Working with unbelievers

 

Working With Nonbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14–18)

In 2 Corinthians 6:14–18 Paul takes up the question of being mismatched (literally “unequally yoked”) with non-Christians. This has implications for both marriage (which is outside our scope here) and working relationships. Up to this point, Paul has vividly portrayed the importance of good relationships with the people with whom we live and work. Paul says in 1 Cor. 5:9–10 that we should work with non-Christians, and he discusses how to do so in 1 Cor. 10:25–33. (See “God’s Glory is the Ultimate Goal” (1 Cor. 10) for more).

Here, Paul cautions us about working arrangements with non-believers, invoking a reference to Deuteronomy 22:10 which warns against plowing with an ox and a donkey yoked together. Perhaps this is because the donkey would struggle to pull the ox’s load and the ox could not go at the faster donkey’s pace. In 2 Corinthians, Paul seems to be talking about a deeper spiritual reality, advising God’s people to be wary of yoking with people who serve lawlessness, darkness, idol worship, and Satan himself (2 Cor. 6:14-15).

While we’re clearly called to love, serve, and work with non-believers, Paul says not to be “unequally yoked” with them. What does it mean to be unequally yoked? The answer lies in the contrast to being yoked with Jesus, who says, “Take my yoke upon you.” (Matthew 11:29). One part of the yoke is around us, and the other is on Jesus’ shoulders. Jesus, like the lead ox in a team, determines our bearing, pace, and path, and we submit to his leadership. Through his yoke, we feel his pull, his guidance, his direction. By his yoke, he trains us to work effectively in his team. His yoke is what leads us, sensitizes us, and binds us to him. Being yoked to Jesus makes us partners with him in restoring God’s creation in every sphere of life, as we explored in 2 Cor. 5:16–21. No other yoke that would pull us away from the yoke of Jesus could ever be equal to that! “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light,” Jesus tells us (Matt. 11:29). Yet the work we are doing with him is no less than the transformation of the entire cosmos.

When Paul tells us not to be unequally yoked in working relationships, he is warning us not to get entangled in work commitments that prevent us from doing the work Jesus has for us or that prevents us from working in Jesus’ yoke. This has a strong ethical element. “What partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness?” Paul asks (2 Cor. 6:14). If the dictates of a work commitment lead us to harm customers, deceive constituents, mislead employees, abuse co-workers, pollute the environment, or such, then we have been yoked into a violation of our duties as stewards of God’s kingdom. Furthermore being yoked with Jesus leads us to work to reconcile and renew the world in light of God’s promises of the “kingdom come.”

To be unequally yoked with unbelievers, then, is to be in a situation or relationship that binds you to the decisions and actions of people who have values and purposes incompatible with Jesus’ values and purposes. We probably would—and should—do all we can to avoid working with those who would force us to act against our beliefs. But short of that, many of the motivations, values, and working methods of our supervisors and colleagues in most workplaces may not be compatible with our beliefs as Christians. And the environment and beliefs of those you work with may have a negative influence on your faith and experience of the Christian life. Nonetheless, most of us work among unbelievers, which as we have noted, Paul assumes is the normal situation for Christians. Then how are we to apply his prohibition against unequal yoking?

Let’s begin by looking at employment. Employment is an agreement in which you do the agreed upon work in return for the agreed upon remuneration. To the extent that you are able to voluntarily and justly terminate this contract in the event it becomes damaging to you or others, you are free to un-yoke. How do you know whether it is necessary to un-yoke or end an employment arrangement? We will look at two very different situations.

First, imagine you are employed by an organization that is generally ethical, but you are surrounded by people who do not believe as you do and whose influence is damaging your own faith life. This discernment may be different for different believers. Some are able to maintain their faith in the midst of temptations and unbelief all around them, and others are not. Temptations such as money, power, sexual immorality, and recognition can be overwhelming in many work environments, and Paul’s prohibition would suggest that it is better to remove yourself from that employment “yoke” than be defiled in body and spirit or to compromise your relationship with the Lord. On the other hand, others are able to work in the midst of those temptations as a witness to the truth and love and hope of the gospel. Usually they need someone outside the temptations of their workplace to help them maintain their faith.

Esther is an interesting example of this kind of situation. God called her into the harem of King Ahasuerus so that she would be able to serve as protector of her Jewish people (Esther 4:12-16). The temptations of that “work” were to protect her status and privilege as the king’s chosen queen (Esther 4:11-12). She might have succumbed to the temptations of that luxurious life if her uncle, Mordecai, hadn’t checked in with her daily (Esther 2:11) to guide her and eventually summon her to risk her life to save her people (Esther 4:8). (See “Working Within a Fallen System (Esther)” for more.)

Esther had considerable influence with the king but was also extremely vulnerable to his displeasure. This would seem to be a clear case of being “unequally yoked.” Yet in the end, her yoking to God proved stronger than her yoking to the king because she was willing to risk her life in order to do God’s will. This suggests that the more willing you are to suffer the consequences of saying “no” when called upon to violate your beliefs, the tighter the relationship you can take on with unbelievers, yet still remain yoked to Jesus. An important implication of this is to refrain from becoming so dependent on a job that you can’t afford to quit. If you take on expenses and debts up to, or even above, your level of income, any job can quickly become a kind of unequal yoking. Adopting a more modest standard of living and building up ample savings—if possible—may make it much easier to remain yoked with Christ if things go bad at work.

A second example of “unequal yoking” might be a business partnership with an unbeliever. It would be a much more equal partnership in terms of power, but equally risky in terms of ethics. When one partner signs a contract, spends money, buys or sells property—or violates the law—the other partner is bound by that action or decision. This kind of partnership could be more like the ox and the donkey – two partners pulling in opposite directions. Moreover, we know from experience that even partnerships between two believers also include some risk, given that Christians continue to be sinners too. All business partnerships, then, require wisdom and discernment and both the ability and the willingness to terminate the partnership if necessary, even if doing so would be very costly. Paul’s prohibition in 2 Corinthians 6should, at a minimum, serve as a cause for prayer and discernment before entering a partnership, and perhaps to including contractual limitations to the arrangement.

There are many other kinds of working relationships, of course, including buying and selling, investing, contracting and subcontracting, and trade associations. Paul’s warning against unequal yoking can help us discern how and when to enter into such relationships, and perhaps more importantly, how and when to exit them. In all these relationships, the danger increases when we become more dependent on them than on Christ.

Finally, we must be careful to not turn Paul’s words into an us-versus-them mentality against nonbelievers. We cannot judge or condemn nonbelievers as inherently unethical because Paul himself refused to do so. “For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? God will judge those outside” (1 Cor. 5:12–13). The truth is that we ourselves need Christ’s grace every day to keep us from leading others astray by our own sin. We are called not to judge, but to discern whether our work is fulfilling the purposes and ways of Christ.

14.

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,
says the Lord Almighty.”

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”

The Apostle Paul’s outline here is rather simple, and his outline will be our outline. In these verses, Paul gives us two commands. They form bookends to the passage, one at the beginning and one at the end, two central commands, and in between he gives reasons for command number one and reasons for command number two.

Look at the outline. Verse 14. Here’s the first command: Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, and then we have the word “for,” so he’s giving reasons why ought we to obey that command “for” and he gives several reasons, which run from verse 14 through to the middle of verse 16.

Go to the end of the passage, chapter 7, verse 1, “Since we have these promises,” now here’s the second command, “let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement.”

The first command, the reasons for the command follow. The second command, the reasons for the command come prior. That’s why he says “since we have these promises.” So what comes before in those Scripture passages which Paul quotes from are the promises that form the reasons for command number two. Command one, reasons, reasons, command two. That is our outline.

Look up at verse 14. So two commands God has for us.

Number one: Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. This command has Old Testament roots.

Deuteronomy 22: You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed lest the whole yield be forfeited, the crop that you have sown and the yield of the vineyard. You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. You shall not wear cloth of wool and linen mixed together.

Now that passage from Deuteronomy is one of those passages that you’ve probably heard before and maybe even have questions in your own mind. Okay, well, we don’t seem to really be bothered with those commandments, and sometimes you hear people say, “Oh, you silly evangelical Christians, your commands, your old-fashioned things about men and women or marriage or sexuality. Well, what about these other Old Testament commands? Plowing an ox with a donkey together, sowing two different kinds of seed.”

So why does Paul find some precedent for spiritual behavior in those sorts of Old Testament commands which talk about things being separate? Well, the idea was that you do not mix things that are fundamentally of a different kind.

So those examples in the life of ancient Israel were to reinforce their unique status before God, that they were a chosen nation, a royal priesthood. They were literally set apart.

So when cynics, or perhaps just honest questioners, will say, “Well, why don’t you follow these commands anymore?” which seems sort of irrelevant, well, the reason is some laws in the Old Testament prohibited what was abhorrent by nature while other laws prohibited things in order to teach Israel certain lessons about God and about Himself.

Don’t want to get too far in the weeds trying to understand the application of the Mosaic Law to our day. It’s not our covenant in the sense that it’s not a national covenant for us. It’s certainly not a covenant that we keep to earn favor with God, nor was it supposed to be for the Israelites.

But every law in the Old Testament has some bearing on the life of the Christian. So the Old Testament law may tell you to put a fence upon the outer rim of your roof. Well, I doubt that very many of us do that. But there’s a reason they did that in the ancient world, because you had flat roofs and that’s where you would go out in the cool of the evening, and so it was one way to love your neighbors that you would put this fence there so that people aren’t wandering out onto your roof and then they tumble and injured themselves or die.

So we don’t with our type of roofs and not hanging out on roofs very often, at least not in this part of town, we don’t feel obligated to obey that in the same way, and yet there is an application for us that with our own property we want to think of ways to be considerate of others.

So every Old Testament law, whether it’s directly applicable, has some lesson for us. And Paul is getting at this sort of idea. Under the law of Moses, you could not breed two different kinds of animals, you were not supposed to harness two different kinds of animals, and so Paul takes this lesson from the life of agriculture in ancient Israel and he applies it fittingly to believers and unbelievers. To put it sort of crassly, he’s saying they are two different breeds. Just as you would not yoke two different kinds of animals, this makes common sense, an ox and a donkey together, well, one is a very different sort of animal and one is bigger and one follows instructions differently, and you yoke these two types of animals, it’s not going to be a good way to plow your field because they don’t work together well. They’re not on the same page, they’re not thinking, one’s thinking very oxen thoughts and one very donkey thoughts, and they’re not going in the same direction.

And so Paul rightly takes this broader Old Testament principle and he applies it now to the life of the church, that you ought not to be unequally yoked. You picture, we don’t deal with yokes, but you’ve seen them. You know what they are. Put on two animals, whether wooden or steel or some other material. You need to be of the same mind, heading in the same direction. So the assumption is that Christians need to be careful because believers and unbelievers will often not be heading in the same direction, not be pursuing the same goals.

So what might some examples be for us? Well, marriage and dating would be one. Now if you are married already and you’re married to an unbeliever, the Bible tells you to stay married. It doesn’t say that this is grounds or reason to get a divorce. But as you are thinking about marriage, planning for marriage, certainly there is an application because what relationship in life requires more of the same mind and same heart to be moving in the same direction.

And so we see this principle at work in 1 Corinthians and Malachi and even by extension in something like Song of Solomon, that you want to have the same heart and mind.

Now when you are young, and I can say that now, I’m an old, middle-aged dad, you young kids out there, and you’re in love, and that’s wonderful, and with all of those emotions oftentimes comes not thinking as clearly, and you’re overcome and swept over and you think, “Well, we’re gonna find a way to make this work.” And it’s God’s mercy that sometimes there is a way and the other person converts and there’s a way and praise God for that.

But we ought not to presume upon His grace. Either Christian or a non-Christian, at the risk of sounding so old-fashioned, I think it’s good biblical sense, even Protestant and Catholic, or even too Protestants who have a theology that are so markedly different heading in very different directions, not on the same spiritual page. You’re yoked together and you’re supposed to be harvesting and harnessing your energies in the same direction in marriage, in dating.

I remember hearing one woman say as she was trying to give advice to other young women in particular, maybe tempted to just compromise and marry because sometimes guys don’t get their act together and take a step of risk or faith and pursue a young woman, and this woman who was married to an unbeliever and was still loving her husband, and yet she had this line which was very striking, and she was saying to young women, and it would apply to men as well: As lonely as you may feel now, let me tell you how much more lonely you can feel in a marriage when your husband is not a believer.

Now we pray that that’s not the case and some of you have stories of God’s grace in your life with just that very scenario, or you pray for friends or kids or grandkids, but those of you who still have those decisions in front of you, certainly this passage has a bearing.

It may for others of us, as we think about our work. Now this doesn’t mean that you can’t work with any non-believers or most of you would have a hard time getting a job. There’s not enough jobs at the church for all of you to work at the church, or at Joni and Friends or at Billy Graham. You work with unbelievers. But there may come a time where those you are linking arms with are so motivated by different things, so requiring of you things that are contrary to your faith, that it is an unequal partnership.

Or perhaps even on the level of friendship. Again, on one level it can be very good to have friendships with people who are not Christians. How else are we going to love our neighbors? How else are we going to share our faith? But if there are those friendships and those friend groups that are pursuing after things that are not of Christ, and leading you, a kind of animal stuck in the other half of the plow, to be pursuing things that lead you into sin, you need to find a way to free yourself from that yoke. We ought not to be unequally yoked.

Now what is the situation going on in Corinth? Because those are some applications. First of all, this was not probably about marriage advice. Well, there are a number of verbal, thematic, and grammatical connections between 2 Corinthians 6 and 1 Corinthians 8 and 1 Corinthians 10.

Now there in 1 Corinthians 8 and 10, Paul is talking about idolatry. We find here in chapter 6 the same contrast between God and idols, the same contrast between Christ the Lord and Belial and demons. They have many of the same words: Fellowship, partake, defile. They have the same commands: Do not be idolaters, do not eat, flee idolatry, be separate, touch no unclean thing. So conceptually and verbally we see these connections which lead us to think that 2 Corinthians 6 is also talking about idolatry.

Now what did this look like in Corinth? Well, often they would have to participate in meals where some sort of sacrifice was involved, just like in Christian households usually before you have a meal, let’s say grace, let’s say a prayer. Well, it was very common around the Roman Empire, before you might have some meal together, it might not be a prayer but it might be come perfunctory offering to some other sort of God. And it would be the easiest thing in the world, there you are, let’s just all bow our heads or let’s all offer some sacrifice or let’s all say this chant that we’re all familiar with, and let’s offer some praise or offering or sacrifice to Zeus or Aphrodite or whoever the god or goddess might be.

Often in the ancient world you would belong to these guilds, these trade unions, and there would be some sort of patron deity, for the farmers and for the bricklayers and for the carpenters, and they would all have their patron sort of deity, god or goddess, and they would be expected to offer some perfunctory worship or offering.

So Paul’s instruction is for them not to join with unconverted pagans and the religious and ritual life of the city.

Now it wasn’t too many years ago that this would have all seemed just very strange to us, just another world. Can you imagine what that was like? Where the place where you were working, you would all have to offer some sort of genuflect to the god or the reigning goddess of the day, and yet now it is not hard for many of us to imagine. You are expected to do certain things for certain agendas, whether they have to do with gender or sexuality or under a broad rubric of social justice. Of course, there’s a very good kind of biblical justice and then there’s our world’s definition of justice.

And many of you have very difficult situations, or know people in your workplace where you may increasingly be asked to participate, and it won’t be as straightforward as there’s our statue in the corner, would you go ahead and commit your act of idolatry? And yet it is becoming almost as obvious.

Now it does not mean for us that we pull out of the world. Paul says, famously in 1 Corinthians 5, “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people –not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.”

So Paul is not saying “you can’t have any relationship or fellowship with idolaters,” otherwise he’d be saying “you can’t live on planet earth.” And just as soon as you pulled in and said, “Well, we’re just going to hang out with Christians,” you’d find that lo and behold there’s a lot of sinners there, too.

So he’s not telling you automatically “go quit your job, grown your own food, get off the grid, drop all your contacts.” No, we are involved in this world. What it may mean, however, is that we will in certain ways, at different times, have to be separate from relationships that have meant a lot to us, or from participating in certain events or associations, or there may be certain sorts of activities that we very much want our children to participate in, but the things that are required of us won’t allow us to.

You may feel this, perhaps, in the medical field. There’s a practice that forces you to participate in the act of abortion, or in sex change procedures. You may feel this as a college student, when everyone on your team says, “Hey, we’re all going to wear rainbow pride t-shirts to this game.” Or it may come as you work for the government and certain things are required of you, or simply in any sphere of life to receive funding from the government, which so often comes with very, very long strings attached.

In short, Paul is telling the Corinthians, “Do not participate in idolatry.”

Now idolatry is such a, it’s a spiritual-sounding word to us now, but it had very concrete ramifications in the ancient world. I think in a sermon in the past I shared with you Doug Stewart, he was one of my Old Testament professors, and has written a number of commentaries and I think this is from his Exodus commentary actually, he shares a number of reasons why idolatry was attractive in the ancient world. Just listen to some of these reasons and see if you don’t conclude, “Oh, this is pretty attractive in our world.”

Idolatry was attractive in the ancient world. It was guaranteed. Simple formula, carve out a god, god of stone or wood, do your thing, your incantation, and it works. It was selfish. Idolatry was you do this for the gods then they help you. Many, many places in corporate America, “Hey, well I don’t know what they actually believe about these things, but we just put the right virtue signal, just do the right thing, hey, it’s going to help our bottom line.”

Idolatry was easy. There were few ethical demands. The gods of the ancient world didn’t care what you did with your whole life as long as you just kept a few certain rules and you fed them and you did the things required for the sacrifice.

Idolatry was convenient. You had gods and goddesses everywhere. It was easy to follow through on your ritualistic requirements. It was normal. Everyone did this. You figured this is how people get pregnant, this is how our crops grow, this is how the nation is protected, this is how we win military victories. We participate in idolatry.

It was logical. It was unthinkable to most people in the ancient world that there would be one god. How can there be just one god? You need multiple gods because you have many areas of life. You have family life, personal life, national life. You don’t have to choose between the gods, you can have all of them. That makes sense.

Idolatry was pleasing to the senses. You could see them, you could be impressed by them.

Idolatry was indulgent. Sacrificing to the idols often involved then eating the leftover food because you put the food there and guess what? The idol doesn’t actually eat it. Nothing changes. So then you get to have a great feast of drunken revelry or debauchery.

Idolatry was often very sensual. Many of the rituals in the ancient world turned into orgies. For some it was thought if you had sex before the gods it was a way to have the gods have sex with each other and then when that happens it means it rains and there’s a harvest and your flocks multiply and people get pregnant. The whole system was marked with an eroticism.

Now doesn’t idolatry seem sort of 21st Century? Let’s see. I can be a Christian. They didn’t really care in the ancient world. You could say you were a Christian, you could say you were whatever as long as you just kept up with the idols. So I’m a Christian, that’s not a problem, but let’s see. I don’t what Christianity to cost me very much. I want it to be easy to see, easy to do. I want few ethical demands, not a lot of doctrinal boundaries. I want it to guarantee success. I want it to make me feel good, make me look good, and I don’t want it to offend those around me. And you know what? I want it to be kind of fun.

Well, you see, those are the same things that all people at all time have always wanted in their fallen nature, and we want the same things. The question then for us is even though we don’t have idols of wood or stone or silver or gold, are we succumbing to that temptation to be like everyone else?

The Corinthians were not doubting whether Jesus was Lord, they just wanted to have Jesus as Lord and all the other stuff. Can’t I do that? Can’t I have Jesus and at least think and look and live like everyone else? That’s why Paul is saying you cannot be yoked in this world. If the only difference between you and a non-Christian is that you are in the building for 90 minutes a week and they are not, that’s not enough of a difference.

We must avoid compromise with the world. Why? Now, trust me, I’m spending most of my time on that. Why? Look at the reasons: Do not be unequally yoked, verse 14, for.

Now notice Paul issues a series of contrasts to help us understand why we must not be yoked with the world.

One. We are righteous, not lawless.

Two. We are light, not darkness.

Three. We belong to Christ, not Belial. You see that there in verse 15. Sometimes Belial refers to worthless persons, it can perhaps refer to demonic spirits operating in people.

Fourth. We are believers and not unbelievers, the end of verse 15, and then verse 16 we are the temple of God, not full of idols.

So Paul draws a series of five contrasts to show why we must not be yoked with the world. Think about the nouns that are in this passage: Partnership, fellowship, accord, portion, agreement. He’s underscoring for us as Christians we are different people doing different things, belonging to a different God, believing a different truth, worshiping in a different way.

And for many, many years, centuries even, we have felt very little of that, and we don’t feel as much of it as they do in many other parts of the world, but yes, even here in Charlotte, we are feeling that more and more. You and I as Christians must be prepared to stand alone. Now, hopefully we don’t stand alone because we have the body of Christ, but it may be in your classroom, on the athletic field, in your place of work, on the college campus, maybe even with friends and family outside of here, you must be prepared to stand alone. You have to be prepared to be ridiculed, to be misunderstood, that it will not always be the case that if you just are nice enough and you work hard enough that people are going to give you the benefit of the doubt and they’re going to like you, even if they kind of disagree with some things. Those days are quickly leaving us behind.

It used to be, very broad strokes here, very broad sweep of history in America, it used to be Christianity was a net cultural plus. In other words, to be a Christian in the United States, in particular in the southeast, had its advantages. It was a good thing. You’re a Christian, that helps. People want to do business with Christians. It’s not a bad thing. It helps you. It’s some of the social grease that helps keep relationships together.

Now there were very good things about that. It encouraged Christianity. There wasn’t the same cost. The bad thing was it encouraged a lot of nominalism, hypocrisy.

And then it switches from Christianity being a net positive to Christianity being a neutral thing. That is, if you worked hard, played by the rules, and as long as you were personally tolerant and respectful of others, as long as you proved that you could do your work in the classroom or in the artist’s room or behind a computer and you proved that, then your Christian commitment would not get in the way.

And let’s be honest, I think in some parts of our world, Christianity is still a plus. I think in some parts of our world it is still that neutral, as long as I’m basically a good friend and neighbor to other people and I don’t go out of my way to poke people in the eye, they don’t mind.

But I think we all realize that what we have more and more and more so ever than in the history of this country, is that Christianity is a net negative. This is certainly the case in many fields. In most places of higher education, big business, media, arts, entertainment, government, that to be a biblical Christian, and I don’t mean just to say you like Jesus, that doesn’t offend nobody, to be a real biblical Christian is largely a net negative.

Now the good thing is it’s easier for light to shine when it’s very dark. The bad thing is it means more and more people will be tempted to bury that light under a bushel, or even worse, to join the darkness. If this is what it costs to shine the light, then I might as well just join the darkness. We have to be prepared that there is a cost and all of the pressures of the world are saying, “Would you just go ahead, privately say what you want, go to church on Sunday, say what you want. You can do all the prayers you want. Go to the Bible studies. No big deal. But when it comes to how we’re going to operate in this country, you better get with the program and you better be yoked with the rest of us.”

We must be prepared to be separate. Not itching for a fight, but ready because the fight, if isn’t already at your doorstep, it is coming. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. First command.

Second command, much more quickly. Look at verse 1 of chapter 7. “Since we have these promises,” so the promises are the reason, and we’ll come back to those, but here is the command, “let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of the Lord.”

Defilement. That’s a robust, biblical word that we probably don’t use very often. Now it’s not wrong to use nonbiblical words, we do it all the time. Trinity’s not in the Bible. So there’s nothing wrong. But sometimes it’s good to have the Bible, especially with these strong moral words, sort of reorient us, because defilement sounds like a really serious word. It has a little different feel than “brokenness” or “grown edges” or “mistakes.” There’s a defilement.

