Untitled Sermon (3)

B. THE SEPARATION OF CHRISTIANS

II Corinthians 6:14–18

Not many modern day Christians will care for this passage of Scripture on separation. The popular practice today is “mixing.” It seems that Christians are trying to be as much like the world as they can and claim that this is how they will win the world to Jesus. It is a vain thought and is only a lame excuse for carnality. Mixing (the opposite of separation) is the message and the practice and philosophy of many leaders in Christianity. Also mixing is the obvious agenda of many Christian fiction writers. However, separation not infiltration is the Scriptural exhortation when it comes to the world.

1. The Command for Separation (II Corinthians 6:14,17)

Separation from the world is a command not a suggestion or an option for the Christian life.

• The command involving connections. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (II Corinthians 6:14). The words “unequally yoked together” are translated from one Greek word which is a combination of two Greek words, namely, “heteros” (another/different) and “zugois” (yoke). Zodhiates said regarding its meaning, “To be yoked unequally, particularly in marriage.” Believers are not to marry unbelievers. The unequal yoke in marriage is a disaster for the believer. The principle of the unequal yoke goes beyond marriage, however. Any “intimate associations ought not to be formed by the people of God with those who are not His people … The worse a man is, the more openly opposed to Christ and His gospel, the greater the danger and evil of connection with him … it is the union of incongruous elements, of the devout and undevout, of the spiritual and the worldly, of the good and the evil, of the children of God and the children of the evil one, that the apostle exhorts Christians to avoid” (Hodge).

• The command involving company. “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord” (II Corinthians 6:17). This is the logical appendage to the command to not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. The evil and powerful influence of ungodly places, people and practices is too great and perilous for the believer to fraternize with the world. Believers live in the world and must be with worldlings every day. But they do not and should not fraternize and be intimate with the unholy world or it will defile their character and creed quickly.

• The command involving curiosity. “Touch not the unclean things” (II Corinthians 6:17). “Touch not” says to stay as far away from evil as you can. Do not even touch it. Satan would snare us with a touch; for once you touch, you often keep going until you embrace. Touching may seem so innocent. It speaks of curiosity. It is like the curiosity that causes a person to have a tendency to touch products on the shelves and tables in stores.

2. The Cause for Separation (II Corinthians 6:14–16)

The cause for the commands on separation are given by Paul. They are given in five rhetorical questions, all of which emphasize the great difference between faith and unbelief and the illogicalness of their association and union. We have divided the five questions into three categories as the five questions overlap a great deal in meaning.

• No communion. “What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (II Corinthians 6:14). Opposites do not have good fellowship because they have little in common, and here they also oppose each other.

• No concord. “What concord hath Christ with Belial?… and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols.” (II Corinthians 6:15,16). These questions especially attack the mixing of true and false religions. It tells the fundamentalists to stay away from the ecumenical crowd. Why join with those with whom you will have no agreement in the most important areas of life? The apostates have no concord with fundamentalists.

• No congruity. “What part hath he that believeth with an infidel” (II Corinthians 6:15). Faith and unbelief are not part of the same product. They have no relationship whatsoever. They are not the same kind. They are made out of different material.

3. The Compensations of Separation (II Corinthians 6:17,18)

Separation from the things of the world has some blessed compensations.

• Favor from God. “I will receive you” (II Corinthians 6:17). The word translated “receive” means “to receive into favor or communion” (Zodhiates). Favor from God is the greatest favor of all. Men fraternize with the world in order to be accepted by the world and to be favored by them. Believers should rather, in their conduct, cultivate acceptance and approval with God and the favor of God.

• Fellowship with God. “Will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (II Corinthians 6:18). This is not speaking of salvation. We do not obtain salvation by separation from the world. But separation does indeed promote our fellowship with God so that we sense in a wonderful and delightful way the presence of God as a loving, compassionate Father, not as a cold unfeeling monarch, dictator or tyrant. Those who do not separate from the world often complain that God seems so far off and they do not sense the sweet blessed presence of God in their lives. They have little if any fellowship with God through prayer and the study of God’s Word.

Butler, J. G. (2009). Analytical Bible Expositor: I & II Corinthians (pp. 211–212). Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.