The church of Jesus Christ has developed a distorted view of what corruption is. Not many Christians understand God's definition of corruption -- and few would admit they are guilty of it!

When we think of corrupt people, we think mostly of wicked sinners. According to our theology, corruption involves alcohol or drug abuse, adultery or fornication, cheating, gambling, homosexuality, murder, rape, incest and other such wicked deeds. We narrow down corruption to mean wild passions and life-controlling lusts.

Yet we have failed to understand how God looks at corruption! God's definition goes much deeper than the passions of the flesh. The word corrupt means "a change from what is solid and good to something that is putrid and decaying." Corruption signifies something that once was whole and well - but now it isn't, because decay and putrification have set in.

Israel was accused by God of a corruption surpassing even that of their godless enemies! While Moses was on the mount with the Lord, the Israelites decided to build an altar in honor of a golden calf. They ate, drank, danced and played before this empty idol. And God said to Moses, "...Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves" (Exodus 32:7). This corruption was so great in God's eyes, He threatened to consume them all on the spot: "And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation" (verses 9-10).

God relented, but what a serious charge! What had the people done to so enrage Him? Was it their drunkenness, their lust, their nudity? Was it their frivolity and playfulness during a solemn time? No -- it went much deeper than even their idolatry.

Only a few weeks before, these same Israelites had been delivered from the clutches of Pharaoh and his army. And they had stood amazed on the shore of the Red Sea, singing the Lord's praises: "...he hath triumphed gloriously.... The Lord is my strength and my song, and he is become my salvation.... Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy" (Exodus 15:1-2,6). Now, only a short time later, they were totally corrupted -- and on the verge of being wiped out by an offended God! The New Testament uses their example to warn us: "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest,lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief" (Hebrews 4:11).