It is possible that you and I have let defilement creep into our lives? Think about what you watch as your entertainment. The sort of conversation you have. The things that make you laugh. The images you have seen in the last month on your phone, on your computer. The way in which we present ourselves in our dress to others. It may start very slowly and over time the slime overtakes us.

Last spring when COVID was setting in, we rushed to the front of the line and before it got crazy we ordered an above-ground pool in our backyard. Great decision with a bunch of kids. Just throw them in there, “watch each other.” And it takes more work than I remember. We had a pool growing up. In Michigan you don’t use them nearly so much as you can here. And it’s more work than I remember to keep that thing actually looking blue and sparkling. I buy all these things, “Just pour in one and we guarantee it will be blue and sparkling.”

Well, we have in the last several weeks, kids haven’t been in the pool, school is busy and the weather is starting to turn, and so we’re a little negligent, and at first you see some leaves on the bottom and then they turn to dirt and dust and then we saw just some greenish film around the edges and tried to shock it, but shock has been one of the things that the supply chain has messed up and you can’t find that, and suddenly it happened in about a day or two and we completely lost it. It went from, “Oh, there’s algae” to “that’s Mountain Dew” to “it’s pea soup.” It is disgusting. So we just tell the kids “don’t open your mouth.” No, they’re not in it, they’re not in it. [laughter] It has become completely defiled, and now we’re trying all sort of alchemy and magic potions to try to at least bring it back so we can winterize it before it gets, well, maybe the cold, we’ll just have to wait to kill the thing.

Little by little, and it happens in life, I can do that, that’s okay, that’s a little bit of dirt, a little bit of allowance. I can probably watch that. I can probably go there. I can probably surf that on YouTube. Okay, I can probably do that. And what happens, sometimes in a matter of days, you go from a little film around the edge to completely defiled. Putrified.

And perhaps we don’t even see it. If we can look at many Christians in the past and wonder, how could they be so blind to sins of partiality, or racism, or chattel slavery, how did they miss that? And they sinned and they missed it.

Surely those same Christians would, however, look at us and say, “Why are they so blind to the reigning sins of their own age?”

Ephesians 5: Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness but instead expose them, for it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.

What Paul said was shameful even to say. Now we order up on Netflix and sit down and say, “Entertain me.” What once was thought unmentionable is now a matter of laughter and entertainment, and too often jokes you don’t forget, scenes that are not easily deleted from your mind, when the Lord God says “be holy as I am holy.”

1 Peter 2:11: Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh which wage war against your soul.

Have you forgotten, have I forgotten, there is a war, there’s a war against your soul. As strangers and aliens, as exiles, until we realize that this is not our home, that it’s supposed to feel strange, that you’re not always supposed to fit in, we won’t wage the war we’re supposed to.

Are you a sojourner? Are you an exile? Is your body cleansed from every defilement of lust, sensuality, idolatry? When you look at the first 9-1/2 months of this year, do you see a person when you look in the mirror who has been brought closer to the holiness of God or a person who in these first 9-1/2 months have had your thoughts increasingly marred with impurity, your leisure stained with improper sexuality, your entertainment marked by crude humor, your actions dripping with compromise, and I ask the same questions of myself. Let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement.

Why? Well, look above. We have these promises. First command, and he gives several contrasts. Second command, he gives many promises. Look at them.

Promise number one: I will make My dwelling among you.

Promise number two: I will walk among you.

Promise number three: I will be Your God and they will be my people.

Doesn’t this sound, what we’ve been seeing in Genesis? These are all the promises of the covenant. I will be a father to you, verse 18, you will be my sons and daughters.

Do you see how the promise is both the premise for the command and the reward for obeying the command? Because in both instances, the premise and the reward, the promise is the same – the presence of God.

Think about it from the Old Testament. Moses took off his sandals because he was on holy ground. God was there. The camp had to be holy because the tabernacle dwelt in their midst. The temple was set apart because God dwelt there among the cherubim. The mercy seat of the ark of the covenant. In the new Jerusalem, God makes the covenant promise again and says no unclean thing can dwell there, and even now in the Church we are the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way. God is in our midst. Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. This place, together, is a temple, a dwelling place for God Almighty, and so He says, “Would you keep the house clean?”

And I love the promise at the end of verse 17: “Touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you.” I will welcome you.

Now God is not saying you need to get your act together to such a degree and then you can start talking to Me again. No, oftentimes the central act, and surely the first act of purification, is always that act of repentance, and it is a pleasing thing to God when we come with broken hearts and a contrite spirit and say, “Oh, God, against you only have I sinned.”

The promise here is what Jesus promised in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:8: Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

You see, that’s the premise, that’s the promise. Don’t you want to see God? Don’t you want God in your midst? Don’t you believe that to have God in your presence more than makes up for what you lost in the world? Do you see Paul’s logic here? You’re giving up something, you’re giving up some friends, you might be giving up relationships, you might be giving up your job, you might be giving up prestige, you might be giving up being thought well of by other people… But do you see what you get? You get Me. You get my presence. I’ll live among you. I’ll walk among you. I’ll be your father. I’ll live with you and I will welcome you.

Don’t you want to come home? Is there anyone here, anyone listening, you’re out in the cold. You’ve been wandering around like the prodigal. You’re eating and digging around in the pig sty. And while you’re still a long way off, the father, losing all decorum, picks up his robes and runs to you as you move to him. Don’t you want to come home? I will welcome you.

So even in this passage, which so often can be thought of as nothing but an unrelenting pounding of the will, be separate, don’t be unequally yoked, cleanse yourself, do you see how God motivates us to these central commands? He does it by reminding us not only of who we are, we’re light not darkness, we’re children of the king not some pauper, and then He reminds of who He is, that He is our great reward and He stands ready to welcome us in.

Let’s pray.  Father in heaven, we give grace for Your mercy, Your mercies which are new every morning. We pray for any here who needs to be reminded of these things, You would do so for any who are wandering far from You. Be gracious to us, Lord, have mercy to save us, to spare us. And we pray that we would know Your smiling face in Christ. In His name we pray. Amen.

The phrase “unequally yoked” comes from 2 Corinthians 6:14 in the King James Version: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”

The New American Standard Version says, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?”

A yoke is a wooden bar that joins two oxen to each other and to the burden they pull. An “unequally yoked” team has one stronger ox and one weaker, or one taller and one shorter. The weaker or shorter ox would walk more slowly than the taller, stronger one, causing the load to go around in circles. When oxen are unequally yoked, they cannot perform the task set before them. Instead of working together, they are at odds with one another.

Paul’s admonition in 2 Corinthians 6:14is part of a larger discourse to the church at Corinth on the Christian life. He discouraged them from being in an unequal partnership with unbelievers because believers and unbelievers are opposites, just as light and darkness are opposites.

Attempting to live a Christian life with a non-Christian for our close friend and ally will only cause us to go around in circles.

The “unequal yoke” is often applied to business relationships. For a Christian to enter into a partnership with an unbeliever is to court disaster.

Unbelievers have opposite worldviews and morals, and business decisions made daily will reflect the worldview of one partner or the other.

For the relationship to work, one or the other must abandon his moral center and move toward that of the other.

More often than not, it is the believer who finds himself pressured to leave his Christian principles behind for the sake of profit and the growth of the business.

Of course, the closest alliance one person can have with another is found in marriage, and this is how the passage is usually interpreted.

God’s plan is for a man and a woman to become “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24), a relationship so intimate that one literally and figuratively becomes part of the other.

Uniting a believer with an unbeliever is essentially uniting opposites, which makes for a very difficult marriage relationship.

Whether in business or relationships Christians are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Starting a business with an unbeliever can put Christians in a terrible situation.

It can cause Christians to compromise their relationship with Christ, there will be disagreements, etc.

Don’t think that you will get married and you will change them because that rarely happens and it will most likely cause more problems.

We must deny ourselves and take up the cross daily. Sometimes you have to drop relationships for Christ.

Don’t think you know what’s best. Trust in God alone not yourself. There are so many reasons not to marry an unbeliever. Wait on God’s timing and trust in His ways.

What does the Bible say about being unequally yoked?

Here are 15 helpful Bible Scriptures…

1. Amos 3:3 Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?

2. 2 Corinthians 6:14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?

3. Ephesians 5:7 Therefore do not become partners with them.

4. 2 Corinthians 6:15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

5. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

6. 2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

7. Isaiah 52:11 Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the articles of the LORD’s house.

8. 2 Corinthians 6:16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

One flesh

9. 1 Corinthians 6:16-17 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

10. Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

If you were already married before getting saved.

11. 1 Corinthians 7:12-13  To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.

12. 1 Corinthians 7:17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.

Reminders

13. Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

14. Proverbs 6:27 Can a man take fire in his bosom And his clothes not be burned?

15. Proverbs 6:28  Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

darkness? 

 

Rival values vied for the allegiance of the Corinthian church. False apostles sought to woo the Corinthians away from biblical standards (2 Co 11:2-4).

14 Do not be [become] unequally yoked together with unbelievers. 

“Do not be” means to not become something that you were not previously. A Christian should not be unequally yoked with false teachers, who were unbelievers (2 Co 11:13-15). The unbeliever has beliefs, values, and practices antithetical to Christianity. The believer has to make a binary choice, an either/or decision, regarding which he will follow. Fellowship with God and His Word excludes all other systems of belief.

As yoking a clean animal with an unclean is wrong, believers cannot yoke themselves with others who differ with Christian life values. An “unbeliever” is someone who rejects Christ as Savior. In Deuteronomy 22:10, a clean animal could not be yoked together with an unclean—such as an ox, which was clean, with a donkey, which was unclean. They do not have the same nature, gait, or size. There will be no success with this combination. This combination will dull spiritual sensitivities. There is little in common between a Christian and non-Christian except eating and the ordinary course of providing for the household.

Once a person becomes a Christian, he becomes part of a new breed. It is essential to take that into consideration when making a values-oriented decision. The believer is under a new command and a new orientation. He has a different purpose than the non-Christian. He is not to insulate from social contact with an unbeliever, but he is to isolate himself from his values. Any binding contract such as marriage or a business deal that ties the values of two people together is the issue here.

PRINCIPLE:

There is a vast chasm between the values of Christ and the kingdom of Satan.

APPLICATION:

The Christian and non-Christian values are not compatible in a marriage, business partnerships, attitudes, religion, ethics, and social life. Unequal yoking is an intimate association with non-Christians that undermines Christian values.

Since there is a vast chasm of values between Christ and the world, believers need to take care of the extent to which they form their associations. It would be wrong for a believer to marry an unbeliever because it affects every area of life: their social life, raising children, whether they go to church, and many other areas of life.

The Christian should not have an undue alliance with a non-Christian in business because the believer may be tempted to make decisions based on a non-Christian worldview. This is not an injunction against all associations with unbelievers. The argument of this verse is not to have no contact with non-Christians. Paul argued against that in 1 Corinthians 5:9-11. He assumed that they would shop in the marketplace (1 Co 10:25). He encouraged believers to have dinner with non-Christians (1 Co 10:26). His point is that a Christian is not to form his values from the culture around him.

The idea of separation from the values of non-Christians is not a set of taboos but a statement of principle, which governs the direction of the believer’s behavior. The issue revolves around two spheres of life, God’s life in the Christian and life without God. One sphere is the Christian way of life; the believer thinks, behaves, and acts within that sphere. This is what Jesus called the “abundant life.” This is a life that belongs to high and holy things. Christianity is not merely a higher level of human life; it goes far beyond the religious profession. To sustain new life in Christ and make it vibrant, we separate it from anything that would contaminate it.

The only proper yoke for a Christian is to be yoked to Christ (Mt 11:29-30).

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-16

I am occasionally presented with cases in which there are believers in relationships of all kinds with unbelievers. It could be marriage, a working relationship, a friend or neighbor.

In a marriage relationship, the usual presentation is that one party has come to Christ in the course of the marriage and the other has not. I do occasionally get a situation where a woman has willingly and knowingly married an unbeliever. I have also been involved with cases where one person in the marriage has made a false profession of faith and married a believer. 
None of these cases is the ideal. These marriages are typically difficult and tumultuous for both parties. If there are children involved the difficulties are magnified exponentially. 
In any relationship between a Christian and non-Christian the reasons for the ongoing discord are clear; the born again person has been transformed; they have different thoughts, values, standards and beliefs than the unbeliever. Their goals, motives and principles are different. 
We look at life with an entirely different perspective than an unbeliever does. Our hope is in a different place, and our thoughts are focused on eternity rather than the temporal.

Our perspective on life is radically different than that of an unbeliever. Because of this, we do not have the same harmony or degree of fellowship in our relationships with unbelievers as we do with our believing family. 
If you have entered into an unequally yoked situation, I suspect you realized early on that your relationship would never reach beyond the level of the superficial with this person. It grieves us deeply as we realize that they cannot share in the things that have come to mean the most to us in the entire world. Sure, we may share holidays and community with them, social events and sporting or recreation interests, but deep down the difference is radical. We realize that the difference is actually opposition.

Even in a marriage, the closest and most intimate human relationship we have as adults the believer and unbeliever are on the heart level diametrically opposed to each other. In the believer’s heart, Jesus Christ is Lord, Savior, Master.

To the unbeliever Christ may be a good man, he may be someone recognized in religiosity or ritual, he may even be someone treated with indifference or scorn. He may be viewed by the unbeliever as the one who messed up the perfect spouse, an intruder, a spoiler. The believer has oriented his or her life around godly pursuits and the unbeliever has as his focus “self” and the pursuit of comfort, monetary gain, and success.

With all this in mind, is it any wonder there is discord and strife in these relationships? How do we handle with truth and grace these people we love so dearly, or once loved so deeply who now are in opposition to everything we believe in? There is a misconception in this area that “God wants me to be happy” and “God doesn’t want me to live like this” that cannot be scripturally validated.

Women married to believers sometimes seek a way out. They come to our counseling center wanting a second opinion, a church validation that what they were told elsewhere was right and ask us to in essence rubber stamp their decision. Corinthians 7:12- 13 is clear that we cannot divorce our husbands for being unbelievers. 
I find this to be a difficult and heart wrenching situation. I want to be compassionate and recognize the difficult situation the woman finds herself in. I was once in an unequally yoked relationship and I understand the misery and difficulty that is involved. 
There are no easy answers for this situation. It requires much wisdom and seeking after the Lord for comfort, direction and strength. Tomorrow we will look at some specifics for living in an unequally yoked relationship.

Being unequally yoked with unbelievers (Second Corinthians 6:14), includes the subject of marriage - But does it also mean that as Christians we should not be unequally yoked with people who are not Christians? -How are we to be friendly to sinners and witness and love them - and at the same time not be yoked with them?

Sheryl

ANSWER:

Sheryl:

You ask a difficult question. That passage of Scripture (Second Corinthians 6:14) has been applied to many, many situations – and taken to unusual extremes in some cases. Let me try to break it down as I understand the verse. 

1. First, let’s get the verse before us. Paul writes, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness (Second Corinthians 6:14). The “bound together” is translated, “unequally yoked” in the KJV.

2. Second, what does the term mean? It refers to coupling two things together that don’t belong, or fit as one. It would be like trying to hitch, or yoke, a donkey and giraffe together to pull a wagon. The two creatures are different, and would not fit into the same yoke or harness. 

Figuratively, the term (heterozugeo) refers to submission to authority, bondage, or bond service to a master. It is an emblem of servitude to some moral bondage.

3. Next, we need to look at the context of the verse. In verse four of the chapter, Paul referred to himself as a, “servant of God.” He was in bondage to Christ. He also told the Corinthians to not be in bondage together with, “unbelievers.” Well, what unbelievers was he talking about? 

In 11:13 Paul identified a group of men he called “false apostles” who were leading the Corinthians astray. They were opposed to Paul. In fact, he described them in very harsh language, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). 

Paul’s fear was that these men would lead believers, “astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). 

The issue, then, is one of correct Christian teaching and living as opposed to false Christian teaching and ungodly living. That is why in 2 Corinthians 6 14-18 Paul contrasts righteousness against lawlessness; light against darkness; Christ against Satan; Christians against non believers; and the temple of God with idol worship. Christians are the temple of the living God. They are in bondage to Christ. 

Paul is saying one cannot be both a bondservant of Christ and a bondservant of the things of this world as organized and directed by Satan and his world system (cf. 1 John 2:15-17). The two systems are mutually exclusive – like oil and water.

To make the issue even more narrow, Paul is specifically condemning idolatry, and Christian believers actively involving themselves in such practices. 

4. The immediate application, then, of Paul’s teaching in this context reads, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1). That is, live a simple life of pure devotion to Christ, and don’t mix Christianity up with other religions or teachings that are contrary to the Bible.

5. Now, I come back to your question, Sheryl. Beyond these two issues, I personally would be very careful in applying the verse to specific situations. Should we apply it to marriages? Business relationships? – or whatever? If this is the case, then should we have all Christians who are married to non-believers get a divorce? I teach at a state community college. Should I then quit my job and starve because I work among unbelievers? I think not. Such would be foolishness.

Paul even addressed this issue in another place where he wrote, “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an immoral person…For what have I to do with judging outsiders?...But those who are outside, God judges” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).

Here, the word “associate” means to mingle or mix with, to have or keep company with. What then, did Paul contradict himself? No. The main issue, as I see it, is to live and work among unbelievers, but as we do so, do it with integrity and faithfulness and devotion to Christ and the values He taught His bondservants – of which I am one. We need not participate in the unholy things of this world, but we can be the, “salt of the earth,” and, “light of the world” (Matthew 5:13, 14).

Christians must live in this world as ambassadors of Christ, but our citizenship is in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:20; Philippians 3:20). We are privileged to carry out the tasks Christ has given us, but we do not need to plunge ourselves into the evil things of this culture while doing so.

You are correct, Sheryl, how can we win others to Christ if we don’t befriend them? And, how can we have a credible witness if we live in sin and deny Christ? We cannot. 

Unequally yoked simply means to not try to live for Christ, and throw ourselves into the sinfulness of this world at the same time. We cannot have two masters.

In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

a. Workers together with Him: Paul sees himself as a co-worker with Jesus Christ. They are partners, and Jesus has given us the ministry of reconciliation(2 Corinthians 5:18). Since Paul is among the ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20), he works with Jesus.

i. What an amazing job: workers together with Him! It isn’t that God needed Paul, or any of us. Instead, it is that God wants us to be workers together with Him for ourgood. It’s like the little boy with the toy lawnmower following dad as dad mows the lawn. For the sake of pure efficiency, dad should ask the boy to go away because he is really just in the way. But it is so good for the boy to work with dad! And because dad loves his boy, he wants him to work together with Him.

ii. The word “workers” itself is important. There is something good and important in work itself, so much so that God wants us to be workers together with Him. God’s best for our life is never a state of ease and comfort and indulgent inactivity – even if we did all those things together with Him. God wants us to be workers together with Him, not “couch potatoes” or “pew potatoes” together with Him.

iii. We are workers together with Him. Paul never said God works together with us. It isn’t our work that God helps us with. It is His work that He asks us to do together with Him. Instead of trying to get God to help us with our work, we need to find out what God’s work is, and do it with Him.

iv. The picture of ambassadors for Christ(2 Corinthians 5:20) is especially helpful in understanding the nature of being workers together with Him. An ambassador can rightly be described as working together with his king. Yet, the ambassador himself has no power or authority or agenda on his own – it is all bound up in his king. The king delegatespower and authority to the ambassador and reveals his agenda to the ambassador, and then the king expects the ambassador to fulfill that agenda.

b. Also plead with you: Paul told us that God was pleading through the ministry of the apostles (2 Corinthians 5:20). Now Paul will also plead with the Corinthian Christians. To plead is to beg, and Paul isn’t too proud to beg with eternity on the line.

c. Not to receive the grace of God in vain: The Corinthian Christians had obviously received the grace of God. They would not be Christians at all had they not received the grace of God. Yet having received it, they were potentially guilty of receiving the grace of God in vain, so Paul pleads with them to not do this.

i. What does it mean to receive the grace of God in vain? It means to receive the goodness and favor of God, yet to hinder the work of grace in one’s life. It means to receive the favor of God and to fail in what Paul spoke of in 1 Corinthians 15:10: But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

ii. According to 1 Corinthians 15:10, if Paul did not work as hard as he did, the grace of God would still be given to him, but in some measure it would have been given in vain. Grace, by definition, is given freely, but how we receive grace will help to determine how effective the gift of grace is. Grace is “frequently used by St. Paul to express the favours and privileges offered to the members of the Church of Christ, not to be limited to grace given at any special moment (such as at salvation)… it is offered, independently of man’s faith and obedience, but it will not profit without these.” (Bernard)

iii. Grace isn’t given because of any works, past, present or promised; yet it is given to encourage work, not to say work is unnecessary. God doesn’t want us to receive His grace and become passive. Paul knew that God gives His grace, we work hard, and the work of God is done.

iv. Many Christians struggle at this very point. Is God supposed to do it or am I supposed to do it? The answer is, “Yes!” God does it and we do it. Trust God, rely on Him, and then get to work and work as hard as you can!That is how we see the work of God accomplished. If I neglect my end of the partnership, God’s grace doesn’t accomplish all that it might and is therefore given in vain.

v. “God’s grace is always coming to my heart and life in very wonderful and blessed experience of now. Yesterday’s grace is totally inadequate for the burden of today, and if I do not learn to lay hold of heavenly resources every day of my life for the little things as well as the big things, as a Christian I soon become stale, barren, and fruitless in the service of the Lord.” (Redpath)

d. Now is the acceptable time… now is the day of salvation: By quoting and applying Isaiah 49:8, Paul wants to give the Corinthian Christians a sense of urgency. God has an acceptable time for us to work with His grace. God has a day of salvation that will not last forever. This is no time for Christian lives consumed with ease and comfort and self-focus. It is time to get busy for the Lord and to be workers together with Him.

2. (3) How this responsibility affected Paul: his passion to be blameless as a servant of the gospel.

We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.

a. We give no offense in anything: Paul was willing to do most anything to make sure he gave no offense in anything. He was willing to forego his salary as a minister of the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:3-15). He was willing to allow others to be more prominent. He was willing to work hard and endure hardship. Paul was not afraid to offend anyone over the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:18-25), but he would not allow his style of ministry to offend anyone.

b. That our ministry may not be blamed: Of course, Paul’s ministry was blamed and discredited by the Corinthian Christians. What Paul means is that our ministry may not rightly be blamed. Paul could not do anything about false accusations except live in such a way that any fair-minded person would see such accusations as false.

3. (4-10) Paul’s credentials as a blameless minister.

