Exodus 12:38 “Among the People of God"

This mixed multitude, whom God permitted to leave with Israel, remains largely unknown to us. We do not know who they were or how many. What we do know is that some who escaped Egyptian slavery in search of promised freedom were not Israelites, yet they were assembled with Israel and collectively called Israel. In much the same way today, not all who attend church and claim Christian freedom are truly Christian, yet they are called Christian (Matthew 7:21).

When we intermingle with such people, we should not be overly critical or demanding of their motives. So long as their direction is toward the truth, we receive them and begin the work of instruction, taking hope in their willingness to attend church, to listen to preaching, or to show any interest at all in eternal matters. We do not ignore the difference and become like them, but remain true to Christ and to biblical teaching. We are not judges, and by remaining faithful to God’s Word, those who are present with malicious intent will, after repeated failure, often remove themselves (1 John 2:19).

The believing church itself is also a mixed multitude. We are not all at the same level of maturity, and we do not exercise our gifts in the same way (1 Corinthians 12:4–7). Some are strong students of Scripture; others struggle with the basics. Some are advanced in understanding, while others labor faithfully over the alphabet of faith. It is not equally easy for all to be consistent, courageous, or generous (Romans 12:6–9). Probably none of us are entirely free from mixed motives. Even within our own hearts, we find a mixed multitude (Jeremiah 17:9). Our decisions are shaped by competing thoughts, feelings, hopes, and fears. As Joseph Parker observed, “Herein is the delicacy of life, and herein the necessity for a discerning judgment and a sound discipline.”