separate them from the world and fully surrender to the Lord; two, come out of false worship into scriptural worship; three, turn away from backsliding and come to believe the truth; four, abandon the corruption and the corrupters, and cleave unto God and to godliness; five, turn from religious sinners and seek to please the Lord only, always and ever.

The same call comes to us today, to come out of occultism, false worship or the corruption that is peculiar to our families, schools and professions, and be on the Lord’s side. We must not just apply this call to newcomers, new converts or sinners alone. Being on the Lord’s side is relevant to everyone. After we are saved from sin, we must abide constantly on His side by living a life that is pleasing to Him always.

The corruption that pervaded the children of Israel was contagious as it defiled them all. Whether Moses was there or not, the Lord had a covenant with them and He expected them to abide by that standard. Sadly, corruption permeated the whole congregation and a weak Aaron then became the source and avenue of its spread. Actually, Aaron’s weakness made the people go from bad to worse. What Aaron did was peculiar. Other people could have done the same thing, but it would not have affected the nation.

If an individual decided to raise an idol, the others would deal with him and it would not go beyond that. But a leader’s sin becomes a leading sin. Similarly, a pastor’s sin becomes a pervading sin; a minister’s sin becomes a misleading sin; a shepherd’s sin becomes a shielded sin that others do not talk about or preach against. A father’s sin becomes a festering sin that eats into the lives of the children while the mother’s sin ultimately becomes a moulding sin. Eventually, the corruption that came into Israel became a naked sin, which was open and known to all; everyone did it. A naked sin soon becomes a nurtured sin. A little sin that slips into a congregation becomes a licensed sin, while an open sin becomes an operative sin when the people who commit them continue unchecked in the act.

God sent Moses to Pharaoh to let “my people” go. But now, because of their backsliding, God refers to them as “thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.” The corruption of Israel was a personal choice that became a national choice, because the Lord or another nation did not corrupt them. Their corruption came from their own heart. They “turned aside quickly out of the way.” This debunks the doctrine of eternal security that “once saved, always saved,” irrespective of your conducts thereafter. The children of Israel were “a stiff necked people.” They were rebellious against God and His word. Therefore, “the Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him…”

Corruption is evil; it ends in eternal destruction, devastation and damnation. That is why the Lord warns us to abstain from corruption if we will be on His side. When we are saved, our names are written in the book of life. Those who “draw back” into sin, like Aaron, Saul, Solomon, Samson and Judas Iscariot, will have their names taken out of His book. Corruption is pervasive, punishable and leads to perdition. Those who continue in corruption and die in that condition will be lost forever, but the prodigal’s restoration to divine favour require that they repent, turn to Him again and do the first works.

• Further Reading (King James Version): Exodus 32:26,7,8. Exodus 32:7-10; Deuteronomy 9:12,13,20; Hosea 9:9; Malachi 2:8,9; 2 Peter 2:17-20; Exodus 32:31-33; Joshua 24:20; Romans 11:22; Hebrews 10:38, 39; John 15:2,6.