But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

a. In all things we commend ourselves: Paul will now recount his resume’ to the Corinthian Christians. Here are the things he will list to commend himself before them.

b. In much patience: Paul’s first qualification was patience. The ancient Greek word used here is hupomone, which has the idea of endurance instead of simply “waiting.”

i. We often think of patienceas a passive thing – the ability to sit around and wait for something to happen. That is not the idea of the word Paul used here. It is an active endurance instead of a passive waiting. The ancient Greek word hupomone “does not describe the frame of mind which can sit down with folded hands and bowed head and let a torrent of troubles sweep over it in passive resignation. It describes the ability to bear things in such a triumphant way that it transfigures them.” (Barclay)

c. Tribulations, needs anddistresses: In Paul’s resume’ as an apostle, ambassador, and co-worker with Jesus, he follows patience with describing why he needed this endurance. First, it was because of the general struggles and trials of life. Paul was often stressed and under pressure (this is the idea behind the word for tribulations), often needy, and often in distress.

i. “Distresses signify, properly, a man’s being straitened, or thrust up in a place, so as that he knoweth not how to steer himself; and, metaphorically, a want of counsel, not knowing what to do, or which way to turn ourselves.” (Poole)

d. Stripes, imprisonments, andtumults: As Paul continues his resume’, he writes of sufferings directly inflicted by men. Stripeswere the wounds on the back from a whipping, imprisonmentsreferred to the frequent time Paul spent in jail, and tumults speak of violence from an angry mob.

i. “Nowadays it is not the violence but the mockery or the amused contempt of the crowd against which the Christian must stand fast.” (Barclay)

e. Labors, sleeplessness, and fastings: Paul continues his resume’ with describing his self-inflicted hardships. No one made him work so hard, keep so many sleepless nights, or go without food so often. These were true trials but ones Paul chose willingly as a co-worker with Jesus Christ. Paul isn’t complaining about these, because they were self-inflicted, but they were relevant to his need for patience.

i. Paul knew he needed endurance, and he knew many things in his life drew him to seek that endurance. Some of them were the general trials of life, some were sufferings directly brought by others, and some were self-inflicted. Not every trial was the same, but they all made him need endurance.

f. By purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left: Here, Paul begins to describe the resources he took advantage of in triumphing over adversity. If he honestly listed his trials, he will also honestly list the fruit of the Spirit and the power of God in his life.

i. Yes, Paul had the trials of 2 Corinthians 6:4-5 in greater measure than most men. Yet he also had the blessings of 2 Corinthians 6:6-7 in greater measure than most men.

ii. The idea of on the right hand and on the left is of holding both offensive and defensive weapons. It probably has in mind “both advancing and being attacked.” “Particularly, the shield and the sword; the former on the left arm, the latter on the right hand. We have the doctrine of truth, and the power of God, as an armour to protect us on all sides, every where, and on all occasions.” (Clarke)

g. By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. In concluding his resume’, Paul will list his references, describing both what the world thought of him and what God thought of him.

i. The world (including the worldly Corinthian Christians) described Paul with words like: dishonor… evil report… deceivers… unknown… dying… chastened… sorrowful… poor… having nothing.

ii. In His reference, God described Paul with words like: honor… good report… true… well known… behold we live… not killed… always rejoicing… making many rich… possessing all things.

iii. Which description was true – the world’s or God’s? 2 Corinthians 4:18 gives the answer. According to the things which are seen, the world’s estimation was correct. According to the things which are not seen, God’s estimation was correct. Which estimation is more important to you?

B. Paul speaks to the Corinthians as a father.

1. (11-13) Paul’s desire for reconciliation.

O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your ownaffections. Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.

a. O Corinthians! Paul has spent enough time laying down the principles. Now he makes a pointed appeal to the Corinthian Christians. We can sense the depth and passion in his heart as he cries “O Corinthians!”

b. We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open: Paul is practicing what he preached in Ephesians 4:15: speaking the truth in love. He genuinely loved the Corinthians with an open heart, yet he would also speak openly to them.

c. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections: The Corinthian Christians played the “victim” before Paul. Out of godly necessity he was firm with them on previous occasions (1 Corinthians 4:18-21, 2 Corinthians 1:23). Now, they probably claimed to be restrictedby the “hurt” Paul caused them. They probably said, “We would love to reconcile with you Paul, but the pain you caused us restricts us. We just can’t get over it.”

i. But the real problem was that the Corinthian Christians were restricted by [their] own affections. It wasn’t that Paul did not love them enough (which was their claim as “victims”). It was that they loved too much! Their own affections restrictedthem.

ii. What did they love too much? First, they loved the world too much, and Paul will deal with that love in following verses. They also loved themselves too much and refused to really deal with their selfish and worldly attitudes towards Paul.

d. You also be open: Paul wants to see the same self-searching honesty in the Corinthian Christians that he just displayed to them. They had to do this so that they could be reconciled. The rift between Paul and the Corinthian church could be healed, but it was in the hands of the Corinthian Christians to do it. They had to also be open.

2. (14-18) Paul tells them to narrow their love.

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”

Therefore

“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
“I will be a Father to you,
and you shall be My sons and daughters,
says the LORD Almighty.”

a. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers: Paul is speaking to the overly broad affections of the Corinthian Christians. They had joined themselves to unbelievers, and this prevented their reconciliation with Paul.

i. The idea of do not be unequally yoked together is based on Deuteronomy 22:9, which prohibited yoking together two different animals. It speaks of joining two things that should not be joined.

ii. In what ways had the Corinthian Christians become unequally yoked together with unbelievers? How can we do this? Certainly by marrying an unbeliever, which is the most common way this principle is applied. “A very wise and very holy man was given his judgment on this point: ‘A man who is truly pious, marrying with an unconverted woman, will either draw back to perdition, or have a cross during life.’ The same may be said of a pious woman marrying an unconverted man. Such persons cannot say this petition of the Lord’s prayer, Lead us not into temptation. They plunge into it of their own accord.” (Clarke)

iii. However, Paul means much more here than only marrying an unbeliever. It really applies to any environment where we let the world influence our thinking. When we are being conformed to this world and are not being transformed by the renewing of your mind(Romans 12:2), we join together with unbelievers in an ungodly way.

iv. This speaks especially to the issue of influence. Paul is not suggesting that Christians never associate with unbelievers (he makes this clear in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13). The principle is that we are to be in the world, but not of the world, like a ship should be in the water, but water shouldn’t be in the ship. If the world is influencing us, it is clear we are unequally yoked together with unbelievers. And this unequal yoke, or ungodly influence, may come through a book, a movie, a television show, a magazine, or even through worldly Christian friends. Most Christians are far too indiscriminate about the things they allow to influence their minds and lives.

v. We all like to believe that we can be around ungodly things as much as we want and that we are strong enough to ward off the influence. But we must take seriously the words of Scripture: Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits”(1 Corinthians 15:33). It needs to come back to the simple question from Romans 12:2: Are we being conformed to this world, or are we being transformed by the renewing of your mind?

vi. The Corinthian Christians thought like worldly people, not like godly people. They gained this way of looking at life – or at least they stayed in it – because of their ungodly associations. Paul tells them to break those yokes of fellowship with the ungodly!

b. What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? The Corinthian Christians were too loving and too affectionate in the sense that they thought it was “accepting” of them to allow lawlessness with righteousness, to accept darkness along with the light, and to admit Belial along with Christ.

i. Belial is a word borrowed from Hebrew, meaning worthlessness or wickedness. Here it is used as another word for Satan. “The term is used only in this place in the New Testament, but very often in the Old Testament, to express men notoriously wicked and scandalous.” (Poole)

c. What communion has light with darkness? By using the term communion, Paul indicates that he really means influencemore than presence. “Parties are said to be in communion when they are so united that what belongs to the one belongs to the other, or when what is true of the one is true of the other.” (Hodge)

d. What agreement has the temple of God with idols?Apparently, the Corinthian Christians still struggled with the idolatry problem Paul referred to in 1 Corinthians 8-10. Their association with idols influenced their thinking, making it more and more worldly.

e. You are the temple of the living God: In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul wrote of individual Christians as being temples of God. Here, he refers to the church as a whole being the temple. Because temples are holy places and should be protected against things that might defile the holy place, we should protect our hearts and minds as holy places before the Lord.

i. So, because Ezekiel 37:26-27 tells us God is in the midst of His temple (I will dwell in them and walk among them), Isaiah 52:11tells us how we should make that temple a holy place (Come out from among them and be separate… do not touch what is unclean). The promise and I will receive you reminds us that this is not only a separation from evil but also a separation unto God. “It is not a question simply of trying to empty your heart and life of every worldly desire – what an awful impossibility! It is rather opening your heart wide to all the love of God in Christ, and letting that love just sweep through you and exercise its expulsive power till your heart is filled with love.” (Redpath)

ii. Paul quotes Jeremiah 31:9to show the benefit of separating from worldly influence: a more intimate relationship with God (I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters). There is always a glorious promise for those who are willing to separate themselves from the world’s influences for the sake of godliness.

iii. As Paul quotes these passages, he isn’t necessarily quoting them word-for-word from either the Hebrew or the Septuagint. When Paul quotes Scripture, he often paraphrases it. “A comparison of texts reveals that he did not feel himself bound to quote slavishly word for word, but rather according to the sense and with the purpose of applying and showing the relevance of the revelation to the circumstances of his readers.” (Hughes)

f. Come out from among them and be separate: This call deals with the problem of “too much affection” Paul mentioned in 2 Corinthians 6:12. We really can love too much, thinking we may just add the love of God without renouncing the ideas of Satan and this world. Remember that one of the seeds that failed in the parable of the soils had ground that was too fertile. It would grow everything.

g. Says the LORD Almighty: The title Almighty uses the ancient Greek word pantokrater, which means, “the one who has his hand on everything.” In the whole New Testament, the word is used only here and in the book of Revelation. Paul wants us to understand that it is the sovereign God of heaven who offers us adoption as His children as we separate unto Him.

i. The call to purity and separation unto God flows from the offer of reconciliation mentioned at the end of 2 Corinthians 5. “A man cannot accept reconciliation with God and live in sin; because the renunciation of sin is involved in the acceptance of reconciliation. Paul never assumes that men may accept one benefit of redemption, and reject another. They cannot take pardon and refuse sanctification.” (Hodge)

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” – 2 Corinthians 6:14

This is hard! By far, this verse is one of the hardest commands that God has given us. Either we can be branded as judgmental people or we can be branded as hypocrites for acting so holy. However, we first have to understand what God truly wants and means with this verse. When Paul wrote this to the people in Corinth, he was addressing their idolatrous hearts and their hard-headed minds. 

Paul wants to remind them to go back to God and to remember what God really wants them to do. Instead of their ungodly acts, they must remember all the things that God made them remember because it is a way to realign their hearts. Now, to address these ungodly hearts, Paul wants to remind them not to be yoking with unbelievers. He purposely stated the word yoke to put a connection to this with the animals who cannot be bound together or who should not be locked together. 

So, this is just the same as our situation. Paul wants to remind us just like that specific livestock, we too should not be yoked with unbelievers. We, believers of Christ, are now different from them since we are all saved by grace through faith. However it doesn’t mean that we are to ignore them rudely, but we should not build, desire, and put ourselves into an intimate connection with them. These connections will eventually lead us away from God. 

Many times we have heard about Christians having relationships with non-believers, and believe that they can just lead them to Christ. Instead of those being led to Christ, it’s the Christians being led away from Christ. Now, this is why we have to understand the importance of it because we are not spiritually equal with them. We are saved, we know the truth, and we are serving our Savior. Non-believers will never understand that and in a relationship, it will just bring strife to them. 

Paul then further specified that there’s really no common between unrighteous and righteous. No common between light and darkness. Therefore, we Christians have really no common between non-believers. This is not being harsh or promoting judgmental things, but Paul was being so particular with this. This is to help us understand that being bound with people who are not spiritually equal with us, will give us a hard time in the future. Thus, may we always obey God and follow His guidance. 

Let us follow Him, and serve Him above all. May we always consider His plans, His Wills, and His commands above our own selfish desires. God wants what’s best for us, He loves us and He also loves those who still don’t know Him. Let us help reach out to other people so that we will be able to bring more people to Christ. Our desire should be making all of the people Christ’s disciples so that we will indeed not be yoked with unbelievers but be yoked by people who are also saved and know Christ as their Lord and Savior.

What isn’t a yoke? If the association can be ended easily, doesn’t involve any mixing of money, or doesn’t require the parties to work closely together, it isn’t a yoke.

• Working as an employee isn’t a yoke because the employee can quit the job at any time. However, some say this can become a yoke if the employee is forced to do things he or she thinks are wrong.
• Buying, selling, and trading aren’t a yoke because there is no ongoing cooperation. However, some would say that the buying or selling of immoral goods involves a yoke.
• A contract such as a mortgage isn’t a yoke because there is no partnership work, but a mortgage that puts too much financial strain on a family or individual could put them in bondage.
• Interacting with unbelievers socially isn’t a yoke. Both Paul and Jesus emphasized that we needed to remain engaged with the world in order to witness to the world.

The power of the yoke lies in combining the strength of the parties that are pulling together. When we take Christ’s yoke upon us, we gain all his strength to help accomplish our common goal. A Christian spouse can multiply the power of our work for the kingdom and our own sanctification. If we partner with unbelievers, we may find advantages in worldly pursuits, but not in spiritual endeavors.

Paul did say that if believers were already married to an unbeliever, they should stay in the marriage if their spouse was willing. This has led some to say that there is no definite sin in marrying a non-Christian. But the thrust of Paul’s warning is that to do so would be a mistake. More than that, it means denying oneself the power that comes from working side by side with another believer.

A mature believer will want his or her spouse not just to profess some kind of creed or be willing to go to church. What they will want is not just a marriage that is minimally Christian, but a Christian marriage. And a Christian marriage is described in Ephesians five like this. Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church. And husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for her. Now what this means is a Christian woman won’t just look for a man who has a cross tattooed on his shoulder, but a man who is ready to die daily in the sacrificial calling of leading a home. Love as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for her. And a Christian man won’t just look for a woman who wears a cross around her neck, but is willing to die as she submits to his leadership in reliance upon Christ. Both husband and wife are engaged in constant self denial as they live out the beauty of the Christian marriage. – John Piper

 What is a yoke?  A yoke is an implement that is used to harness animals together to pull a load or a plow.  The yoke is a familiar and useful tool to agrarian (farming) societies.  This device is used to join a pair of animals, like oxen, to work together, simultaneously.  They can be used to pull out tree trunks, move boulders, pull logs, to plow fields, or pull a loaded cart.  The yoke is often used in the Bible to express the symbolism of having two that are similar in capacity so that they can both work together.  Jesus referred to a yoke once when He told His followers to, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).  When we are walking with Christ and are in Christ, we can share the load of our life with Him and the walk, although not easy, will be more bearable.

Unequally Yoke

What did Paul mean when he said to not be unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14)?  Does he mean with friends or with those we are dating or considering marriage with?  I believe it is all of these that Paul was addressing but he may be emphasizing marriage in these texts.  In the context we can see that Paul was writing about unbelievers (including friends), those we might consider dating, and those whom we might want to marry.  When we read the entire context of 2 Corinthians chapter six, I believe we can see the answer clearly as with any Scriptures.  Context is always important.  As a rule, I do not like to read just one verse and quote it without reading the entire chapter and possibly the entire book.  So let’s see what Paul was talking about in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18:

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial, Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?  What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?  For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

In verses 14-16 Paul contrasts light and darkness and righteousness with wickedness.  These have nothing in common.  Jesus said that “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:16) “but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19a).  No one who believes in Christ “should stay in darkness” (John 12:46c).

Also consider, “What harmony is there between Christ and Belial” (2 Corinthians 6:15)? The answer is there is no agreement between the two!  Belial is a symbol of a demon or the Devil himself. Belial also means someone who is self-sufficient, truly independent, and has no master.  It is no wonder that Belial is a Hebrew adjective meaning “worthless.”  We must not be self-sufficient but worship and depend upon our Master…that is Jesus Christ.  These two are diametrically opposed and opposites of each other.

We are told that we are the temple of God because God the Holy Spirit dwells in us, therefore there is no place for idols. God must be first and foremost in our lives (Matthew 6:33) but this would be difficult if we marry or have as best friends those who do not believe in God.

Just as God told Israel, “Come out from them and be separate” (Isaiah 52:11) so we too must be separate from unbelievers in close friendships and in marriage (which includes dating non-believers).  God is our Father (2 Corinthians 6:18) but the unbelievers have Satan as their father (John 8:44).  I know that sounds harsh, but those are not my words, rather,  that is Jesus speaking.

Unequal Yokes

Imagine you see a farmer getting ready to plow his or her field.  They hook up a powerful ox to one side and on the other side, they hook up a tiny little Chihuahua.  Which side is going to work the hardest?  Will they plow together in an equal fashion?  Can they walk along and carry the load on an equal basis?  Of course not!  One will likely be dragged along and impede the progress of the other.  One may pull to the left and one may pull to the right.  The one that is the primary worker will be pulling more than their fair share.  The ox will strain because the Chihuahua will want to run away or go the other direction.  They can not work together because they are unequally yoked together.  They will have little success and the work will either not get done or it will be exponentially more difficult.  It is not fair to the Chihuahua or to the ox.  This will simply not work.  They will eventually have to be unyoked.  For some that are unequally yoked, this means divorce.  How tragic and how unnecessary; it could have been prevented.

The same principle applies to dating or considering an unbeliever as a marriage partner.  Their morals will not be the same, they may have differing principles in child rearing, their television or movie taste will be not be the same, their language, work ethic, just about everything will be different.  They will struggle at almost ever thing they do.  God commands Christians to not marry unbelievers because it is in their best interests.  No marriage is always better than a bad marriage, especially since marriage is intended to last until “death do us part.”  Don’t be fooled by thinking that you can convert them after you marry them because it is God who draws people to Christ (John 6:44).  Just because they say they believe in God does not mean they believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord for He is Lord of all or He is not Lord at all.  Even the Devil and his demons believe in God but that doesn’t make them Christians (James 2:19).  You will know them by their fruit (Matthew 7:16, 20) and not by what they say.  Time will tell.  Jesus meant this when He said, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit”(Matthew 7:18) and “Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit” (Matthew 7:17).

Equally Yoked

When Jesus said to “Take my yoke upon you,” there is the idea that we can put our heavy loads on His shoulders (which is where the yoke goes on the team of oxen).  We must be walking along side of Christ to have the yoke be useful to us. If we walk ahead of Christ, the load will be on us…if we walk behind, we will get no help with our heavy burdens…but if we walk with Christ, we have access to Christ and we can have Him share the load.  That is how we can find “rest for [our] souls” for His “yoke is easy and His burden is light.”  The same principle applies to those who marry believers.  They walk together in agreement.  They can share life’s heavy loads together for “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work”(Ecclesiastes 4:9) and “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up” (Ecclesiastes4:10)!  Amos 3:3 puts it this way, “Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?”

Being married to believers is like a three-fold cord because, “one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).  Two are able to stand stronger than one against the Enemy but when Christ is in the marriage, it becomes a strong “cord of three strands” which is “not quickly broken.”  The idea is that when Christ is at the center of the marriage, the two become stronger because of Christ’s presence and His strength.

I have married many couples who were both believers and I have married couples who were non-believers but I refuse to marry couples where one is a believer and the other is a non-believer.  Believe me when I say this that I am trying to spare them much grief and heartache and perhaps prevent a needless divorce.

If You’re Married to an Unbeliever

What happens if you are presently married to an unbeliever?  My own opinion is worthless compared to what the Bible teaches.  Paul wrote that “If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.  For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband” (1 Corinthians 7:12-14).  It is crystal clear that Paul says not to divorce someone if they are not a believer because you may be an agent used by God to bring that person to saving faith.  Paul concludes this thought by writing that such a “person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them” (1 Corinthians 7:17).

Conclusion

There is no doubt that a Christian should not date, become engaged, or marry an unbeliever.  They will have trouble in their marriage to be sure, they will be unequally yoked throughout their lives, they will have many disagreements, they will struggle over ethical and moral decisions, they will differ in their child rearing philosophies, but above all God commands believers to “not be yoked together with unbelievers “ because “what fellowship can light have with darkness?“   It is for our own good and God always knows what best for us…more so than we do for He is God and we are not.

The primary verse in question is 2 Corinthians 6:14 and even though we hear this most often associated with marriage, the verse in context is not specifically about marriage:

2 Corinthians 6:14 – Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? (NKJV)

Since it is a direct command (“do not be…”) followed by some stark comparisons (righteousness vs. lawlessness; light vs. dark), we are compelled to fully understand it’s meaning and know how it applies to us today on a daily basis.

What Do Eggs Have to Do With It?

Despite my attempt at humor, it has nothing to do with eggs (spelled “yolk” if you’ve missed my lame joke).  Officially the definition of yoke is: stable gear that joins two draft animals at the neck so they can work together as a team.

The best way to define it is to show you what it is:

A yoke is a harness that ties to animals together so that their pulling strength is combined. In this arrangement, it could also be that one animal’s strength is doing the work for both, or helping the other.  This is more the context of Jesus’ words here:

Matthew 11:29-30 – Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (NKJV)

When we yoke ourselves to Christ, we harness ourselves into his plan, his power… he guarantees we have the necessary power required. We follow his direction. We are controlled by the same “driver”.

It is interesting to note that another definition of yoke is: an oppressive power. This makes Matthew 11:29 even more appropriate because the yoke of Jesus is the opposite of oppressive; it is empowering.  Consider this verse also, one of my favorite:

2 Peter 1:5 – But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, (NKJV)

“Giving all diligence” would be communicated today as “trying as hard as you possibly can”.  The picture here is that God requires our very best effort while we know that the real power and success comes from God. Together with Matt 11:29 you would have a principle that goes something like this:

“Yoke yourself to Jesus. You’ll still try with all your might, but the power of Christ guarantees your success as a  Christian. The burden is ‘light’ because we know that our effort is never in vain and God sees to every detail. The yoke is ‘easy’ because it only requires our childlike complete trust in the Lord.”

What a beautiful thought. No wonder there is rest for our souls when yoked to Christ.

Unequally Yoked With Unbelievers

What does that mean, “unequally yoked to unbelievers”? In context of 2Cor 6:14, it specifically means not to be tied together with the unsaved, the world, those who reject God in such a way as to be:

• heading the same direction
• trying to accomplish the same things
• yoked to them instead of to Christ (they are more important)
• depending on our power and theirs, instead of God
• being controlled by what they are being controlled by (the oxen are reigned by the farmer)

Okay, that’s fine and dandy but what does that mean on a practical level to my everyday life? How can we apply it? Listing some examples will give you a better picture than if I just try to explain it.  But first, understand this… we have to live in this world. So being unyoked from the world does not mean we are to live in a cave. Consider Jesus and Paul’s words:

John 17:14 – I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. (NKJV)

Romans 12:2 – And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (NKJV)

We are to live in this world, that is a foregone conclusion of human existence, but we are not to be OF this world embracing what unbelievers embrace… in other words, we don’t YOKE ourselves to the world. We live in among the world but we don’t harness ourselves to it.

The Christian must be able to discern the difference. What is being “part” of this world (but not yoked) versus being “of”this world (yoked to it)?  Some practical examples give us the clearest picture.

Practical Examples of Being Yoked

Example	“in” the world (not yoked)	“of” the world (yoked)
Marriage	Married, but to a Believer	Married to an unbeliever
Business	Employed at a business owned by unbelievers	Starting/Partnering/Owning a business with an unbeliever
Money	Earning income not specifically doing “Christian” work or selling “Christian” products to believers or unbelievers	Earning income that promotes something sinful such as a Internet porn or a money-making “gimmick” you could be unequally yoked to a business system or monetary philosophy that does not glorify God
Sex	Enjoying sex within marriage	Enjoying sex outside of marriage and having the world’s view of it you could be unequally yoked to someone who does not hold to God’s standard of purity
Parenting	Parenting children, school choices, electronic games, activities that may or may not be specifically “Christian” (ie. football or public school)	Raising your kids by the world’s standards of status, entertainment and priorities (ie. popularity, fads, materialism, etc); you could be unequally yoked to a worldly standard of parenting that disagrees with or confuses Scripture
Self Improvement	Exercise, education and achievement that enhances your ability to live and demonstrate the Christian life	Exercise, education and achievement for personal glory, adoration, increased status and to fulfill the desires of the flesh you could be unequally yoked to a humanistic system of self improvement or to a person who teaches self improvement with no understanding of God
Time	Spending your time in activities other than “church” or Christian service such as sports, hobbies, leisure always keeping in mind that we are to be good stewards of the time God has allowed us	Spending your time impulsively or selfishly on whatever you feel like doing, believing it is YOUR time to use as you please without regard to God you could be unequally yoked to a goal, hobby or activity that also consumes the time you should set aside for God
Goals	Having a goal that is not specifically “Christian” such as owning a nicer home or being a good golfer	Having those goals for the wrong reason; wanting a nicer home to show off how “successful” you are, or being a good golfer to the extent it monopolizes your time for God and family you could be unequally yoked to a worldly goal that causes your Christian walk to suffer or keeps you from growing spiritually
Focus	You could be focused on something of this world such as sports or education without letting it compromise your Christian walk.	Focusing on something of this world that is either unGodly or pulls you away from God you could be unequally yoked to a sport, a leisure activity or a business that requires you neglect God in order to achieve success in it.

