Lessons from the Past
Israel had failed to put away from among them the "men of belial", and had become contaminated by them, for Yahweh says in Ps 50:18, "When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers" (hast...: Heb. thy portion was with). Yahweh says that those who were not adulterers were nevertheless partakers or fellowshippers with them by association". "By having their portion with them they had become defiled by that association.
In Haggai 2:11-13 we read, "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Fellowship with a holy (separated) person does not make one holy (separate). But fellowship with an unclean person makes one unclean, or defiled.Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean." The lesson is drawn between the principle of making holy or separate, and the principle of making unclean. Fellowship with a holy (separated) person does not make one holy (separate). But fellowship with an unclean person makes one unclean, or defiled.
Lot was told to get out of Sodom before Yahweh poured out His judgments on the city. And in Gen 19:15 we are told, "And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city". If Lot and his family had remained in Sodom, although they had not been perpetrators of the sins of Sodom, yet they would have been "consumed in the iniquity of the city". In fact, Lots wife remained in the city in her heart, and she was indeed "consumed in the iniquity of the city" - a clear case of defilement by contact - of suffering because of contact with the dead. Lot was warned against being consumed, not in his own iniquity, but in the iniquity of others. "Lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city"... "Touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins"... "Neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you"And his wife was actually consumed in the iniquity of others, because, although the angels had brought them out of the city, in her heart she had remained in Sodom.
When Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebelled against Yahweh's appointed leader, Moses, the ground opened up, presumably by an earthquake, and they went down alive into the abyss. And all those who associated themselves with them by standing by their tents, were also swallowed up. Moses had said to the people, "Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins" (Num 16:26). Those who were not implicated in the rebellion got away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram, for if they had not they would have been consumed, not in their own sins, but in "their" sins - the "sins" of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Here is yet another case where, if they had failed to separate themselves they would have become "partaker (koinoneo - sharer or fellowshipper) of other mens sins" (1 Tim 5:22).
When Israel captured Jericho Achan the son of Zerah took of the spoil which should have been devoted to Yahweh, as a result of this the anger of Yahweh fell upon Israel. "Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity" (Joshua 22:20). The condition laid upon Israel by Yahweh as a result of Achan's sin was, "Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you" (Joshua 7:12). In the case of Achan also we see others being involved in the sin of another. "Inaccurate ideas... that they are only in fellowship with those actually in their midst"The principle was remove that which offends against the Truth, and have no fellowship with it, or suffer rejection by Yahweh. If we fail to dissociate ourselves from those who sin against the Truth we become partakers (fellowshippers) of their sin.
Bro. Roberts wrote, "Some inaccurate ideas appear to be entertained by some on the subject of fellowship. They think they are not in fellowship with a meeting or ecclesia if they do not pay or receive a visit from it, and that they are only in fellowship with those actually in their midst. If this were correct, there would be no fellowship one with another in personal absence, whereas John declared this to have been the case with those from whom he was personally absent" (The Christadelphian, 1887, page 328). On another occasion Bro. Roberts said that fellowship "does not stop at the door of the meeting room".