Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach. Hebrews 13:13
What is the camp? And why should we be without (outside of) it? Today, I am going to take a quick peek at three different camps, and see if we can learn a few lessons from each of them.
The first camp is Christendom, the so-called Christian churches that make up most of the religious world around us. If we examine their doctrines and their practices, we will find most of them are nothing but religion with no evidence of the work of the Gospel or of the plain teaching of the Word of God. There are exceptions, of course, but most of these places are spiritually dead, even though there are a few true believers among them. I met a man one time who told me he was saved while attending his Catholic church. He was convicted of his sin and trusted the work of Christ. But he didn’t stay long, finding he was starving for fellowship with true believers and starving for spiritual food in a dead system. We have little trouble seeing the need to remain outside of that camp!
But there is another camp that we can sometimes have more trouble seeing the need to remain outside. That is the camp of evangelical, or professing evangelical churches. Many of these places have men (and women) who preach the Gospel, some as well as you will hear it preached in a Gospel Hall. In a measure, we can have some fellowship with these people, especially those who are truly saved and with whom we can discuss the things of the Lord. So why can’t we get together with them in evangelistic campaigns and community outreaches? Would we not be able to reach many more people with the Gospel? Maybe so. But if so, the Lord would bless despite our disobedience rather than because of our obedience. Many of these places use unscriptural practices. Even their leaders hold unscriptural positions. We should never engage in any Gospel activity in which we cannot carry out the clear Word of God. Sorry, but we must stay outside this camp.
When Moses and Joshua were descending the mountain with the Law, Joshua thought he heard the sound of war in the camp. But Moses corrected him, identifying the sound in the camp as those who were singing (Exodus 32:17-19. Joshua can be forgiven for mistaking the sound, because the songs and dancing were for worship of the golden calf, not for praise of the Lord. Much of what is passed off for Christian music today also sounds like it belongs in another venue, that of the world and its vile ways. As Christians, we need to remove ourselves outside the camp of entertainment that mocks God and glorifies sin.
Outside the camp, there is reproach. But there is also the Lord. – Jim MacIntosh