It is important for us to understand what this means to be “unequally yoked with unbelievers”. We must continually evaluate our life to make sure we are not “unequally yoked” in any way. Why?

2 Corinthians 6:14 – Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? (NKJV; emphasis mine)

To be unequally yoked with the world is to mix opposites to our own detriment. Light and dark cannot coexist together in cooperation. Good and evil cannot walk hand in hand.  Mixing opposite or contentious elements will cause us to stumble, be deceived, stagnate and waste resources (time, emotion, energy, money, etc).

To put Paul’s words (“For what fellowship has..”) in modern language we might say “Are you nuts? Do you want to cause a bunch of unnecessary hardship and trouble in your life? Do you want to make your Christian walk hard, or even impossible?”

Remember, God’s “rules” are not constraining or kill-joy. The Creator gave us an Instruction Manual because He loves us and knows how we should operate to have the greatest success, fulfillment, joy and blessing in this life.  He tells us not to be unequally yoked… that is not a way to rob us of choices, but to direct us to the most rewarding ones

Five questions follow this command, each expecting in response a definite, "None!" The contrasts of righteousness/lawlessness, light/darkness, Christ/Beliar (or "Belial," a Jewish name for Satan), and believer/unbeliever end in the final contrast, "What agreement has the temple of God with idols?" (2 Cor. 6:16, NRSV). The claim, "We are the temple of the living God," is followed by quotations from the Old Testament. Within these, three strong commands, "Come out!," "be separate!" and "touch nothing unclean"! (verse 17) stand between two "promises" (verse 16;verses 17, 18). Looking back to these promises, the section closes with a call for holiness (2 Cor. 7:1).

How is holiness before God related to separation from the world?  What kind of separation is Paul talking about?  2 Cor. 6:14-7:1.  

When we read 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 in light of his earlier counsel, Paul is not suggesting that we do not have any contact with unbelievers. After all, how could unbelievers ever have access to the gospel? Paul, the great Christian missionary, does not want to dampen the witness of believers. What, then, does he speak against? He speaks against "all alliances that give undue influence to those who do not love God." Any alliance with an unbeliever that risks the believer's exclusive loyalty to God "must be strictly avoided."—Manuscript Releases, vol. 8, p. 107. So Paul's call to separation in 2 Corinthians is much the same as his earlier calls to "flee from sexual immorality" (1 Cor. 6:18, NIV) and idolatry (1 Cor. 10:14).

"It is all right for the church to be in the world provided the world is not in the church. The ship does not sink when it is launched in the water; it sinks when the water gets into the ship .... The rescue work of the church declines in direct proportion to how much the world invades the church."—Roy J. Fish and J. E. Conant, Every-Member Evangelism, (New York: Harper and Row, 1976), p. 48.

The word Pharisees means "separated ones."  How do we avoid the extreme forms of separation practiced by the Pharisees while preserving our devotion to God?  How can we be in the world but not of the world?

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Monday August 10

CHOOSING ONE'S YOKEFELLOWS (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1).

To what situations should we apply the counsel not to be "mismatched with unbelievers"? (2 Cor. 6:14, NRSV).  

Christians often have repeated Paul's words to those thinking about marriage with unbelievers. Ellen White agrees: "Men and women professing godliness should tremble at the thought of entering into a marriage covenant with those who do not respect and obey the commandments of God. It was this that opened the flood-gates of sin to the antediluvians. Such a connection with the world is a direct departure from God's express requirement—Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.' "—The Signs of the Times, Dec. 30, 1880.

However, Paul does not address his advice only to marriage. "The apostle Paul declares that it is impossible for the children of God to unite with worldlings.... This does not refer to marriage alone; any intimate relation of confidence and copartnership with those who have no love for God or the truth is a snare."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 13.

Other applications we might consider are:
1. Membership in secret societies (Evangelism, p. 617); 
2. Inappropriate business relations (Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists, p. 215);
3. Inappropriate involvement in politics (Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 476);
4. Improper education of our children (Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 195);
5. Institutional collaboration with the world. "Let not God's people in any of our institutions sign a truce with the enemy of God and man. The duty of the church to the world is not to come down to their ideas and accept their opinions, their suggestions, but to heed the words of Christ through his servant Paul, 'Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?"—Testimonies to Ministers, p. 271.

Compare Paul's advice on marriage in 1 Corinthians 7:12-14 with his advice in 2 Corinthians 6:14-16.  Is he contradicting himself?  Why or why not? 

Are you in danger of establishing any relationship that could put at risk your allegiance to Christ?  If yes, what should you do to correct the situation?

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Tuesday August 11

PROMISES, PROMISES (2 Cor. 6:16-7:1).

God has called us to develop an appropriate distance with unbelievers in matters that could threaten our Christian identity (2 Cor. 6:14-16). For Paul, motivation to obey this call is found in God's promises. God can fulfill these promises only if we remain fully loyal to Him.

Reflect on the first promise Paul gives us.  What should this promise mean to us today? 2 Cor. 6:16. 

God's original plan, reflected in Eden, was for intimate fellowship with His newly created human companions. But when God comes, "walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze" (Gen. 3:8, NRSV), His search for fellowship is frustrated by sin. Later, the tabernacle pitched amidst the camp of Israel testified to God's desire to dwell with His people. The incarnation of Jesus provides even greater testimony to God's longing for human fellowship. Jesus Christ became "Immanuel, . . . God with us" (Matt. 1:23). In the closing chapters of Revelation, we see the grand, end-time fulfillment of that divine longing. John sees "a new heaven and a new earth" and watches as the new Jerusalem descends. Then he hears "a loud voice from the throne" with its joyous announcement, "'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God"' (Rev. 21:3, NIV).

What comfort and assurance does God's promise in 2 Cor. 6:18 bring to you as you resolve to put Him first and foremost in your life?  

Reflecting on this theme of God's desire to be with His people, Paul invites us to claim the promise now. This promise is not to be fulfilled only in the new earth. It may be fulfilled to us in the present. As we separate ourselves, sometimes painfully, from compromising relationships, we have the promise of God's presence with us.

Between the "promises" is the command, "Come out!" (2 Cor. 6:17).  Review other scriptures that repeat this command: Gen. 15:14; Ezra 10:11;Rev. 18:4.  Think of areas in your life from which you need to "come out."  In what specific ways will you do that?

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Wednesday August 12

I WILL BE YOUR FATHER (2 Cor. 6:17-7:16).

At what points in your Christian experience would the promise of 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18 have been most meaningful to you? (Compare Rev. 21:7.)  Why?  

The second promise Paul provides makes fellowship with God even more personal. then I will welcome you, and I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty"' (2 Cor. 6:17, 18, NRSV).

In order to follow Paul's advice not to be unequally yoked and to "come out," perhaps some of his converts thought it best to break off relationships with family members (see Matt. 10:37; Ps. 27:10). If so, this promise would be especially meaningful. Whenever we give up something we treasure because it stands in the way of our fellowship with God, He is there to welcome us with open arms. Paul himself knew this type of loss. He could say that, because of his devotion to Christ, he had "lost all things." He came to understand that it was a small price to pay for "the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Phil. 3:7-9, NIV).

One inviting feature of this promise is found in Paul's use of the word daughters. The Old Testament passage he bases his thoughts on mentions only a "son" (2 Sam. 7:14). Paul wants women to know they are full partners with God.

In what specific ways does the Holy Spirit impress your heart to apply the promises in 2 Corinthians 7:1 and 2 Peter 1:3, 4?  What difference would such application make in your life?  What import would this have on your witness for Christ? 

"The Lord Almighty" (NIV) Himself gives us these promises. "Almighty" translates the Greek word that means "All-Powerful" or "Omnipotent" and is used only of God in Jewish and Christian literature. Aside from several uses in Revelation (1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3;16:7; 19:6, 15; 21:22), this is the only other use of the term in the New Testament. Would you expect empty and pointless promises from "the Lord Almighty"?

Explain how you have found rest in the arms of the One who is almighty. Think of two of your favorite Bible promises. When were they particularly helpful? What troubling areas of your life do you still need to give to the Lord? Can you think of any hindrance that may keep you from doing that?

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Thursday August 13

GODLY GRIEF (2 Cor. 7:2-16).

What things make you the happiest?  Why?  Compare the sources of Paul's joy in 2 Corinthians 7:2-16.  Why does Paul repeatedly exclaim, "I rejoice"?  

On the heels of the "painful visit," Paul had written to the Corinthians a "painful letter" that he worried about (verse 8). Paul had initially planned to meet Titus at Troas (2 Cor. 2:12, 13). Not finding him there, Paul went to Macedonia, where he experienced inner turmoil as a result of worrying over his relationship with the Corinthians (verse 5). The encouraging report Titus brought when he finally arrived in Macedonia did much to calm Paul. The Corinthians had welcomed Titus "with fear and trembling" (verse 15) and true repentance. So thorough was their heart work that Paul wrote, "I rejoice, because I have complete confidence in you."

In applauding the Corinthian believers for displaying "godly grief," Paul mentions "worldly grief."  How do the two compare?  2 Cor. 7:5-16, NRSV.  

"Repentance always brings a person to the point of saying, 'I have sinned.' The surest sign that God is at work in his life is when he says that and means it. Anything less is simply sorrow for having made foolish mistakes—a reflex action caused by self-disgust.

"The entrance into the kingdom of God is through the sharp, sudden pains of repentance colliding with man's respectable 'goodness.' Then the Holy Spirit, who produces these struggles, begins the formation of the Son of God in the person's life (see Galatians 4:19). This new life will reveal itself in conscious repentance followed by unconscious holiness, never the other way around., The foundation of Christianity in repentance. Strictly speaking, a person cannot repent when he chooses-repentance is a gift of God. The old Puritans used to pray for "the gift of tear." If you ever cease to understand the value of repentance, you allow yourself to remain in sin. Examine yourself to see if you have forgotten how to be truly repentant. "—Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, "Repentance," New York, Dodd, Mead & company 1935—December 7th.

Reflect: "The love and suffering and death of the Son of God all testify to the terrible enormity of sin and declare that there is no escape from its power, no hope of the higher life, but through the submission of the soul to Christ."—Steps to Christ, p. 31.

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Friday August 14

FURTHER STUDY: To learn more about "godly grief" and true repentance, study Matt. 3:7-10; Luke 5:29-32; Acts 11:15-18 (the conclusion of Peter's report to the Jerusalem Council and the reaction to it); and Rom. 2:4.

Read Steps to Christ, "Repentance,"pp. 23-36.

