THE CALL TO BE SEPARATE

2 CORINTHIANS 6:1

A. "WHEREFORE COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM, AND BE YE SEPARATE, SAITH THE LORD AND TOUCH NOT THE UNCLEAN THING; AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU, AND WILL BE A FATHER UNTO YOU, AND YE SHALL BE MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS SAITH THE LORD"
  1. This clarion call by Paul indicates:
    1. That the spiritual life of the Corinthians was in danger of being destroyed by the sinful influence of worldly association
    2. That there can be no compromise between light and darkness; nor can there be useful association between righteousness and unrighteousness
  2. Affiliation with the works of darkness:
    1. Leads to gross immorality
    2. It is a misrepresentation of the truth by those who are guilty of such association B. THE CALL TO BE SEPARATE:
  3. Is as old as the plan of redemption:
    1. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heal" - Gen. 3:15
    2. This "enmity" or opposition made itself known in the relationship of Cain and Abel - Gen. 4:6-8
    3. Paul illustrates this truth in these words, "But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit" - Gal. 4:21-31
  4. Paul's words are, in part, a quotation from Isaiah 52:11:
    1. "Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord"
    2. In Revelation 18:4 we have this same divine command repeated "Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues"
    3. "My people, go ye out of her midst and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the Lord" - Jer. 51:45
  5. The Divine reasons for the call to be separate are most obvious:
    1. Sinners will lead away from the Lord - Deut. 7:3-7
    2. The sad experience of such men as Solomon, Samson, and others witness to the deadly influence of the world upon God's children - Neh. 13:26; Judges 16:1-22 C. THE MESSAGE OF PAUL TO COME OUT AND BE SEPARATE IS OF SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE
  6. To God's remnant people, preparing for the coming of the Lord:
    1. We have the bitter experience of ancient Israel as a warning to us today - Num. 25:1-9
    2. If Satan can persuade us to mix with the world, he knows that we will become careless and abandon the great principles of Present truth
  7. Can it be that the lukewarmness of some of us is due to our familiarity with the pleasures of sin?
    1. The lust of the eye
    2. The pride of life
    3. And the lust of the flesh - I John 2:15-16
  8. The issues are clearly drawn; no one needs to be in darkness as to why we must be separate:
    1. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers"; compare Exodus 34:16 with Ezra 9:1-2;11,12; Ps. 106:35; James 4:4
    2. "For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?"; compare I Samuel 5:2-3 with I Kings 18:21; Ps. 16:1-6
    3. "And what communion hath light with darkness?" Read very prayerfully Romans 13:11-13; Phil. 2:15; I Thess. 5:4-8; I John 1:5-7
  9. A rich reward is promised to all who come out and be separate:
    1. They will be received into the fellowship of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - I John 1:3; 2 Cor. 13:14
    2. They will be declared sons and daughters of God and what an honor that is to us - John 1:11-13; I John 3:1-6
    3. Our finite minds cannot fathom the implication of our opening text
    4. There is not and there cannot be any helpful relation between the world and the children of God - James 4:4; I John 5:19
    5. To cater to the world is to make out-selves the enemies of God - Rom. 8:5-8; James 4:4


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