The following statement deals with Paul's counsel on marriage in 1 Cor. 7:12-14 and 2 Cor. 6:14-16:
"He who has entered the marriage relation while unconverted is by his conversion placed under stronger obligation to be faithful to his companion, however widely they may differ in regard to religious faith; yet the claims of God should be placed above every earthly relationship, even though trials and persecution may be the result. With the spirit of love and meekness, this fidelity may have an influence to win the unbelieving one. But the marriage of Christians with the ungodly is forbidden in the Bible. The Lord's direction is 'Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. '"—Messages to Young People, p. 464.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1.  Does "separateness" always mean "separation"?  Explain.  How can isolation from nonbelievers" damage our true "separateness"?  2.  Paul says to avoid being "unequally yoked" with unbelievers.  We have taken Paul's counsel to include that a Seventh-day Adventist should marry only a Seventh-day Adventist.  What is the wisdom of this counsel as it affects the marriage, family, and spiritual growth?  3.  In 2 Cor. 6:15, NRSV Paul refers to Satan as "Beliar."  Paul mentions Satan often in the Corinthian letters (1 Cor. 5:5; 7:5; 2 Cor. 2:11; 6:15; 11:14; 12:7) and in the letters he wrote from Corinth (Rom. 16:20; 1 Thess. 2:18; 2 Thess. 2:9).  Do we, today, speak too much or too little about God's great enemy?  Explain.  hearts are wide open – 2 Corinthians is one of the most personal letters Paul wrote. Much of the letter describes Paul’s past experiences with the Corinthians as he shares with them his motives for the actions he has taken. Throughout the letter, we see Paul’s love and care for the Corinthians. Though at times he had to rebuke or correct them, he always did so with their best interests at heart. Nothing about their purposes was kept secret. There was no ulterior plan or hidden motives. In his communication, Paul followed the strategy that the simple truth is always best. This open and clear communication meant that the Corinthians could fully understand where Paul was coming from. There would be no barriers between them. Neither would there be miscommunication. Proverbs 13:10 – Through pride and presumption come nothing but strife. Many an argument break out because of misunderstandings: I thought you meant… I didn’t know that you… You didn’t tell me that… I assumed that… You should have known I wanted you to… Open and clear communication takes away the guessing game of trying to correctly decipher another person’s vague hinting. Many relationships function largely in that gray area of fuzzy communication. It is like a dance with subtle hints and double meanings. Not only is this mentally exhausting, but it opens the door for serious problems that could be avoided with good communication. Case Study: Study Joshua 22 for a case study in the dangers of presumption and how open communication can solve conflicts. Application: Practice clear, truthful, and loving communication with others. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Don’t expect others to read your mind. Be careful about making presumptions. 2. In return widen your hearts to us also – Paul asks that in return for his open, loving communication with them, they also reciprocate. He wants them to care for him as he does for them. And he wants them to communicate in healthy and positive ways. Generally communication is a circle. The way you communicate with others will also influence how they communicate with you. Application: If you don’t like how a spouse or other person in your life is communicating with you try evaluating your own communication. Decide to be the initiator of change. You will likely reap what you sow. So if you change first then it will also change how they think of and respond to you. II. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers (14-18) Discussion Questions Why does Paul use the illustration of a yoke? What does this imagery convey? What does it mean to be unequally yoked with unbelievers? What are some examples of unequal yoking? What five contrasts does Paul make between believers and unbelievers? What do these contrasts show us about the fundamental problems with yoking with an unbeliever? How does this apply to marriage? Does it apply to dating/courtship? What would you say to someone who says, “I am only dating an unbeliever. I will not marry him?” What Biblical advice could you give to someone who hopes to marry an unbeliever and then convert her to Christianity? What are some of the practical reasons why it is dangerous for believers to marry or date unbelievers? What other areas can unequal yoking apply to besides marriage? How do verses 16b-17 apply to this situation? What is the result in verse 18 when believers follow God’s principles? Cross-References Amos 3:3 – Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? 1 Kings 11:4-6 – For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites. 6 Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not follow the LORD fully, as David his father had done. 1 Corinthians 15:33 – Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” Proverbs 13:20 – He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm. Deuteronomy 7:3-5 – Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons. For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you and He will quickly destroy you. Psalm 106:35 – But they mingled with the nations, and learned their practices 1 Corinthians 10:31 – Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Verse by Verse Commentary 1. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers – A yoke is a tool used to bind two oxen together. It ensures that the oxen work together and go in the same direction while plowing a field. Neither one is then free to go his own way. They work as one team, united, with one goal. And they can’t be separated. Paul uses this illustration to describe relationships of believers with unbelievers. A believer should not bind himself to an unbeliever. Doing so means he will lose freedom to follow God’s will and instead may be pulled in a wrong direction. This applies to many areas of life. The most obvious examples are romantic relationships and business partnerships. Take for a example a Christian businessman. An unbeliever wants to become a partner with him. It is dangerous because if they become partners the unbeliever’s worldview will be different than the Christian’s. The unbeliever may focus on making money at the expense of doing what is right. He may therefore push for unethical practices such as taking bribes, lying to customers, refusing to give refunds, selling faulty products, avoiding paying taxes owed, etc. The Christian then has two choices. He can agree (and sin). Or he can try to push for what is right. If he chooses to do right there will be a lot of conflict in the business. He may not be able to maintain his stand. But even if it does, it will be wearying and cause a lot of problems in the management team. It also applies to romantic relationships, marrying and dating. Let us look at why believers and unbelievers are incompatible for marriage. 2. Paul contrasts believers and unbelievers – Paul here makes five contrasts here as to why believers should not be bound together with unbelievers. Righteousness vs lawlessness – He contrasts righteousness and lawlessness. Believers have the righteousness of Christ. Unbelievers are enslaved to sin. The direction, purpose, and vision of their lives are at odds. Light vs darkness – Jesus has opened the eyes of believers and shown them the light. Unbelievers are in the dark, slaves of sin, and blind to the truth. Jesus also warned us to beware of “blind guides” (Matthew 15:14.) Generally the two sides of a dating relationship will both give advice to the other side on many life issues. It would be unfair to be in this kind of relationship and never listen to the other side, but if you do listen to the other side it is listening to a blind guide. Christ vs Belial (that is Satan) – No one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). There is no middle. Either we belong to Christ or we belong to Satan. There should be no partnership between the two. Believer vs unbeliever – From 2 Corinthians 5:17 we know that the believer is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come. One cannot mix old and new. The believer still has his old flesh nature as well as the new nature. The unbeliever only has the sin nature, not the new nature. This will be two against one. If you believe in God, then you know that He is the creator. He made you. He made you for a purpose. You will one day face Him. He is the highest being in the universe. He is the King of Kings. Now He sits on the throne. This belief should guide every aspect of your life, every decision that you make. Unbelievers do not believe or accept that. The worldviews are completely incompatible. Temple of God vs idols – As believers, even our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. We are supposed to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God. Unbelievers are dedicated to fleshly desires: sex, money, security, big house, education, career, position, fame, etc. These cannot mix. Even after that, he quotes God’s command that we be separate from the world. Romans 12:2 tells us not to conform to the world or its ways. We have to be set apart and dedicated to God. How can we be set apart to God if we are involved in a dating relationship with an unbeliever? For an in depth look at why believers should not date unbelievers view our complete Bible study on this topic. 3. The dangers of unequal yoking – Amos 3:3 – Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Shouldn’t your closest companion be agreed with you on the most important thing in life? If two are not agreed on the most important things, there will be lots of problems later on. How will these problems be reconciled? Most likely they will be solved by the believer giving in, at least a lot of the time. Marriage is the most intimate and important relationship you can have. Whom you marry will have a dramatic effect on your life. Your spouse will influence you in big and small ways every day. But if you date or marry an unbeliever there will be fundamental disagreements in almost every arena. Here are some examples: How to spend your money – Believers should practice giving offering to God. Not only do they give God some part of what they make, but they also should seek to use it for His glory and His kingdom. The unbeliever is not interested in contributing to missions. Neither is he interested in investing in God’s kingdom. He wants to use it for satisfying his desires or getting more. How to raise your children – Believers want to prepare their children to face God one day. So they desire to teach them the Bible and a Christian worldview. They want to teach their kids about the errors of evolution and train them from a young age to know and follow God. Unbelievers do not agree with these things. And what is more their entire approach to education is different. Their vision for education is preparing them to be successful in this world. They will follow culture around them. So will you give your kids a Christian education or a secular one? Will you send your kids to church or soccer league? Will you spend time to have devotions with your kids or instead have them tutored to raise their grades? Will you discipline your kids or pamper them? These are a few of the thousands of potential areas of disagreement. How to spend your free time – Study the Bible, go to prayer meeting, or go see a movie? Spend Sundays worshiping God or going shopping? There is a fundamental disagreement on what is worth doing. What careers to pursue – One’s worldview affects his choice of career. Some careers may be unethical. Others may “require” doing something unethical to advance yourselves. Other times career and family or God may be at odds. How will you solve these conflicts with your spouse if your priorities are so different? The list of potential disagreements are endless. One’s worldview affects everything about one’s life, every decision that one makes. If you marry an unbeliever, then you are putting yourself into a dangerous situation that will either stunt your spiritual growth or lead you away from the Lord completely. Let us quickly apply some logic to this situation. There are three possible situations when a believer marries an unbeliever. A. There are few disagreements or conflict about decisions related to worldview. The believer might say, “We don’t really disagree. Our relationship is so good!” If that is the case, it means that the believer is not really understanding and following God’s Word in his daily life. Her belief is not impacting her life. It is an intellectual belief only. B. There are frequent disagreements related to worldview. Believer wants to pursue one course of action and unbeliever wants to pursue another. Believer gives in. This is harmful for the believer’s faith and for the whole family. C. There are frequent disagreements related to worldview. Believer sticks to his guns and refuses to give in. And this happens again and again on many different issues. The marriage will be slowly torn apart. It will be unhealthy and tiresome. It is also “not fair” to the unbeliever to never get his way. At a minimum the believer cannot enjoy marriage as God designed. But worse the marriage may drift apart and break up over time. 4. Missionary dating – Some believers say that they want to practice “missionary dating”. This is dating with the purpose to lead others to Christ. In short, this is never a practice condoned or recommended by God. He has already set His principles in this area that we should follow. It rarely, if ever, works. It creates possible wrong motivations for the unbeliever that will call into question any profession of faith that is made. And more often than not, it isn’t really the reason a believer is pursuing the relationship. Rather, it is a justification or an excuse to continue the relationship and fulfill their own desires. The simple truth is you can’t cause someone to come to Jesus. That is between that individual and the Lord. You may spend years hoping or praying for that person’s conversion so that you can get married and it may never happen. You won’t get those years back. 5. Dating is a type of yoking – The command not to be unequally yoked are rightly applied by the evangelical church as a whole to include marriage. But most also agree it doesn’t only include marriage, but ANY unholy alliances (see 1 Peter 2:9). This definitely includes dating/courtship relationships. Those involved in these dating relationship are clearly bound together. That is why when the relationship ends it is called “breaking up”. You don’t “break up” something that is not bound. The girlfriend would be very angry if her boyfriend had several girlfriends. Why? Because they are bound together, yoked together. They have committed themselves to each other, even if only for a period of time. Dating relationships will also bring an emotional bond. The two sides rely on each other for support and call each other when they need help. Why? Because they are emotionally bound. Also, many times this emotional bound will lead to physical intimacy. It doesn’t always lead to that, but the real temptation is possible and enhanced by the fact that one side doesn’t have godly morals. It is already hard for believers to resist temptation and stay pure. It is much harder when one is not a believer. 6. Go out from their midst and be separate from them – God calls believers to a life of holiness. We are to be in the world but not of the world. Do not let culture and the worldly system around you overwhelm you or creep in to your life and heart. God wants us to be sanctified, which means to be set apart. We are to be set apart from sin, and set apart to God. Application: Is there an area of your life where you are flirting with the world? Are you placing a higher love and priority on something in the world than God? God is calling you today to place Him as the highest priority in your life. He wants your full heart. Be devoted to Him above all else. Separate yourselves from anything in this world which is distracting you from following God 100%. 7. I will welcome you and be a father to you – Life consists of choices. We can choose this world or we can choose God. If we choose Him, He will welcome us and be a father to us. God desires to have this relationship with us. The question is whether we will seek after Him or something else. The most important relationship we will ever have is with God. The second most important is your spouse. Keep the right priority. Do not elevate marriage above God. But honor Him in your marriage. Biblical reasons not to date an unbeliever. A summary of the issues. 1. Biblical mandate. The Bible is clear not to be bound together to unbelievers and dating is definitely a form of being bound together. This one is all that is necessary to avoid it. When there is a clear Biblical command, we should obey. The others below reinforce this point and shed light as to the reasons for it. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) 2. Believers should form close relationships with other believers in order to receive encouragement in their own spiritual walks. Dating an unbeliever is missing the best chance to form a close relationship with a companion who can help us spiritually. (The positive side is to build godly relationships, especially this very close one.) (Hebrews 10:23-25, Proverbs 27:17, Proverbs 13:20) 3. Bad company corrupts good morals. Believers are commanded clearly to avoid spending a lot of time with worldly people. It will influence the believer and hurt his relationship to God. (The negative side is to avoid ungodly relationships, especially with someone so close who has such a big influence on us). (1 Corinthians 15:33, Proverbs 13:20) 4. Dating an unbeliever will cause a lot of disagreement on key issues (Amos 3:3). The two cannot have a close, personal relationship without something giving way. Someone will be unsatisfied. 5. Counsel. What does godly, Christian counsel say? It is extremely likely if you get counsel from mature believers you will be counseled not to date an unbeliever. This is a form God uses to protect us and we should listen to it. (Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 15:22, Proverbs 19:20, Proverbs 12:15) 6. We are commanded to put God first and seek Him first in our lives. We are to do everything for His glory. Dating an unbeliever is an attempt to satisfy our own desires and hope God will agree. We should instead ask what God desires and do it. (Matthew 6:33, Colossians 3:2-3) 7. There are a number of biblical examples (as well as countless outside the Bible) of believers who have decided they could handle it and who were instead led into temptation and sin and fell because of it. The likely consequences are too dangerous and serious to ignore. (Genesis 19:12-14, Judges 16, 1 Kings 11:4-6) 8. It is extremely unlikely an informed believer will be able to date an unbeliever “in faith” with a clear conscience. Therefore it should be avoided. (Romans 14:23, Acts 24:16) Sometimes the believer is dragged toward things they believe are inappropriate for a Christian. But they are yoked. Sometimes they are pulled against their will into situations in which they want no part. But they are yoked. It is difficult walking the path of righteousness when the one to whom they are harnessed is following the way of the world. But they are yoked. Frequently the believer must draw back, creating conflict and friction. Sometimes they are hurt or wounded. Or they grow discouraged from the weight of the burden. If you were to ask them if they are relaxed in their marriages, they would tell you they are not. They may be happy, but they are not comfortable because they are not equally yoked. How could a Christian get into such a predicament? There are four ways that a Christian can become unequally yoked. 1. An unbeliever marries another unbeliever, then at some point one begins to follow the Lord. A new believer married to an unbeliever has a monumental challenge, and it is important that other believers realize that to be unequally yoked was not a position this person chose to be in. 2. A believer marries an unbeliever, thinking he is a Christian when he is not. Many are the men* who are able to put on a ?face of godliness? for the duration of a courtship, only to reveal their true selves after the knot has been tied. A believer in this situation will rebuke themselves constantly for having been tricked. Usually, however, this man has not only tricked his spouse, but has tricked those in the leadership of the church as well. 3. Some people marry a nonbeliever in ignorance. There are people who don?t know that if they love God, they need to marry someone who also loves God. Some people have never heard Paul?s admonition, even though they have been raised by Christian parents. 4. ?I?ll win him later.? Marrying a nonbeliever with a view to winning him to the Lord later is a blatant disregard for the instruction of God. To marry an unbeliever puts a believer at immediate risk of more temptation, and less godliness.  What happens to a marriage and family when a woman has chosen to join the holy with the unholy? Constant conflicts disrupt the marriage relationship. Children are faced with the negative example of an ungodly father. Often a woman is forced to choose between the Lord and the man she loves. It bothers her that her mate is not going to heaven. The most important person in her life cannot provide her with spiritual guidance or counsel. What Ellen White Has to Say In her book The Adventist Home Ellen White strongly expresses her opinion about marriages with unbelievers. She calls them ?forbidden marriages.?1 She makes reference to Old Testament times when God commanded Israel not to marry with the idolatrous nations around them.2 She then refers to New Testament times when Paul admonished the early Christians to not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.3Ellen White?s overriding emphasis dwells on the promise of an eternity with Jesus. How could marrying a nonbeliever help a believer to walk the Christian way, to overcome the everyday problems and temptations, and to keep their eyes firmly fastened on Jesus? coming? Ellen White uses Solomon as an example. Solomon married Pharaoh?s daughter. He hoped that his Egyptian wife might be converted. And she was. But Solomon grew ever more self-confident, and he began to carry out the Lord?s purpose in his own way. ?Many professed Christians think, like Solomon, that they may unite with the ungodly, because their influence over those who are in the wrong will be beneficial; but too often they themselves, entrapped and overcome, yield their sacred faith, sacrifice principle, and separate themselves from God. One false step leads to another, till at last they place themselves where they cannot hope to break the chains that bind them.?4 Hope in the Midst of Trials There is hope for the woman who is unequally yoked. She can be assured that God does not wish ?that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance? (2 Peter 3:9). So whether she was placed in her position by choosing to follow God, or attained her status as an unequally yoked wife because she was disobedient, she can depend on God?s grace. He wants, more than she does, for her mate to come into the kingdom. The woman who is unequally yoked will always be aware of the fact of her situation. But she must also remember that she is a child of God, and a recipient of His magnificent love. Even if she married in total disobedience, that sin was paid for on the cross. And the Lord wants her to live a fruitful, abundant life. She must cling to the positive blessing that she is a child of God, and is completely and perfectly loved by her Savior. _________________________ *Women fall into this category as well. However, since this article is geared mainly toward women, the masculine pronoun is used to represent the unbeliever. _________________________ 1 Ellen White, The Adventist Home, Chap. 9. 2 Deut. 7:3-6. 3 2 Cor. 6:14. 4 Ellen White, Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 500. _________________________ Christine Miles writes from Auckland, New Zealand. She has a passion for children?s ministries, both in the church and in the community. The “unequal yoke” seems, therefore, to be one involving an actual “fellowship” and “communion” in some kind of religious or quasi-spiritual union with unbelievers, and this is forbidden, for how “can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). In the modern scene, ancient Greek pantheism has now become one form or another of evolutionary humanism. Thus, the prohibition would at least apply to membership in secret lodges or fraternities with a pseudo-religious structure and purpose, as well as membership in liberal churches or cults in the so-called “New Age” orbit. It clearly must also include marriage or partnership or other formal unions with individuals who, as unbelievers in Christ, are either knowingly or unknowingly affected by such pagan beliefs or practices. Instead of such an unequal yoke, we should be joined only to Christ and His followers, “For,” said He, “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). HMM history 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1has been the locus classicus for supporting all kinds of Christian separation.1 Aside from the thorny question of how this passage relates to its immediate context, there are two interpretive issues in these verses: Who are the “unbelievers” (ἄπιστοι) in 6:14 ? And what is the “unequal yoke” (ἑτεροζυγοῦντες) that the passage prohibits? The first issue is addressed in this article, and the other will be addressed in the second article in the series. In recent years the traditional understanding of the ἄπιστοι as “pagan unbelievers” has been increasingly challenged by New Testament scholars, and Hughes’s development of the passage in The NIV Study Biblehas widely popularized the false apostle view.2 In light of this interpretive shift on both a scholarly and popular level, a reexamination of the ἄπιστοιreferent is needed. Furthermore, unless the “unbelievers” referent is clearly established, it is difficult to clarify what is meant by the “unequal yoke” prohibition. BSac 149:593 (Jan 92) p. 28 Five referents for the ἄπιστοι have been proposed: (1) untrustworthy persons, (2) Gentile Christians who do not keep the Law, (3) immoral people within the church community, (4) false apostles, and (5) non-Christians, pagans outside the church community. ῎Απιστοι as Untrustworthy Persons One view, held by Derrett, takes ἄπιστοι to refer to “untrustworthy” or “unfaithful” persons in general, whether believers or unbelievers.3 What Paul intended by μὴ γίνεσθε ἑτεροζυγοῦντες ἀπίστοις (“do not be bound together with unbelievers”) was not a negative prohibition, but a positive exhortation (by inference) encouraging the Corinthians to become full partners with him as πιστός(“trustworthy”). Derrett builds his case for this allusive  Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” The apostle Paul referred to Isaiah 52:11 to help make his point that Christians are called out of the world and are to be separate—sanctified—set apart. We must live in the world, but we are not to be of the world (John 17:14-18). William Barclay noted that this passage “is a challenge to Christians to keep themselves unspotted from the world. It has been well remarked that the very essence of the history of Israel is in the words, ‘Get thee out!’ That was the word of God that came to Abraham as the Authorized Version has it. “Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father’s house’ (Genesis 12:1). That was the warning that came to Lot before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:12-14). There are things in the world with which the Christian cannot and dare not associate himself” (William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible Series, note on 2 Corinthians 6:14 – 7:1). Come Out From Among Them Paul teaches us in 2 Corinthians 6, “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 Almighty.” In this verse, it is clear the LORD is speaking to us. Although, what does He mean? Who are we to come away from? How are we to be separate? And the unclean thing; do you know what this is? It all begins, as it did with the Messiah, in Nazareth. Everyone knows the story. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. He, his mother and father fled to Egypt. After some time, an Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph. They came to Israel and made their way to Nazareth. Thus, “He was called a Nazarene.” What is it about these people that are significant to us today? In Acts 24, we see Tertullus, an orator, accuse Paul before the governor. He says, “For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” Paul must have been teaching something different to what they all had previously understood. In the Book of Numbers, chapter 6, we learn what the Nazarite vow is. At its core, its teachings point towards a life of holiness to GOD, a life of separation, and a life of abstinence. That sounds a lot like, “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” Jesus sounded this principle throughout the Gospels to His disciples, and to the multitudes. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” The Bible tells us, “Be ye Holy, for I am Holy.” And if we were to fall short? “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” – Matthew 16:25-26. Jesus tells us He is the way, the truth, and the life. Everything that He speaks to us is our direct line to the Father. Picture it not as a Bluetooth line. Picture it as the Hand of the LORD reaching out to us, trying to pull us back in. As a Bluetooth line can lose its signal, our Father in Heaven is always there. We are what gets in the way. Whether it be our stubbornness, reluctance, or simple lack of knowledge. Take these three, and set them aside, as we reach forth towards the things which are before. Yes, there was a before, or it wouldn’t say it. Jesus tells us in John 8:38, “I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.” Wait, who is our father? Everything is of importance. Everything is of eternal value to each of us individually. Jesus says in Matthew 19:12, “For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.” Remember, everything has significance and is more valuable than gold or silver. What is a Eunuch? If you aren’t sure, do a Google search. A Eunuch is the same as someone who has taken the vow of a Nazarene. A Eunuch is someone who has, “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing.” As I am one familiar with these teachings of the Messiah, the Nazarite vow, being separated and isolated, I ask that you take the time to read the one thing that the world will not be teaching you, Biblical Chastity: Jesus, Abstinence, And The Bible. Take the time to read it. Do so again. Read it until you have taken hold of it. It is all true. The Bible is the only truth in this fallen world. Look around you. It is high time you wake out of your sleep and arise from the dead. Christ is the only one who can give us eternal life, and few there be that find it. That’s not billions of “Christians.” Jesus said only a few, or a tiny amount.  Once we begin walking as Jesus did, we gain a deeper understanding of Isaiah 7:15, “Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.” The Bible will be opened to us. Things will begin to make sense. We will not have to look far to find the answers. We will lie down in green pasture and be blessed when we come in, and as we go out. Stay blessed Obedience to the command to be separate is not popular. Our Saviour spoke of the oppression his disciples were going to bear, telling them that they were blessed when persecuted for righteousness sake, being assured of great rewards in heaven and of identity with a godly line of prophets (Matthew 5:11-12). Paul warned the Philippians: "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake" (Philippians 1:29). And Timothy was advised: "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (II Timothy 3:12). Examples of Biblical Separation During the Roman Empire Christian history is the record of godly men striving to obey these commands and suffering the consequences. During the first three centuries, believers separated from the paganism of the Roman Empire. As a result of their fidelity to God's Word, they were randomly tortured and martyred. But truth prospered, and the body of believers grew. Christianity became not only legal, but fashionable in A.D. 313 when the Emperor Constantine embraced Christianity. That newfound popularity made it easy to feign allegiance to Jesus Christ. This opened the visible church to unconverted professors, and true Christians had to separate from them. The disengagements took place amid great controversy regarding correct doctrine. Whereas the Christian church has possessed the full body of truth since it was first revealed in the Scriptures, that truth was not expressed in a creed without being subjected to strenuous and divisive debate. Such debate resulted as misguided men taught doctrines contrary to the Word of God. When their ideas were preached, Christians were driven to intensive study, examining those ideas closely in the light of Scripture. These studies provided historic Christianity's creedal statements of orthodox doctrines. The first major separation occurred when Arius, a popular teacher in Alexandria, Egypt, preached that Jesus Christ was a created being, not God. The debate produced the first firmly held creedal statement on Christ's deity, and Arius was condemned as a heretic. Though his heresy has reappeared in the history of Christianity, the body of Christ has always condemned his error. In similar fashion all the doctrines of Christianity gained creedal authentication. The Faithful Few Under Roman Catholicism As time passed, the church that grew out of the fallen Roman Empire took in many who might never have entered under the earlier persecution. Their pagan practices often came with them. Ideas and practices founded on human tradition and reasoning - rather than Scripture - arose and gradually became the established dogma of the Roman church. Central among these errors was the teaching that justification is gained through faith in Christ plus performance of church-prescribed works. Roman Catholicism has never abandoned this heresy. Outside the massive and powerful Roman church, a faithful remnant, small and despised, continued to preach the gospel of salvation through faith in Christ alone and to cry out against corruptions of the religious establishment. Like Christ, whose ministry reestablished the truth buried beneath traditions of the scribes and Pharisees, this faithful few proclaimed the truth when prevailing religious tradition had well nigh obscured it completely. And like Christ, these believers were hated and murdered, thousands of them, at the hands of the Roman church. The Waldensians in mountainous northern Italy, the Hussites in Bohemia, and countless other saints were brutally tortured and slain in an officially orchestrated quest to eliminate Christ's flock. The record of bloodshed for Christ at the hands of Rome's church is lengthy, well documented and dreadful. By God's grace, the light of truth shone brightly once again in the 16th century. The Protestant Reformation exposed the heresy and abuse of the dominant religious establishment and amid great controversy reestablished the important doctrines of justification by faith alone and the supremacy of Scripture over religious tradition. 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 Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18) The doctrine of separation from “the unclean thing” is neglected today by professing Christians, but it is still here in God’s Word. The context indicates that Paul is warning against Christians being “unequally yoked together with unbelievers” and urging us to “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 6:14; 7:1). Such separation does not mean having no contact at all with unbelievers, “for then must ye needs go out of the world” (1 Corinthians 5:10), whereas Jesus commanded, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). He also prayed to the Father, “not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (John 17:15). He does demand, however, that we are not to compromise with unbelief or with the unclean thing. We are “born again” into the family of God through simple faith in the person and saving work of Christ; but the full manifestation and fellowship of our relation with the heavenly Father as His spiritual sons and daughters is evidently, in this passage, conditioned on the vital principle of separation from all unbelief and filthiness of the flesh, with Jesus as our example (Hebrews 7:26). We are specially warned to “turn away” from those who, “having a form of godliness,” attempt to accommodate the naturalistic viewpoint of modern scientism within the Scriptures, thus “denying the power thereof” (2 Timothy 3:5). “Be ye separate, saith the Lord.” HMM  Days of Praise Podcast is a podcast based on the Institute for Creation Research quarterly print devotional, Days of Praise. Start your day with devotional readings written by Dr. Henry Morris, Dr. Henry Morris III, Dr. John Morris, and others to strengthen and encourage you in your Christian faith. Come Out from Among Them When God calls you, when He knocks, IF you hear His voice, then you must open to Him: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”Revelation 3:20 Then you must follow Him – follow His voice (the KJV) and not a stranger’s voice (a false bible): “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” John 10:4-5 Since now:  “... I have chosen you out of the world…” John 15:19 You must: “...come out from among them…” 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 This involves much (see the section on how to be a Christian). IF you are now truly a Christian, truly a disciple of Jesus Christ, you need to read the King James Bible daily and do what is says. You must continue in the Word. Your hope is in Jesus Christ: “...Christ in you, the hope of glory:” Colossians 1:27  In the past, you may have thought you were a Christian. But if you were in the wrong churches, the wrong bibles, no bible, or wrong doctrine or wrong belief, you were deceived and didn’t know the truth.  However, now that your eyes are spiritually opened, it’s like the difference between night and day:  “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Acts 26:18 Things are different now. You have the mind of Christ: “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:15-16 As you read the King James Version (KJV), the Spirit of God comes into you: “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63 Now you have faith: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 Since the word of God is the KJV, you now have faith – not a false faith from a false bible (see our KJV page).  You are now spiritual, not in the flesh: “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.” 2 Corinthians 5:16 But you now know Christ spiritually. If you were in the false churches and false bibles, then you knew Christ after the flesh. But now you know Christ spiritually. Praise God! You must not only read the Word daily, but you must also do what it says: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22 Don’t be surprised if friends, family members, pastors, and others (including members of the false churches) won’t believe as you now do. They are still in the dark and blind. They think they are saved and in need of nothing: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”Revelation 3:15-17 So they are blind and Jesus is going to spue them out of His mouth. If Jesus does this, then they’re not in the Body of Christ – they’re not saved. They’re lukewarm.  If you are in a false church you must get out: “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” Matthew 15:14 You don't want to fall into the ditch. The bibles they use are “false Christs” and therefore idols (see our KJV page). These people are idolaters. God forbids us to “keep company” with anyone who calls himself a Christian and yet is an idolater: “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.”1 Corinthians 5:11 You can’t eat with them; that is, you can’t eat “the bread of life” (John 6:35), which is Jesus, with them. This means no Christian fellowship with them. So, if you stay in that church, it would be sin because you’d be breaking God’s commandment. This would mean death to you because  “...the wages of sin is death...” (Romans 6:23)  So, flee: “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” 1 Corinthians 10:14  “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14  “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 Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 And when you do separate: “Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.”Proverbs 18:1 If you can't find a “church” that complies with God’s standards and requirements as found in His Word (KJV), then you need a home church, Fellowship with those who are like-minded, accepting the KJV as the complete, perfect, and final authority and truth: The Word of God. This may be a very small church! 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 Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:17-18none God has always commanded His people to separate themselves and be identified differently from the world. From the time He established Israel as a nation to the present day church era, God has required a standard of holiness with a heart dictated and directed by the Word of God. Thus, the Ten Commandments given by God to Moses, instituted laws for God’s people to live by and strictly adhere to (Exodus 20). Consistent with the laws and commandments of God, Apostle Paul instructed the church at Corinth to separate themselves from those who did not believe and rejected the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 6:14-17). Even today, the same rule of faith and righteousness is applicable as God does not change and a glorious church without spot, wrinkle, or blemish must be presented to Him (Ephesians 5:27). Mankind, in an effort to make the gospel more palatable, has tried to blend world views and ideas inconsistent and non-biblical with the revelation of the unadulterated Word of God. The camouflage is masked by supposedly accepting salvation without rejecting the lifestyles and habits condemned by scripture. God’s word is highly regarded and going to church is in vogue, but worldly venues to enhance and guide one’s life are sought out and exercised. Apostle John explicitly declared “if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15b). Living a life of holiness is indeed a narrow walk intended only to please God. Examine how stringent Apostle was in admonishing the saints at Corinth to draw the line from being identified with the world. The saints were instructed not to associate and align themselves with unbelievers who would inevitably lead them into a state of apostasy. He posed contrasting scenarios to point up the great divide between the godly and the ungodly; what fellowship does righteousness have with unrighteousness, what unity does light have with darkness, what agreement does Christ have with Satan, and lastly what fellowship does the temple of God have with idols? Rather than open the door for a fall from grace and the enemy to gain the victory, Paul tells the church to “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty”. God is yet calling and reminding His people who have allowed Satan to lull them to sleep, regardless of the strategy, by taking on the the thoughts, ideas, and opinions of the world “that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Romans 13:11). The problem within the Church, is werefuse to separate ourselves from theworld and the sin it offers. Sadly,righteousness and holiness preachingis almost extinct because a preacher isconsidered “judgmental” if they speaksuch things. Thus, the sin conditionwithin the Church continues. But how can they call on him to savethem unless they believe in him? Andhow can they believe in him if they havenever heard about him? And how canthey hear about him unless someonetells them? {Romans 10:14} The same istrue for other things as well, such asthe knowledge of sin and the call torefrain from it as well as to be holy forGod is holy. In 2 Corinthians Paul told the believersto separate themselves and to not eventouch their “filthy things.” Sadly, mostChristians don’t know what filthy thingsare and there’s a perception in theChurch that Jesus’ grace not onlycovers a multitude of sin but it actuallycondones it! That’s right folks, youheard it here. People think that oncethey “accept Jesus as their Savior” it’sgame over; they get a comfy cloud inHeaven, and get to keep their comfysins here on earth at the same time. Simply put, that’s a lie. Filthy Things 9 Do you not know that the unrighteouswill not inherit the kingdom of God? Donot be deceived. Neither fornicators,nor idolaters, nor adulterers, norhomosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 northieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards,nor revilers, nor extortioners willinherit the kingdom of God. 11 Andsuch were some of you. But you werewashed, but you were sanctified, butyou were justified in the name of theLord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.{1Co 6:9-11 NKJV} These are the results of born againbelievers touching filthy things. All of ushave fallen short of the glory of Godand have sinned in these ways andothers but we are called to leave thisway of life and walk by the Spirit inorder to not fulfill the lust of the flesh. This is not just a sexual thing, it’s aflesh thing. Our flesh desires sin, it wasborn into sin and quite possibly bornout of sin. If we feed a thing it will live, ifwe starve it, it will die. It’s not rocketscience, it’s obedience.  The devil is the father of disobedienceand his desire is to get God’s kids to behis kids. Sons of disobedience. Hedoes this by enticing us with the thingsof the world, making us think we aremissing out on something. He did thiswith Eve in the garden and he is stillusing the same tricks today. We often say we would not have fallenfor such a thing if we were Eve becauseshe had it so good, well so do we. Wehave it good when we don’t have to livewith the effects of sin, yet we still sin. Man desires a way that is not God’s. The only way to conquer that desire isto starve it. Resist the devil and he willflee from you, but first you must submitto God, (James 4:7). Meat is Not for the Faint of Heart Christian often sin because they refuseto grow up. Ever seen a 50-year-old man with asideways ball cap, baggy pants andlistening to rap or the same manplaying an air guitar! Paul said, When Iwas a child, I spoke as a child, Iunderstood as a child, I thought as achild; but when I became a man, I putaway childish things. {1Co 13:11}. Youcan’t put away childish things if youthink they are acceptable and good. Wemust learn what is God’s perfect andacceptable will in order to live it. 12 For though by this time you ought tobe teachers, you need someone toteach you again the first principles ofthe oracles of God; and you have cometo need milk and not solid food. 13 Foreveryone who partakes only of milk isunskilled in the word of righteousness,for he is a babe. 14 But solid foodbelongs to those who are of full age,that is, those who by reason of usehave their senses exercised to discernboth good and evil. {Heb 5:12-14NKJV} Sadly, most Christians are sufferingfrom severe ignorance of who theirSavior really is as well as living under asevere drought of His word. Thisdrought is not God’s doing, however,it’s mans. Believe it or not newChristians really can handle the “meat”of the Scriptures. Foundational truthsare extremely important, truths established by God and not byman. This means it is perfectlyacceptable to teach “baby” Christiansto come out from the world andseparate. As a matter of fact, it is“another gospel” to teach themanything different. Today much of theChurch has welcomed the world andthe things of it into the church in aneffort to be relevant to the worldinstead of heeding the words of Jesusthat stated "They are not of the world,just as I am not of the world. {Jhn 17:16} We are called to live a life that isuniquely different from the way theworld lives according to Romans 12:2And do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewing ofyour mind, that you may prove what isthat good and acceptable and perfectwill of God. In the ministry of deliverance, we seepeople grow most quickly when theysubmit themselves to discipleship inthe word of God. We see the wordbegin to quicken in them and breathelife into their malnourished spirits. Thenwhen they are taught their authority inJesus Christ and how to use thatauthority to command the devil and hiscohorts to get thee behind them theystart to feel empowered and believethat there is power in the gospel. Important to note also that when theyare given revelation over what God saysabout sin, there is also a quickeningthat takes place and it leads them torepentance. Don’t Conform Not conforming to this world means tonot fashion ourselves after the way theworld does. For example, we are not toblend into the world whereby we buryour light and live as those in darknesslive. When we fashion our lives after theworld we try to Christianize things liketattoos, body piercing, fornication,living together out of wedlock, gaymarriage, adultery, drunkenness andthe likes. This is the world’s way, notGods. God said to come out fromamong the world and called Hischildren a royal priesthood, chosen,holy and special so we can proclaim thepraises of Him who called us out ofdarkness and into His marvelous light!{1Pe 2:9} Jesus said in the gospel of Matthew 5that we are the light of the world andare not to hide that light. He said glorifyGod by doing good works, letting ourlights shine before men. He also madeit very clear that He absolutely did NOTcome to destroy the Law or theProphets. "Do not think that I came to destroythe Law or the Prophets. I did notcome to destroy but to fulfill. {Mat5:17 NKJV} Jesus also said the eye is the lamp,when it is good the whole body is alsogood, full of light. In other words, weneed to be careful what we allow ourbodies to take in through the eyebecause things can contaminate ourentire body. Pornography is a greatexample of this, as well as all sorts ofmedia and entertainment.  I hear people, including pastors andother leaders in the body of Christcondone tattoos. I am always amazedat this stance because to me itrepresents a need to be relevant to thisgeneration. I have heard many leaderspreach it’s ok to have a “Christian”tattoo as well as do “holy Yoga.” Ludicrous! When we know the roots tothese things we cannot approve ofthem. Can you imagine asking Jesus what Hewould like you to permanently cut intoHis temple (your body)? Which, by theway, is not yours if you belong to Him. Or do you not know that your body isthe temple of the Holy Spirit who is inyou, whom you have from God, and youare not your own? {1Co 6:19 NKJV} Would you take Jesus Christ to a tattooparlor and think for a moment He wouldsit in such contamination and put Hiseyes upon such blatant disregard forHis word? No Jesus would not go withyou and His response would be “And ifyour eye causes you to sin, pluck it outand cast it from you. It is better for youto enter into life with one eye, ratherthan having two eyes, to be cast intohell fire. {Mat 18:9 NKJV}.  The eyes look upon things of this worldand covet them which in turn, fills thebody with a lust for the things we see,leading to us being filled with darkness. Think about what Jesus would sayabout coveting and lust. 34 "The lamp of the body is the eye.Therefore, when your eye is good, yourwhole body also is full of light. Butwhen your eye is bad, your body also isfull of darkness. 35 "Therefore takeheed that the light which is in you is notdarkness. 36 "If then your whole bodyis full of light, having no part dark, thewhole body will be full of light, as whenthe bright shining of a lamp gives youlight." {Luk 11:34-36 NKJV} The eye judges, and if we haven’t beeneating the meat of the word andtraining our senses to discern truthfrom error and right from wrong, wesimply won’t know what is okay in theworld and what is not for us. Jesusexpressed how what the eye sees orjudges will take life within the wholebody. If the mind is clearly enlightenedby the word and Spirit of God, that lightwill diffuse and spread itself into thesoul. In turn, all the inward faculties of aperson’s thinking will be enlightenedand will direct all the outward actions. We will see a holy revolution when wesee a generation lift up the word of Godand purpose it over the words of theworld. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 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 Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 6:14 7:1). The theme of Paul Corinthian epistles is correction of a carnal church, and one of the cures for carnality is separation from sin and error. A fundamental problem in the church at Corinth was that they were messing around with the evil things of the pagan society (1 Co. 10:7-8, 21-22) and with false teaching (1 Co. 15:33; 2 Co. 11:3-4). They were maintaining inappropriate relationships with the unbelieving world. Paul exhorts them repeatedly to separation. Two of the chief passages on separation in the New Testament are found in the Corinthians epistles: 1 Co. 15:33 and 2 Co. 6:14 - 7:1. See also 1 Co. 5:6-7;10:14, 21; 2 Co. 11:4. The essence of biblical separation is to live for Christ so as to shine light in a dark, fallen world. It is to be holy. It is to touch not the unclean thing. It is to refuse to follow the world’s ways and thinking. It is to avoid being corrupted by the world. This is stated many ways in this passage.   Separation is a divine commandment. - “be ye not ... come out from ... be ye separate ... touch not” (2 Co. 6:14, 17).  - These verbs are all imperative mood, which is a command. Separation is not a suggestion; it is not an optional part of Christian living. Separation has been abused, as by the Pharisees who separated according to their tradition and not according to God’s Word. It has been practiced falsely in hypocrisy. But there is a biblical separation, and it is serious business before God. - The believer must take the initiative in separation. He isn’t to wait to be kicked out of wrong associations and alliances; he is to depart in obedience to Christ.  - Separation goes against pragmatic thinking which says that by fellowshipping with error the believer can bring change. “These are God’s plain instructions to His people concerning separation from evil. Christians are not to stay in the midst of it, as part of it, in order to remedy it. God’s program is come out” (Believer’s Bible Commentary). Separation is a continual practice.  - “Be ye not” (2 Co. 6:14), “touch not” (2 Co. 6:17), “perfecting holiness” are present tense, indicating continual, repeated action. Separation is not something that is accomplished once for all; it is something that must be practiced continually all along the way in the Christian life. It is a daily action. As soon as separation continues to be practiced, it drifts away and corruption is the result. Separation is because the believer belongs to God (“for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people,” 2 Co. 6:16). - This is the heart and soul of separation. Biblical separation is the believer’s response to God’s love to him in redemption. The believer has been purchased by God and belongs to God and is the temple of God (2 Co. 6:16). God is his God (2 Co. 6:16). God is his Father (2 Co. 6:18). He is dearly beloved (2 Co. 7:1).  - Biblical separation is God’s people taking God’s side against God’s enemies. Since God has such great love to me and has done such great things for me, I must not associate with those things that are displeasing to Him. I must have no agreement with His enemies. This is a major theme of Paul’s teaching to the Corinthians. Compare 1 Co. 6:19-20;7:23; 2 Co. 5:14-15. - Christ taught about this in strong words. “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad” (Mt. 12:30). “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other” (Mt. 6:24). “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mr. 8:38). - Paul warned about this to Timothy. “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us” (2 Ti. 2:12). - The stand for Christ in a foreign world is expressed in the hymn “Who Is on the Lord’s Side” (Frances Havergal, 1877): “Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King? Who will be His helpers, other lives to bring? Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe? Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for Him will go? By Thy call of mercy, by Thy grace divine, we are on the Lord’s side—Savior, we are Thine! ... Chosen to be soldiers, in an alien land, Chosen, called, and faithful, for our Captain’s band; in the service royal, let us not grow cold, let us be right loyal, noble, true and bold. Master, wilt Thou keep us, by Thy grace divine, always on the Lord’s side—Savior, always Thine!” - “This great conflict of the ages involves us. We cannot be neutral. We are commanded to take sides and that means separation from this world’s system. This is not surprising since the world is the devil’s lair for sinners and his lure for saints. We have been bought at too high a price for us to go on in the same old way, fraternizing with the world, as we did before we were saved. The poet, summing up our rightful attitude toward the world, has phrased it thus: ‘Nay world, I turn away, though thou seem fair and good; that friendly, outstretched hand of thine is stained with Jesus’ blood’” (John Phillips). Separation is to show forth righteousness in the midst of unrighteousness and to shine light in the darkness (“for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Co. 6:14). - Separation is a pilgrim mindset and lifestyle. The believer is a citizen of heaven and a pilgrim and stranger in this present world (Php. 3:20; Col. 3:1-4; 1 Pe. 2:11). Paul says to the Corinthians, you are believers; you are of Christ; you are the temple of God; you are righteousness; you are light. The born again believer has been translated from the kingdom of this world to the kingdom of Christ (Col. 1:13), from the family of the devil to the family of God (Ro. 8:15-17), from darkness to light (1 Pe. 2:9), from unrighteousness to righteousness (2 Co. 5:21).  - This present world is unbelieving, unrighteous, darkness, of Belial, idolatrous, full of uncleanness, at enmity with God. Unbelievers are children of the devil (Joh. 8:44). They “walk according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2). Unbelievers are “without Christ ... strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). The unsaved are “infidels.” This is apistos, from a(without) and pistos (believing). It is translated “faithless” (Mt. 17:17) and “unbeliever” (1 Co. 6:6; 7:14; 2 Co. 6:14; Tit. 1:15; Re. 21:8). - Separation is to live a different kind of life before a lost world. “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Php. 2:15). - “‘Can two walk together, except they be agreed?’ God demanded of apostate Israel (Am. 3:3). The believer and the unbeliever are at odds over almost everything. The believer declares that ‘in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth’ (Ge. 1:1); the unbeliever says the universe ‘just happened,’ that it was ‘a fortuitous concourse of atoms.’ The believer says that God created Adam of the dust of the earth, and ‘breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul’ (Ge. 1:26-28;2:7); the unbeliever says man is the end product of a process of mechanistic evolution. The believer says that it is salutatory to punish a child corporally (Pr. 23:14); the unbeliever says that such punishment is harmful and cruel. The believer says that God instituted capital punishment and it should be enforced for the protection of society (Ge. 9:6; Ro. 13:1-4); the unbeliever says that it is cruel and unusual punishment. The believer says that marriage is sacred and that wedding vows involve a lifelong commitment (Mt. 19:4-6); the world advocates ‘no fault divorce’ and accepts throw-away marriages. The believer says that sodomy is an offense against the holiness of God (Ge. 19); the unbeliever calls it ‘an alternative lifestyle.’ The believer says drunkenness is a sin (Ga. 5:19-21); the unbeliever says it is a disease--and, illogically, allows brewers and distillers to spend billions of dollars to spread it. The believer says that in the last days ‘evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse’ (2 Ti. 3:13); the unbeliever says that, as time goes on, sociology, psychology, and humanism will produce a perfect society. The believer says that outside of Christ there is no salvation (Ac. 4:12; Joh. 14:6); the unbeliever says that there is good in all religions and it does not matter what we believe so long as we are sincere. The believer says that salvation is by faith (Eph. 2:8-9); the unbeliever says it is by works, that we must merit salvation, that we must acquire sufficient good works to outweigh our bad deeds. The believer says there is a heaven to be gained and a hell to be shunned (Joh. 14:1-3; Lu. 16:19-31); the unbeliever says that death ends all” (John Phillips). Separation has always been God’s command to His redeemed people; the church now possesses what Israel lost and what Israel will yet regain. - In 2 Co. 6:16 (“for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them;and I will be their God, and they shall be my people”), Paul refers to Ex. 29:45; Le. 26:12; and Eze. 37:27, which are promises to Israel.  - Ex. 29:45 and Le. 26:12 pertained to God’s relationship with Israel through the covenant of Moses. The promises pertained to the laws, the tabernacle and temple service, and the Levitical sacrifices. “And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God” (Ex. 29:44-45). So long as Israel obeyed His law, God would dwell among them, but the law was broken, the temple destroyed, and the people scattered among the nations. Note in Leviticus 26, that God said that He had redeemed them from bondage to Egypt that they might be His people. “And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people. I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright” (Le. 26:12-13). They were not redeemed to return to Egypt or to serve false gods or to walk in their own ways and be their own masters. Likewise, the Christian is saved to walk in newness of life and live according to a new Lord.  - The promise in Ezekiel 37:27 is for the time of Israel’s conversion. “And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Eze. 37:25-27).  - Paul applies these promises to church-age believers. This is the mystery of the church. “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of the mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:26-27). The Old Testament prophesied of the salvation of Gentiles but it nowhere revealed that Christ would dwell in Gentiles and that Jews and Gentiles would be together in one spiritual body in Christ. “In the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34) there are both eschatological clauses and soteriological clauses. The eschatological clauses are exclusively for the nation of Israel. The soteriological clauses are for the nation of Israel as well but, inclusively, they are also for us--as Jesus Himself taught (Mt. 26:27-29). With us the wondrous truth has already come to pass. The living God dwells in us. He is our God. We are His people. We occupy higher and holier ground than Israel ever knew. The God who said He would dwell with His ancient people Israel now says He will dwell in us. Think what it means. The heaven of heavens cannot contain Him. One word from Him and a hundred million galaxies burst into being and hurl themselves toward the ever-retreating boundaries of space, traveling at inconceivable velocities and on prodigious orbits and with mathematical precision. Yet He dwells in us! One word from Him and countless angel hosts, who surround His throne on high and sing His praise and hang upon His words, leap into instant obedience to do His will. And He dwells in us! As for us, well might the psalmist say, ‘What is man that Thou art mindful of him?’ We dwell on a microscopic planet chasing around a moderate star located some thirty thousand light years from the galactic center, one among a hundred billion stars in a far-flung galaxy in near infinite space. And we, ourselves, but the dust of the earth. He dwells in us! Moreover, He proclaims Himself to a wondering universe, to be our God! ‘I will be their God,’ He says, ‘and they shall be my people’! What amazing grace! Saved to the uttermost! Wonder of wonders! Of course, He demands separation from a world which spat in the face of His Son and which took Him out to a skull-shaped hill and nailed Him to a cross of wood! How could He demand, or we deliver, anything less?” (John Phillips). Separation is not yoking with, not having fellowship or communion or concord with, not agreeing with, not partnering with (2 Co. 6:14-16). - These are various ways of saying the same thing.  - Biblical separation is not isolation; it is not communalism; it is not monasticism. We are to be in the world as light for Christ, but we are not to be corrupted by the world. The believer can company with unbelievers so long as he is not sinning with them or agreeing with them in error or participating in idolatry or being negatively influenced by them. - Biblical separation is to be different, to think differently, to live differently. It is to refuse to follow the crowd. It is to be on guard against all spiritual and moral traps. It is to exercise vigilance in regard to one’s associations and activities so as not to be harmed by them, so as not to be polluted in one’s life and thinking, so as not to be drawn into darkness, so as not to backslide and be drawn out of God’s will. It is to be constantly proving all things by God’s Word so as to please God in all things. It is the mindset of obeying God rather than man (Ac. 5:29). It is to love God more than all earthly relations (Lu. 14:26; Mt. 10:37). It is the mindset of being the friend of God rather than a friend of the world (Jas. 4:4). It is not to love the evil things of the world (1 Jo. 2:15-17). It is not to be conformed to the world’s ways and thinking (Ro. 12:2). Albert Barnes comments, “We are not to associate with idolaters in their idolatry; nor with the licentious in their licentiousness; nor with the infidel in his infidelity; nor with the proud in their pride; nor with the frivolous in their gaiety; nor with the friends of the theater, or the ballroom, or the circus in their attachment to these places and pursuits. And whatever other connection we are to have with them as neighbors, citizens, or members of our families, we are not to participate with them in these things.” The Expositor’s Bibleobserves, “The text prohibits every kind of union in which the separate character and interest of the Christian lose anything of their distinctiveness and integrity. ... We are to have no compromising connection with anything in the world which is alien to God. Let us be as loving and conciliatory as we please, but as long as the world is what it is, the Christian life can only maintain itself in it in an attitude of protest. There always will be things and people to whom the Christian has to say No!” “In a society in which idolatry runs rampant, a church that is not iconoclastic is a travesty. If it is not against the idols it is with them” (Herbert Schlossberg, Idols for Destruction). - “unequally yoked together” (2 Co. 6:14). This is heterozugéo, from heteros (another, different) and zugos(a yoke), yoked together with a different kind. “Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together” (De. 22:10). A yoke refers to a partnership, a union. It refers to a business partnership, a marriage.  - “fellowship ... communion” (2 Co. 6:14). “Fellowship” is metoché, “from meta (with) and echo (to have), denoting association, partnership” (Complete Word Study Bible). “Communion” is koinonía, to share in, fellowship with, participate in. It is translated “fellowship” (Ac. 2:42; 1 Jo. 1:3, 6, 7) and “communication” (Phile. 1:6; Heb. 13:16). This is a warning against close, intimate fellowship and association with unbelievers and those who hold false doctrines so that you are joining with their thinking and their ways and are being influenced by them. -“concord ... agreement” (2 Co. 6:15, 16). “Concord” is sumphónesis, from sun (with) and phone (a sound), a sounding together, unison, accord. It is the basis for the English word “symphony,” which is multiple instruments joining together to produce one harmonious sound. “Agreement” is sugkatáthesis, to consent, join, “to be well disposed toward, to have an understanding with, to have common ground with.” Joseph of Arimathaea did not consent to the decision of the Jewish leaders to put Jesus to death, and he asked Pilate for permission to bury Jesus’ body (Lu. 23:51-53). Likewise, every believer must refuse to agree with or consent to anything that is sinful or wrong in God’s sight. The believer disagrees with the unbeliever on all important things: who is God? how was the world made? What is man? What is his purpose? How should he live? How can man be right with God? What is death? Who was Jesus? Why did He die? - “part” (2 Co. 6:15). This is meridos, a share, a portion. It is translated “to be partakers of” (Col. 1:12). The believer must not have a part with, participate with, join hands with, make union with anything that is wrong, sinful, false. Biblical separation is to have nothing to do with the things of unrighteousness, darkness, Belial, or idols (2 Co. 6:14-16).  - Biblical separation is to have nothing to do with the things of “unrighteousness” or “darkness.” Darkness represents evil deeds (Joh. 3:19). Darkness represents everything that is contrary to God’s character and will. “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 Jo. 1:5). Biblical separation is to have nothing to do with sin, nothing to do with evil, nothing to do with anything that displeases God.  - Biblical separation is to have nothing to do with “Belial.” “Belial” is transliterated from Hebrew and means wicked, worthless (1 Sa. 25:25). Paul applies it to the devil, who is the god of this world and is the power behind the wickedness of this present world. Paul had given the same warning in 1 Co. 10:21, “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.” Anything that pertains to the devil must be rejected.  - Biblical separation is to have nothing to do with “idols” (2 Co. 6:16). Idols refer to pagan idolatry such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Idols refer to the images of apostate Christianity, the statues of Catholicism and the icons of Orthodoxy. Idols refer to anything that is put before God in one’s life and affections (Ex. 20:3), anything that has first place in one’s life (Mt. 6:33). “Idolatry in its larger meaning is properly understood as any substitution of what is created for the Creator. People may worship nature, money, mankind, power, history, or social and political systems instead of the God who created them” (Herbert Schlossberg, Idols for Destruction). Idols refer to covetousness (Col. 3:5). Atheists claim to have no God, but their gods are those things that they highly esteem, such as self, human intellect, science, the earth, and pleasure. “On no account or pretence were the early Christians to partake of idolatry, or to countenance it. In primitive times, during the Roman persecutions, all that was asked was that they should cast a little incense on the altar of a pagan god. They refused to do it, and because they refused to do it, thousands perished as martyrs. They judged rightly; and the world has approved their cause” (Barnes). Separation is to “come out from among them, and be ye separate ... and touch not the unclean thing” (2 Co. 6:17).  - The second part of this verse explains the first part. To come out and be separate is to touch not the unclean thing. Separation is a mindset of being holy unto the Lord, of being separate from sin. It is the mindset that refuses to participate with any unclean thing, to associate with any evil, to engage in any sinful activity. It is to be “a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Tit. 2:14). It is to “adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things” (Tit. 2:10). It is to “be ye holy in all manner of conversation” (1 Pe. 1:15). It is to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:11). It is to “not be partakers with them” (Eph. 5:6-7). It is to make a clean break with the old life in all of its evil ways and wrong ideas and principles. Peter described it like this: “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of histime in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries” (1 Pe. 4:2-3).  - This world is filled with unclean things. Unclean things are those things that are sinful and wrong before God. Unclean things include fornication, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, backbiting, pride, boasting, inventing evil things, disobedience to parents, covenant breaking (Ro. 1:29-31), adultery, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedition, drunkenness, revelling (Ga. 5:18-21), theft, corrupt speech (Eph. 4:28, 31), filthiness, foolish talking, jesting (Eph. 5:3-4). God’s people are to “touch not the unclean thing.” - We see that biblical separation is a very strict, far-reaching principle. It involves the whole life. It is to measure everything by the standard of God’s Word so as to reject everything that is unclean. Biblical separation encompasses friendships, education, business practices, clubs, social and political organizations, marriage, the home, child training, fashion, music, entertainment, toys, pastimes, literature, social media, church. In all things, I must ask whether this thing brings me of my family into wrong association with sin, idolatry, or error. The child of God must touch not the unclean literature, unclean movies and videos, unclean music, unclean clothing fashions, unclean dancing, unclean jokes and comedy, unclean video games, unclean fantasy worlds, unclean relationships.  Separation is required to know the Father (2 Co. 6:17-18).  - “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 Almighty.” - In verse 17, Paul refers generally to Isa. 52:11, “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.” God has always required separation unto holiness. But Paul’s statement that God will receive you and will be a Father unto you is not found in the Old Testament. This is new revelation for church age believers through the prophet apostle Paul. - Separation requires making the choice as to whether I will please God or man, whether I will walk with God in the light or walk out of fellowship with God in the darkness. “Love not the world, neither the things that arein the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 Jo. 2:15). “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (Jas. 4:4). “for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Ga. 1:10). Life with God is glorious business and it is also serious business. He sets the rules.  - Separation unto holiness and truth is required to know the Father in the sense of repentance unto salvation. God commands all men to repent (Ac. 17:30). Repentance is toward God (Ac. 20:21). Repentance is to “turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Th. 1:9). It is to “turn to God, and do works meet for repentance” (Ac. 26:20). It is a change of mind that results in a change of life. It is a new mindset that is ready to turn from false religion and false gospels and from self-will and from a sinful lifestyle. When the sinner repents and puts his faith in Jesus Christ as only Lord and Saviour, he is accepted by the Father. - Separation unto holiness and truth is required to know the Father in the sense that this is the evidence of saving faith. If someone professes to know God in Christ but continues to be in concord with the devil and in fellowship with unrighteousness and darkness and in agreement with idols, he is deceived and does not truly know God. Christ made this very clear: “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (Joh. 14:21). “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 Jo. 2:3-4). The verbs “keep” (1 Jo. 2:3) and “keepeth” (1 Jo. 2:5) and the participle “keepeth” (Joh. 14:21; 1 Jo. 2:4) are present tense, referring to continuous action. They do not refer to doing something once in a while. They refer to doing something in a continual, repeated, committed way. Those who keep God’s commandments in a committed way are those who truly know Him, and those who do not keep God’s commandments in this manner do not know Him. These verbs refer to a way of life, a fundamental commitment, a clear direction. The Greek for “keep” is tereo, meaning to keep an eye on, to guard. It is translated “observe” (Mt. 23:3) and “watch” (Mt. 27:54) and “hold” (Re. 3:3). It refers to those who have their attention focused on obeying God, which comes by born again salvation. They don’t do it perfectly, but they do it with commitment, with strong intent because the Spirit of God lives in them and the law of God has been written on their hearts.  - Separation unto holiness and truth is required to know the Father in the sense of fellowship with Him. “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. ... This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 Jo. 1:3, 5-7). To the believer who separates from darkness, God says, “I will receive you” (2 Co. 6:17) Separation closes many doors in the human sphere, but fellowship with Almighty God is far better than fellowship with the world. It is better to please God than to gain the whole world. “God will not recognize those who remain identified with the world, as having the position as sons and daughters; for the world has rejected His Son, and the friendship of the world is enmity against God, and he who is the friend of the world is the enemy of God” (The Annotated Bible). Separation is perfecting holiness (2 Co. 7:1). - “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” - The chapter division before 2 Co. 7:1is unfortunate because it breaks the context. - This is separation in a nutshell. If the believer obeys this command, he will be properly separated. If he is seeking to cleanse himself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, if he is pursuing holiness in every part of his life, he will refuse to participate in anything that is sinful or wrong and he will refuse to associate with anything that would pollute him morally or spiritually and he will cut off any type of fellowship that would displease his God. - Separation is “perfecting holiness.” This is a present participle, which describes continuous action. Practical holiness is a lifelong pursuit. It is day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year. It is not aorist infinitive, which describes punctiliar rather than continuous action. It is not perfect tense, which is “the state brought about by the finished results of the action” or “an action or process that took place in the past, the results of which have continued to the present.” The perfect tense would indicate that holiness is a state that could be attained once for all, but this is not what we see in Scripture for this present life. “Practical sanctification is a process that goes on through our lifetime. We grow in likeness to the Lord Jesus Christ until the day when we see Him face to face, and then we shall be like Him throughout all eternity” (Believer’s Bible Commentary). - Separation is to “cleanse ourselves.” This is a command, not a suggestion, not something that is optional. “Cleanse” is “aorist subjunctive used as an imperative.” The Christian life is many things, and one of those things is to be cleansing myself. We cleanse ourselves by separation from uncleanness. And we cleanse ourselves by confession of sins when we have touched the unclean thing. The blood of Christ is available for daily cleansing. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jo. 1:8-9). When we come to Christ in true confession, He is our High Priest to forgive our sins by His mercy and through His blood, to bestow mercy, and to help us in time of need (Heb. 4:15-16; 1 Jo. 2:1-2).  - Separation is to “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.” All filthiness encompasses everything that is unclean and wrong before God. It encompasses all filthiness of the flesh (e.g., idolatry, fornication, adultery, drunkenness, revelling, stealing, lying, covenant breaking, cheating, strife, debate, backbiting, whispering, false accusing, disobedience to parents, rebellion to authority) and all filthiness of the spirit (envy, wrath, deceit, pride, lasciviousness, hatred, maliciousness, unmerciful). “The young prodigal son was defiled by sins of the flesh. He had wasted his inheritance on harlots (Lu. 15:13). His older brother was defiled by sins of the spirit, by anger, jealousy, pride, stubbornness, self-righteousness, and an unforgiving spirit” (John Phillips). Separation is motivated by God’s promises and by God’s fear (“Having therefore these promises ... in the fear of God,” 2 Co. 7:1).  - There are many right motives for sound Christian living, and here we see two of them.  - We are motivated by God’s promises. I pursue holiness and reject all filthiness because God has saved me and given me “exceedingly great and precious promises” (2 Pe. 1:4), such as forgiveness of sins, justification, eternal life, adoption, inheritance, never being forsaken, being loved and cared for, being a joint heir with Christ, ruling with Christ, being the bride of Christ, dwelling in the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth. “We have the promises! They are ours! They are addressed to us! We are not misappropriating promises made to someone else. The same Holy Spirit, who made similar promises to the Hebrew people in the Old Testament, now makes even greater promises to us” (John Phillips). - We are also motivated by the fear of God. The fear of God encompasses holy reverence for God, the fear of displeasing God, the fear of God’s chastening, the fear of losing God’s commendation (“Well done, good and faithful servant”), the fear of losing God’s reward. The fear of God is mentioned 38 times in Scripture. Proverbs, the book of practical wisdom, the book of child training, emphasizes the necessity of the fear of God. “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil...” (Pr. 8:13). “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom...” (Pro. 9:10). “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death” (Pr. 14:27). “the fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom...” (Pr. 15:33). “... by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil” (Pr. 16:6). “The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath itshall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil” (Pr. 19:23). “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life” (Pr. 22:4). “Fear is a healthy ingredient in God’s recipe for holy living for His people. It is when we lose sight of God’s holiness, a holiness calculated to strike awe into every heart, that we lose our sense of the seriousness of sin (Isa. 6:1-5; Da. 10:5-9). David would never have sinned with Bathsheba had he kept his sense of God’s holiness before him” (John Phillips). Consider some biblical examples of separation. - Separation is illustrated by Abraham’s sojourn in Canaan. He was a pilgrim and a stranger, not a citizen (Heb. 11:13-16). He did not put down roots, did not settle down in Canaan. He did not move into the Canaanite cities. He lived in a tent. His eyes were on God his Master and on a heavenly country. He lived by God’s Word and was ready to relocate whenever God spoke. He was a good neighbor to the Canaanites, but he was not a partner with them. We never read of Abraham partying with the Canaanites, sending his children to their schools, joining their clubs, and such things. He was ordained by God to shine light in the pagan darkness through his faith and his godly lifestyle. In contrast, Lot rejected the pilgrim lifestyle of his uncle. He moved into Sodom, bought a house, settled down, yoked with Canaanites in business contracts and marriage, became a judge, supported homosexual rights, and let his children learn the ways of the Canaanites. We know how both cases ended. Lot lost everything and through incest became the father of Moab and Ammon, perpetual enemies of Israel (Ge. 19:31-38). Abraham went from blessing to blessing throughout his earthly sojourn and a very portion of heaven is named for him (Lu. 16:22). - Separation is illustrated by the life of King Jehoshaphat. He was a good king who “walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; but sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel” (2 Ch. 17:3-4). He removed the sodomites from the land (1 Ki. 22:43-46) and took away the high places and groves (2 Ch. 17:6). He sent teachers through the land to teach the Word of God (2 Ch. 17:7-9). He appointed judges and instructed them to deal justly in the fear of God (2 Ch. 19:5-11). He trusted in God rather than in the arm of flesh (2 Ch. 20:1-30). But Jehoshaphat committed a great sin by forming alliances with the idolatrous kings of Israel. He “made peace with the king of Israel” and “joined affinity with Ahab” (1 Ki. 22:44; 2 Ch. 18:1). When wicked Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to join him in warring against Ramothgilead, Jehoshaphat said, “I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war” (2 Ch. 18:3). This was strange, wrong thinking. Jehoshaphat worshiped Jehovah God, whereas Ahab and Jezebel worshiped Baal. Judah had remained faithful to Jehovah God, whereas Israel had apostatized. There was no spiritual unity. For his compromise, Jehoshaphat was rebuked by God through the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani (2 Ch. 19:1-2). Even after this rebuke, Jehoshaphat joined with Ahab’s son Ahaziah (“who did very wickedly”) in a commercial enterprise, but God destroyed the ships (2 Ch. 20:35-37). Jehoshaphat also joined hands with Ahab’s son Jehoram against Moab (2 Ki. 3:6-27). Jehoshaphat’s sin of affiliating with Ahab bore bitter fruit in his own family and in Judah itself. Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram married Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah, and they introduced filthy Baal worship into Judah (2 Ki. 8:16-18, 27; 11:18). Jehoshaphat’s sons and grandsons were murdered as a result of his illicit alliance (2 Ch. 21:4, 13). The revival that Jehoshaphat started was destroyed in one generation because of his refusal to separate from evil. - Separation is exemplified by the Lord Jesus Christ. He was a friend of sinners in that He loved them and helped them and taught them the gospel, but He never sinned with sinners. His enemies said he was “a man gluttonous and a winebibber” (Mt. 11:19), but that was a lie. He was always holy. He always spoke the truth. He never agreed with false religion and false thinking but rather rebuked it (Joh. 8:42-44). He exposed sin (Mt. 7:11; 12:34; Mr. 7:21-23; Lu. 11:29). He called men to repentance (Lu. 13:3-5). He frequently warned about hell (Mt. 5:22; 7:19; 13:40, 42,50; 18:8, 9; 25:41). He refused to allow His relatives to call Him out of God’s will (Mt. 12:46-50).  Consider some practical applications of biblical separation. - Multitudes of professing Christians have been corrupted by disobeying God’s command in this passage.  - The following are the type of questions that will enable the believer to know if an association is legitimate or not before God: Does this association yoke me together with unbelievers in any way forbidden by Scripture? Does this association cause me to fellowship with unrighteousness? Does this association cause me to fellowship with darkness? Does this association cause me to participate in idolatry or to agree with idolatry? Does this association cause me to have any concord with the devil or the things of the devil? Does this association cause me to participate in any unclean thing? By this association is the Father displeased with me? Does this thing bring me into fellowship with something that is not God’s will? Is this association harmful to my Christian testimony? Does this association keep me from speaking out for Christ? Does this association bring harm to my Christian life or home or church? - Biblical separation applies to marriage. It forbids marriages to unbelievers, false religionists, or to those who hold false doctrines. Marriage is the closest yoke in human society. There must be agreement and concord. In the case where a believer is already married to an unbeliever, Scripture instructs him or her to remain in that marriage and try to win the unsaved to Christ (1 Co. 7:12-16).  - Biblical separation applies to Christian denominations, associations, alliances, and programs. It forbids joining ecumenical alliances and ventures. It forbids joining a church that is committed to false doctrine and practice. It forbids joining an association or denomination in which truth is in union with error. Examples are local clergy associations, National Council of Churches, World Council of Churches, Baptist World Alliance, CRU, Youth With A Mission, United Mission to Nepal. - Biblical separation applies to business practices. It forbids forming business partnerships with unbelievers and heretics. Many believers have brought great trouble upon themselves by disobeying God’s command. I think of a believer who joined an unbeliever in a real estate business and the unbeliever got the company in trouble with the law by his dishonesty and the believer had to spend time in jail. It forbids partnering with any evil practice, such as performing abortion or selling liquor or providing filthy entertainment.  - Biblical separation applies to politics. The believer is at liberty to participate in political activities so long as those activities do not cause him to be yoked together with unbelievers or to participate in sin or to agree with wickedness and error or cause him to stop speaking out against things that are against God and His Word. “He cannot be at liberty to unite with them in political schemes that are contrary to the Law of God, or in elevating to office people whom he cannot vote for with a good conscience as qualified for the station” (Barnes). - Biblical separation applies to secret orders and fraternities (e.g., Masonic Lodge, Eastern Star) that require agreement with false teaching and participation in practices forbidden by Scripture. - Biblical separation applies to education. The believer must not participate in educational programs that cause him to be yoked together with unbelievers or to agree with anything that is in error or to participate in sinful things. Multitudes of professing Christians have gone astray by sitting at the feet of unbelieving teachers and by contracting close associations with unbelieving students. We give examples of this in the commentary on 1 Corinthians 15:33.  - Biblical separation applies to relatives. We are to love and honor mothers and fathers (Eph. 6:1-2). We are to be kind to all men, honor all men, and seek to win them to Christ (1 Co. 9:19; Ga. 6:10; Tit. 3:2; 1 Per. 2:17). But if the believer’s relationship with God is hindered by his relationship with relatives, God must come first (Mt. 10:34-39). Multitudes of believers have had to make this choice when their relatives have tried to interfere with their relationship with Christ. I think of a converted Hindu who, soon after he trusted Christ as Lord and Saviour, was required by his family to perform idolatrous rituals upon the death of his father. As the oldest son, the duty fell on him, and the family was depending on him to do his part to appease the gods and bring blessing upon them. When he refused, they were angry and threatening, but he obeyed God rather than man. We know of hundreds of cases like this. In some, the professing believer chose to honor man more than God and the consequences were always harmful to his or her spiritual life. The believer must apply the teaching of 2 Co. 6:14-18 to his association with relatives. Does this association cause me to fellowship with unrighteousness or darkness? Does this association cause me to participate in idolatry or to agree with idolatry? Does this association cause me to have any concord with the devil or the things of the devil? Does this association cause me to participate in any unclean thing? Does this association bring me into fellowship with something that is not God’s will? Is this association harmful to my Christian testimony? Does this association keep me from speaking out for Christ? Does this association bring any harm to my Christian life or home or church?  - Biblical separation applies to friendships. If a friendship puts the believer in danger of being corrupted in his spiritual and moral life, if it puts him in danger of backsliding, if it causes him to participate in sin or error or even to countenance sin or error, that friendship is not God’s will and the believer must love Christ more than man. - Biblical separation applies to entertainment and art (e.g., music, movies, social media, video games, sports, fantasy digital worlds, literature). Everything must be subjected to the standard of God’s Word. Is this thing of righteousness or unrighteousness? Is it light or darkness? Is it of Christ or Belial? Does it have anything to do with idolatry? The music-driven global pop culture is idolatrous to the core and filled with moral filth and demonism. At its heart is the worship of self, pleasure, and prosperity. It celebrates wickedness and is at enmity with God and His holy laws. It is permeated with the occult (e.g., pagan mythology, goddess, witchcraft, goth, deathrock, Star Wars, the Force, Harry Potter, Pokémon, super heroes). The believer must separate from all such things. tall order. How can the Christian go about separating himself from the world? Know what behaviors are from the world. We don’t need to look very far, for God has told us: “All that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world” (1 John 2:16). Any behavior which derives from the flesh, the eyes, or the pride of life (pride in possessions) is from the world. Remember how temporary this world is. “The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17). Why ever would you wish to live a temporary life when you can abide forever? Take a careful look at how you live. “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). Do your thoughts, your speech, and you actions show you are of the world or of God? Take care about what you put in your mind. “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23). What do your entertainment choices say about you – what TV programs do you watch, what music do you choose, and what books do you read? Be careful about what you put in your heart, lest your heart lead you the way of the world. Prepare yourself for ridicule. “The time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you” (1 Peter 4:3-4). People will malign you when they see your different conduct. Don’t let that surprise you, but prepare your heart to stand fast in the face of such opposition. Be different. Stand out. Let your light shine that men glorify your heavenly Father for your good works. Observe, 2. A quickening encouragement to back this exhortation: I will receive you, and be a Father to you.   Here is a twofold promise,   1. Of reception, I will receive you.   2. Of adoption, I will be a father to you.   God will receive them both into his house and heart.   Learn hence, That Almighty God will, as a Father, undoubtedly receive all those into his family and favour who renounce communion with all impurity. As he is Almighty, he is abundantly able, and as he is a Father, he is graciously willing, to recompense all the services and sufferings of his children, for the honour and interest of his name and truth.   It is sufficiently known how this text hath been misapplied by separatists to very bad purposes:   1. To justify their schismatical separation from the best and purest of the reformed churches, under pretence of finding greater purity among themselves: whereas nothing will justify a separation from a church, but that which makes a separation between God and that church. If the church’s way of worship (in their opinion) be faulty, they presently pronounce it false, and they must not join in false worship, if all that is faulty be false worship: if Christ doth not disown his church for that faultiness, we ought not to desert her for it.   2. Others would seek occasion from these words, to justify their practice, in refusing to come to the Lord’s table where some vicious persons are apprehended to be, lest they should pollute the ordinance, and there touch the unclean thing; whereas the presence of a bad man at the sacrament pollutes the ordinance only to himself; for unto the pure all things are pure; and who will neglect a certain duty, to escape an uncertain danger? True, we must not own such worship, as we know God rejecteth. But as God pardoneth the faulty imperfections of other men’s worship, and of our own also, thus must we bear with our own and one another’s failings that are tolerable, so far as we cannot cure them.   Woe unto us, had Almighty God no more charity for us than we have for one another! A defective worship is not a false worship; sinful defects in the administration of ordinances, do not hinder the saving effects of ordinances; a wise and good man is certainly as great an enemy to separation, as he is to superstition: doctrines crying up purity, to the ruin of unity, reject; for the gospel calls for unity, as well as for purity. Come Out From Among Them Two of my favorite passages from the ancient Greek Tragic Poets, both of whom wrote in the 5th century BC, express eternal truths: “The bastard is always regarded as an enemy to the true-born” (Euripides, Hippolytus, 962-963) and “Stain clear water with mud and you will never find sweet drink” (Aeschylus, Eumenides, 694-695). The citation from Euripides is indeed about relationships between people. Cain and Abel are the first historical manifestation of that in Scripture. But the second citation, from Aeschylus, is actually in relation to law. Citing the Loeb Classical Library edition of Aeschylus translated by Herbert Weir Smyth, in Eumenides the Apollo character is depicted as recalling “the first trial ever held for bloodshed” in Athens, and an appeal for its judges to judge justly. So in a poetical allegory we read “Reverence, indwelling in my burghers, and her kinsman Fear, shall withhold them from doing wrong by day and night alike, so be it they do not themselves pollute the laws with evil influences; stain clear water with mud and thou shalt never find sweet drink.” It should not surprise us to find Christian principles imbued in certain ancient Greek literature, as we have often discussed the similarities in the ancient Greek and Hebrew cultures in other contexts. It certainly is a Christian principle, that Christians should never seek to pervert, undermine, corrupt or transgress the commandments of the law out of fear of God. So we read, for example, in Deuteronomy chapter 6: “2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.” A little further on in the chapter we read: “24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. 25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.” In both Deuteronomy chapters 4 and 12 there are commandments neither to add nor to remove anything from the books of the law. The same principle of keeping the commandments out of fear of God is found in the New Testament, where for example the apostle Paul is recorded as addressing “Men of Israel, and ye that fear God”, in Acts chapter 13. He was not addressing two different parties, but rather, those of Israel who did fear God, as he continued by saying “the God of this people of Israel chose our fathers…” Likewise, in chapter 2 of his first epistle Peter admonished his readers to “17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.” The only king he could have referred to in the context and historical setting of that epistle is Christ Himself. Finally, in Revelation chapter 14 we see an admonishment to “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.” The overall lesson in a study of all of these passages and others like them is the fact that if a man fears God, he must keep His commandments. One cannot pretend to be a Christian or to worship God or Christ and purposely forsake His commandments. So the apostle John wrote in chapter 5 of his first epistle that “2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” For that same reason David lamented in the 119th Psalm that “126 It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law. 127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.” There David was calling for the judgement of Yahweh upon those who had departed from the law. If men depart from the law and one does not admonish and depart from them, then one is just as guilty as they are and invites the judgment of God upon oneself (Leviticus 5:1, Romans 1:32). So, because we have perceived that certain of our friends have recently departed from some of those commandments, a situation which truly grieves us, and because that has caused us to become estranged, this discussion will be a sort of supplement to the presentation which I gave here last week titled The Widening Gulf and the Tolerance of Evil. The purpose of this is to clarify an important aspect of that presentation and our reason for making it here rather than where it was intended. We simply did not go to Charlottesville in 2017 so that we could rub shoulders with Cubans in 2023. So towards the end of that presentation, I had cited Paul’s second epistle to the Corinthians, where, paraphrasing Isaiah, he had urged his readers to “come out from among them, and be ye separate”, and now I thought that I should elaborate on that admonition. This evening we shall also hear from our friend Clifton Emahiser, who also had a few words to say on this subject in a paper titled What Scripture Teaches About the “Unclean”. So we shall read from 2 Corinthians chapter 6 once again, first from the King James Version: “14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. ” As we have explained before, there are problems with the translation of this passage. First, the word thing in verse 17 appears in italics, since it was added by the translators. The form of the Greek verb ἀκάθαρτος from which the word unclean is translated is either masculine, referring to a man, or neuter, referring to a thing. But it is not necessary to add either man or thing to a translation because in context, Paul was speaking of people, and not of things, where he wrote “come out from among them” and the “them” are still the subject. Paul had already explained to the Corinthians in chapter 11 of his first epistle that idols are nothing, that they should be accounted as nothing by Christians, and that they may eat whatever foods were sold in the markets so long as their consciences were not burdened. So he could neither have been speaking merely of idols, nor of any things. But more importantly, the phrase “unequally yoked” does not convey the full meaning of the Greek verb ἑτεροζυγέω. The same word appears in Leviticus chapter 19 (19:19) in the Septuagint as an adjective, ἑτερόζυγος, where it is correctly translated by Brenton as “one of a different kind” although the concept of yoke is missing, since it appears with a word describing sexual intercourse and therefore to be yoked is also implied in that word. So where the Greek reads τὰ κτήνη σου [your cattle] οὐ κατοχεύσεις [you shall not let gender, or have intercourse] ἑτεροζύγῳ, [with one of a different kind] Brenton wrote “thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with one of a different kind,” and the King James Version, translated from the Hebrew of the Masoretic Text, reads “You shall not breed together two kinds of your cattle”. To write “be not unequally yoked” is an understatement as it obfuscates the full intention behind the use of the word. So, seeing the meaning of the word in the Greek Old Testament, and since it only appears in these two places, the same meaning must be applied here, since where it is used of people it can only mean to be yoked to someone of another kind, to be joined to something or someone different. Most of the citations of the Old Testamnent made by Paul in his epistles were taken from the Septuagint, and therefore the language of the Septuagint must have been the influence in his use of the word ἑτεροζυγέω. Elsewhere, Paul used a similar word, σύζυγος, which simply means yoked together, to describe a proper partnership. Then here Paul then described that other kind reflected in ἑτεροζυγέω by using the adjective ἄπιστος, and the King James Version translates the word merely as unbelievers. As we had explained in The Widening Gulf, ἄπιστος is an adjective which Liddell & Scott define as “not to be trusted...not trusty, distrusted, faithless”. Therefore we would properly translate the word as an adjective modifying the noun which is implied in the definition of ἑτεροζυγέω. In verse 15 of this same chapter, ἄπιστος is opposed to πιστός (Strong's # 4103) where the King James Version has “he that believeth with an infidel”, but which we would translate as “the faithful with the faithless”. It is evident that by using the term ἄπιστος, Paul is describing those without the faith, meaning those who are not included in the covenants which Yahweh God had made with Israel, which is the faith of Abraham that Paul had described in Romans chapter 4. This passage in 2 Corinthians chapter 6 is not a religious admonition, that his readers should separate from non-believers or pagans. If it were, then Paul would be directly and explicitly contradicting himself where he advised the Corinthians in chapter 7 of his first epistle to them, that “12… If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. 13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.” We cannot force Paul to contradict himself, but if we understand the word according to its use in the Greek Old Testament, it becomes clear that Paul is not contradicting himself, because here he is warning Christians not to join themselves to those of other races, to those who are without the faith because they are outside of the promises. The Roman Catholic Church, founded upon lies which accomodated the Empire in the 4th century after Christ, could never comprehend that fact. The children of Israel were told that they would be a peculiar people to God in Exodus chapter 19, as soon as they had accepted the law at Sinai where we read: “5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation….” Later, in Deuteronomy and in the Psalms, the relationship is affirmed. For example, in Deuteronomy chapter 14: “2 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.” The children of Israel were commanded to be a separate people. Therefore in Leviticus chapter 20 we read: “24… I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.” We also read this in 2 Kings chapter 8, where Solomon is recorded as having addressed God: “53 For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.” In the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 33 we read: “27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them. 28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.” This is the same song of Moses which is also the song of the Lamb, mentioned in Revelation chapter 15, as it is sung by “them that had gotten the victory over the beast”. So it is evident that the ancient children of Israel were to be a peculiar people, a kingdom of priests, a holy nation, and a separate people. Therefore when the apostle Peter wrote his first epistle, he addressed it “to the elect sojourners of the dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia”, which are all provinces in Anatolia. Asia was Asia Minor, or eastern Anatolia, which at the time was inhabited primarily by Greeks and Romans. Galatia was inhabited by Germanic tribes which are often identified as Keltic by historians. The king of the Tolistobogii, a Keltic tribe in Galatia, was an ally of Rome during Pompey’s conquest of Pontus and Bithynia in the mid-1st century BC. Paul of Tarsus in his epistle to the Galatians had told them that they had been under the law, and therefore they were included in the promises of Christ, because Paul understood that they had descended from the ancient Israelites of the Assyrian deportations. That is why Paul referred to his ministry as a “ministry of reconciliation” in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and elsewhere, because as he had also professed in Acts chapter 26, “6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: 7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes… hope to come…” and for that same reason he brought the Gospel of Christ only to those twelve tribes. So as Peter continued his epistle to the Christians of these provinces, who converted to Christ from among these “elect sojourners”, he wrote in chapter 2 and informed them: “9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” That word generation is the Greek word γένος, which means race. The word generation in medieval English did not have quite the same meaning which it does today, and therefore it is translated as race in other modern Bible versions. For example, the North American Standard Bible has the same verse to read: “10 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” Here we see that Peter had described these Christians, who had indeed descended from the ancient Israelites, in all of the same ways in which the ancient children of Israel, their ancestors, were also described. So according to both Paul and Peter, the children of Israel, those of them who became Christians, should have always remained a separate and peculiar race, as the promises in Christ are only for the twelve “lost” tribes of Israel. But that never meant that they should stop converting their brethren, as Peter and Paul had also done. In Romans chapter 9, speaking of Judaeans, Paul defined his brethren as his “kinsman according to the flesh”, since not all of those in Israel were truly of Israel, as he also explained. The proof that Peter was writing to anciently dispersed Israelites, and not to Judaeans, is found in his own words in that verse, and the verse which follows. First, where he said that God “called you out of darkness”, it is the children of Israel of the ancient dispersions who were described as sitting in darkness, and who had a promise to be called out of it. This is a theme which is found throughout the final 26 chapters of the prophet Isaiah. So, for example, we read in Isaiah chapter 49: “7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. 8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; 9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.” Paul cited this passage from Isaiah in reference to the Corinthians, who were Dorian Greeks and descendants of the ancient Israelites, earlier in the same chapter of his epistle where he told them to “ come out from among them, and be ye separate”, and he had explicitly explained to them in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 that they were indeed descendants of ancient Israel, whose fathers were with Moses in the Exodus. Paul was not taking the prophets out of context, and neither was Peter, especially since Christ professed having come to fulfill the prophets, and not to destroy them (Matthew 5:17). So in the very next verse of Peter’s first epistle, verse 10 of 1 Peter chapter 2, he continues to describe this “chosen race” and “holy nation” by saying: “10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” This passage does not mean what the denominational churches claim that it means, but rather, it refers exclusively to the children of Israel who were dispersed in the Assyrian captivities. This we read in Hosea chapter 1, which Peter was citing when he wrote those words, but now so that we may see the proper context, we shall read a larger portion of the prophecy. The prophet Hosea was told to take a whore for a wife and have children with her, and as he did, the children were named in accordance with accompanying prophecies concerning the children of Israel, whereby the children stood as examples. So the first two children were named Jezreel, which means God sows, and Loruhamah, which means no mercy, because Yahweh would no longer have mercy upon Israel for their sins, but instead He would punish them severely. Then for a third time, Hosea was told to sire a child, and he did, having had a son. Then once the son was born we read: “9 Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.” So those of Israel who survived the Assyrian invasions were taken off into Assyrian captivity. But the punishment was accompanied with a promise of reconciliation where it continues and we read: “10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. 11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.” The day of Jezreel would be the day in which God sows, which is how Christ had often described His Own ministry, and He came only for the lost sheep of the house of Israel, so they may repent and once again be accepted as the “sons of the living God”. But there is nothing in this promise for anyone who is not of Israel in the first place. So the children of Israel were put off into captivity for their disobedience, and during that time they became many nations and spread to the north, east and west, since God sows. Their movements can be traced to a great degree in both ancient inscriptions and classical histories. To these people did the apostles of Christ bring the Gospel, and only to these people, in spite of the later errors of the so-called Roman Catholic Church and all of the other denominations which eventually arose out of it. As they became Christians, Paul warned them to be separate from other races, and Peter informed them that they were a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a peculiar people. They are a chosen race because they are all generally descended from the ancient children of Israel even if they became many nations. They are a royal priesthood as every Christian man should be a servant of God. They are a holy nation because although by the time of Christ they were many nations, they were all from the same ancient nation, and they are prophesied to one day be one single nation once again, for example in Ezekiel chapter 37. They are a peculiar people as God has never forsaken them, as He promised in Isaiah chapter 42, addressing Israel scattered to the ends of the earth, and says in part: “16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” So here we used the present tense where we just described how Peter had described them, because all of his words still describe them in that manner today, except that presently, having stained clear water with mud one can hardly find sweet drink. But Paul’s admonition still stands, and Christians must “come out from among them, and be ye separate” if they are ever going to please their God. Otherwise, they invite His wrath and even further punishment, rather than His mercy. The apostles of Christ had warned that Christian churches would be infiltrated and subverted by the enemies of Christ, and by the second century there is a clear departure from their teachings concerning the issue of race and the nature of the covenants of God, which obviously suited the Jews of that time just as well as it had suited the Roman Empire. There is also a record of direct Jewish involvement in the formation of Roman Catholic Church doctrines from at least as early as the 13th century and the overwhelming popularity of the Bible commentaries written by Nicholas of Lyra and especially that of Paul of Burgos, a converted rabbi who quickly became a Catholic bishop. So I can understand the depth of the deception in doctrinal understanding, and how long it has been ongoing. But the words of the apostles themselves are plain, and were in agreement with the Old Testament prophets, and both the apostles and the prophets directly contradict nearly all modern church teachings so long as their words are not taken out of context. Now, concerning Paul’s use of a word meaning unclean, where he said “touch not the unclean”, we will offer a review of a paper by Clifton Emahiser titled What Scripture Teaches About the Unclean which he had written in January of 2008, and of course we shall offer some of our own comments and clarifications. What Scripture Teaches About The “Unclean” by Clifton Emahiser The subject of what is “clean” or “unclean” is of the utmost importance in Scripture, and cannot be overemphasized! Many times when the subject of the “clean” and “unclean” is brought to the fore, the full meaning is not fully comprehended by the reader. Most well-intending but misinformed Christians point to Acts 10:10-16 to support their insistence upon the consumption of unclean foods such as swine, where Peter had a vision, which says: “10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 14 But Peter said, Not so, Master; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.” Clifton’s articles were always written in a very precise manner, since he wanted to fit them onto a two-sided pamphlet of legal-sized paper, four columns on each side. So he did not make a quip here that he often made elsewhere in relation to this passage, where he would assert that Jesus did not die so that he could eat a ham sandwich. In any case, the quip really does expose the shallow Biblical understanding of most all denominational Christians. So now he comments on the passage: Three times makes this very important! You will notice here it says, “... a great sheet knit at the four corners…” Any truly alert Bible student will recognize that the “four corners” spoken of here represent Israel as they camped in the wilderness in the formation of a square. It’s not unclean animals in the sheet but unclean Israelites who were divorced from the Covenant. The proof that this vision pertains to people is found where immediately thereafter, two uncircumcised men come to Peter and ask him to come to the house of Cornelius, a pagan Roman. Peter would never have done so if he had not first received this vision, as the Judaeans accounted the uncircumcised as unclean and would not have anything to do with them. The evidence for that is found throughout the New Testament and the writings of the first century Judaean historian Flavius Josephus. Continuing with Clifton: Once divorced, they became “not a people”, and came under the classification with unclean heathen. Then Christ, whom most people call “Jesus” but who was Yahweh in the flesh as Yahshua, came to redeem Israel back to Himself. Israel, once divorced by Old Testament law, could not be remarried to Yahweh again, except by one provision, and that being that either Israel or Yahweh must die. This was the whole purpose of the crucifixion, for upon Yahshua dying, the way was clear for Him to once again marry Israel as he had done before. Therefore, it says further, “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” This is where Colossians 2:14 comes into play: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” The fact that Yahweh had to die in order to release Israel from the law is explained by Paul of Tarsus in Romans chapter 7, and is also evident in the prophets, among other places especially in Hosea chapter 2, and in the law, in Deuteronomy chapter 24. In the Gospel, where Christ had called Himself the Bridegroom, He Himself had alluded to Hosea chapter 2. Continuing with Clifton: What one must understand is that Yahweh found Israel as a virgin and married her (all 12 tribes), and later he found uncleanness in her through her unfaithfulness and turning to idolatry – and the gross immorality to which idolatry ultimately leads, such as race-mixing or homosexuality as was practiced in Sodom. While race-mixing fornication is not mentioned in the Genesis accounts in reference to Sodom, it is explained that they were doing as much by the apostle Jude where he wrote in his epistle that “7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” The word for strange in that passage is from the Greek word ἕτερος, which means different, and which is the same word used as a prefix in the term ἑτεροζυγέω which Paul had used where we had earlier discussed the Christian obligation to “come out from among” people of different kinds. Continuing with Clifton once again: So Yahweh handed Israel a bill of divorce, Jeremiah 3:8: “And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.”The “handwriting of ordinances that was against us” is found at Deuteronomy 24:4: “Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that isabomination before Yahweh ...” At Luke 16:18, Yahshua Christ Himself declared: “Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.” It should be glaringly apparent that once Yahweh had divorced Israel, he could not take her back as His wife again without breaking His own law on the matter! Nor could He marry another, such as the clergy call “Gentiles”! Nor could He have a son (whom many call “Jesus”) and allow Him to marry his Father’s wife without breaking His own law, as so many insist! As we explained at length recently, discussing another of Clifton’s papers, the modern Clergy with its false doctrines essentially claims that Yahweh God has committed both fraud and adultery, because they reject both the explicit terms of His covenant and the sanctity of His marriage to Israel. [If he had lived longer, I am certain that Clifton may have eventually published a separate paper titled The Clergy Claims God Committed Adultery, and it certainly would be a valid accusation. So now Clifton briefly explains how Yahweh upheld the sanctity and the legality of His side of the relationship with Israel: The only other provision is if one of the two parties of the marriage were to die. If Israel were to die, she had no power of resurrection, and she would be dead forever! So Yahweh took it on Himself to come in the flesh as a man and die in order to satisfy His own law, and having the power of resurrection can and will remarry Israel! (“... he that hath seen me hath seen the Father ...”) The important thing for the reader to understand is, upon Yahweh’s divorce of Israel for her unfaithfulness, she fell into an “unclean” category. Getting back to Peter’s sheet-vision, Yahshua said, “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” And the word common means “unclean”. Therefore the message of the Gospel is that by Christ’s shed blood upon the cross, Israel was cleansed. You will notice that it is written in the past tense, so it happened 2000 years ago, and people since that event have no choice in the matter! And we as Israel have been clean ever since! The only choice we have is to accept that cleansing and be thankful for it. Furthermore, Yahweh married Israel only, and by His law can take only Israel back! If He were to marry members of any other race, it would be adultery, and Yahweh Himself would become “unclean”! If He were to do that, as so many claim He will, He might as well have kept Israel in her adulterous condition! Do they mean to tell us that Yahweh is going to marry unclean sewer-people? [Such as Cubans? - WRF] Universalism is Satan’s agenda, not Yahweh’s! The sewer-races will not inherit the Kingdom! [Therefore we must “come out from among them” - WRF] There is a distinction here which is important, but which Clifton for one reason or another had not explained. Five years after he wrote this, I explained it at length in my commentary for Acts chapter 10. In this passage from Acts chapter 10, Peter said “for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.” The word common is from the Greek word κοινός. The word unclean is from the Greek word ἀκάθαρτος, the same word Paul had used in his admonition to “touch not the unclean”. So here we should discuss those terms briefly. In their Greek-English Lexicon, Liddell & Scott explain that the adjective κοινός is “common, shared in common…common to all the people, common, public, general… of meats, common, profane…” and that the related verb κοινόω is “to make common, communicate… to defile, profane…” But while something common may be accounted unclean for that reason, the adjective ἀκάθαρτος literally and simply means unclean. In Scripture, generally something which is ἀκάθαρτος or unclean is unclean according to the law. But something κοινός or common is something which was defiled but which may be cleansed under the law, usually by a priest or by some cleansing ritual, or even a routine washing. The King James Version and many other Bible translations fail to properly distinguish between these two terms. So for that reason, where Yahweh is recorded as having responded to Peter we read: “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” In that answer, there is no regard for anything which is inherently unclean, but only for that which was considered common. Now keeping that distinction in mind, we shall continue with Clifton: It should be pointed out, though, as long as Israel had divorce status from Yahweh, she also was considered unclean, not that she was genetically impure in any sense of the matter. Many confuse the language at Isaiah chapter 56 because of this, and assume that Isaiah was opening the door of Israel’s Covenant to everyone, but that simply isn’t true. They will quote Isaiah 56:3, 5, 6, 7, 8: “3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to Yahweh, speak, saying, Yahweh hath utterly separated me from his people:  This alone proves the son of a stranger is an estranged Israelite, that he laments that Yahweh had separated him from His people. If he were a racial alien he could not say that, but perhaps being accepted he could instead say that Yahweh had joined him to His people. Continuing with the citation from Isaiah: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree ... 6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to Yahweh, to serve him, and to love the name of Yahweh, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; 7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. 8 Yahweh [God] which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather othersto him, beside those that are gathered unto him.” Typical universalists’ view on this passage can be found in the Believer’s Bible Commentary by William MacDonald, page 982: “... Neither the foreigner nor the eunuch should fear that they will be barred from any of the benefits of Christ’s kingdom. In fact, those who obey the Word of the Lord will have preferred positions. The temple will then be a house of prayer for all nations, not just Israel. God will gather Gentiles to His fold in addition to the house of Israel.” BUT I SAY, THERE IS NOTHING FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH! We could spend a significant amount of time here, as we have done so alreadyin past presentations, proving Clifton’s position on Isaiah chapter 56. Here it must suffice to say that the word stranger in verse 3 is nekar, a Hebrew word describing someone who is either estranged, or not immediately identifiable or recognizable. The word was often used in Scripture to describe fellow Israelites not immediately known to a subject, and it does not necessarily mean foreigner, depending on the context in which it is used. The children of Israel having been estranged from Yahweh had become strangers to Him. The children of Israel having been put off in divorce had been cut off by Him and become no better than eunuchs, as we read earlier in Isaiah, in chapter 48: “17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. 18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea: 19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.” Their seed would have been as the sand, but they were cut off, so the transgressors were not better than eunuchs. Therefore those of Israel who would continue to keep the laws and sabbaths while in captivity would be better than those who would not, who were strangers and eunuchs. So we continue with Clifton: Once we grasp that the northern Ten Tribes had been divorced by the Almighty, along with most of Judah [all taken into captivity by the Assyrians], we can understand that they were cut-off from the Covenant and became estranged to Him. The tribes, being cut-off from the Covenant, became like a “eunuch” or a “dry tree”. Another simile about a eunuch is that he cannot procreate children to carry on his name, so too, Israel being divorced, lost her name. For that period, Israel’s seed had been cut-off, so figuratively, the simile of a “eunuch” is appropriate. Upon understanding that Israel was the “eunuch”, there is no longer a conflict with Deuteronomy 23:1 [which forbids eunuchs from entering the congregation - WRF]. This passage is not talking about bringing non-Israelites under the Covenant, but quite the opposite. Once Yahshua died for our Redemption, we were then brought back under the New Covenant, which includes only the House of Israel and the House of Judah, (Jeremiah 31: 31; Hebrews 8:8). And to try to force “whosoever” into the equation is a matter of fraud! Unclean sewer-people under the Covenant? You have to be kidding! [Something which Deuteronomy 23:2 and many others laws forbid. - WRF] Here Clifton should have used the term metaphor rather than simile, and he would have been echnically correct, but the difference between the two is minor. So o continue: Then we must also understand the use of the word “stranger.” Some may argue that the word “stranger” at Isaiah 56:3 & 6 is #5236 [nekar] instead of #1616 [geyr, which is an acceptable guest or sojourner]. When Israel was divorced, they became equivalent to non-Israelites until Yahshua purchased them back, so #5236 is not out-of-order in this passage. At Isaiah 56:2 “man” is used twice, #582 [enosh] & #120 [adam] and Jamieson, Fausset & Brown’s Commentary, p. 582, on this passage describes #582 thus: “the man — Hebrew, enosh, ‘a man in humble life’, in contradistinction to Hebrew, ish, ‘one of high rank’.” In this sense the meaning of enosh is very fitting, for Israel was humbled when she was punished, but they didn’t become genetic sewer-people like bad-fig-jews, arabs, mexicans or any other nonwhite race! Here I must note a few things about the definitions of these words. I will also disagree with the Jamieson, Fausset & Brown definition of enosh. But first I must state that early Christian Identity teachers had sort of painted themselves into a corner concerning these words, which they never resolved and by which their enemies sought to discredit them. Clifton was caught up and misdirected by this, and so was I early in my own studies. They asserted that the word nekar always desribes a racial alien, and it does not. It is demonstrable in Scripture that it refers to a stranger of any race, including one’s own. It is also demonstrable in Scripture that the word enosh is merely a mortal man of any race, whereby only adam is used of a particular race, and often enosh is used to describe Adamic men. Only sometimes is it set in apposition to adam, whereby it describes non-Adamic men. But Jamieson, Fausset & Brown believe that all men came from Adam, so they cannot understan the true meaning of the word. We have most recently discussed these terms fully, in part 18 of our series titled 100 Proofs the Israelites were White. Continuing with Clifton and Isaiah chapter 56: It should also be evident that when it speaks of others at Isaiah 56:8, it does not mean non-Israelites! It should be noticed that “others” is italicized here, although the remainder of the verse does support its use. So just whom are the others? Sometimes it would help if one were familiar with the history surrounding it, when the passage was written. Isaiah wrote this when Manasseh was king of Judah, who reigned 696-641 B.C. I must interject here that Clifton must have read this somewhere, that Isaiah had lived wrote until after Manasseh became king of Judah. But in Isaiah chapter 1, which mentions the kings under whom Isaiah conducted his ministry, Manasseh is not mentioned explicitly. Isaiah’s ministry began as early as 740 BC, maybe even earlier, but certainly before Uzziah died around 739. So while it is possible he lived until Manasseh became king it is not certain. What is certain is the fact that the final 26 chapters of Isaiah, which address the Israelites scattered abroad, were written after the failed Assyrian siege of Jerusalem which happened as late as 701 or 700 BC. According to some sources, Hezekiah died in 698 BC, and that is when Manasseh became king of Judah. Various chronologies differ with one another by several years. So Clifton continues speaking of the time when Isaiah wrote his final 26 chapters, where he also touches on the distinction between something which is common and something which is unclean under the law: At that time the ten-tribed northern house of Israel [with much of Judah] were already captive in Assyria, and the southern kingdom of Judah was a tribute-paying province of the Assyrians. During Manasseh’s reign, he tolerated the high places, and Judah’s morals dipped to an all-time low, even beyond that which the northern Ten Tribes had committed, leading to a certain amount of race-mixing with the Canaanites, thus producing half-breed unclean sewer-children. So the “others” at verse 8 can only be pure-blooded members of the ten northern tribes! This whole passage at Isaiah 56:3-8 can only be speaking of the restoration of the ten northern tribes, at the time of Isaiah, back into the Kingdom after their Christ-blood-washed cleansing under the [or according to] ministry of Paul, which Peter saw in his four-cornered sheet-vision. Yahweh in the flesh didn’t die for pigs, but rather [for] Israelites! It is blasphemous to even suggest that Christ died for pigs! Nevertheless, pig is unclean and unfit for consumption by White men, but permissible for the other races. Since pigs are unclean under the law, a priest of Yahweh could not cleanse them according to any ritual, and the same would hold true for bastards. But since cattle were clean under the law, if they were mistreated or defiled, thereby being considered common, they could nevertheless be cleansed under the law. So continuing again with Clifton: Adultery happens within a woman’s body with the introduction of an alien element. In metallurgy the word “alloy” means “... 2: to reduce the purity of by mixing with a less valuable metal ... 3b: an impairing alien element ...” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed.) “Impairing” means: “cause to diminish in quality, power or value; make worse.” Is this not exactly what happens when an alien sperm fertilizes the egg of a pure White female? Such an introduction is a sin for which there can be no forgiveness, for the end product can never be corrected. Once such a conception of a sperm cell and an egg takes place, every succeeding cell forming the baby has the blueprint of that alien element, which is unclean. Under such a scenario, every single cell is polluted, therefore nothing short of complete annihilation by the angels of Christ [explained] at Matthew 13:47-50 can remedy such a sin. If the conception is unclean, so too the entire formation of the final product, as well as all generations downstream forever, and that’s a lot of uncleanness. That is why 1 John 3:9 states: “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” This is not some kind of spiritual seed as some would suppose, for the word in Greek is sperma, and whoever heard of spiritual sperm? And the way “his seed remaineth in him” is – he chooses a wife of his own kind. Was not Eve made from Adam? Didn’t Adam’s seed remain in him when Abel and Seth were conceived? It’s when a man goes into a foreign woman that his seed remaineth NOT in him and he committeth sin, or likewise when an alien goes into a White woman is when she sins. That’s why the Bible defines such an offspring as a bastard! And because it has an alien element, it’s unclean! And no amount of washing can make it clean! Jeremiah’s language makes that quite clear at 2:21-22: “21 Yet I had planted thee [Judah] a noble [unmixed] vine, wholly a right [racial] seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate [race-mixed] plant of a strange vine unto me? 22 For though thou wash thee with nitre [strong lye], and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith Yahweh.” In other words, one could buy forty gallons of strong lye soap and shower for forty days and forty nights, and one could not wash away the mark of an alien! Such a mark is a mark of uncleanness! Oh the money that is wasted on foreign missions! Here I will only interject that the apostles contradicted none of these Old Testament writings, but had rather only confirmed them, as Christ Himself also had done. In fact, this is the Word of which He was made flesh! So Clifton moves on to his next example: Ezra, at 9:10-11 lamented: “10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, 11 Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.” This is a similar description of America today, with all of the unclean sewer-people pouring in from distant lands from all over the world to become bloodsuckers and leeches on our economy, while at the same time defiling our women to annihilate us as a pure race. The introduction of the mexican sewer-people alone has lead to a major catastrophe! At this verse, Ezra was addressing White people, advising them of the evils of a race very much like today’s mexicans. Clifton’s words apply to any alien race, jews, negroes, east asians, or whatever. But at the time when he had written this, he was upset with a friend who had taken to wife a woman who had two mexican shitlets in her past, and the friend had accepted and was succoring them. So Clifton was trying to send him a message which, quite sadly, I know that the friend had heard but had never received. Now he continues: At Job 14:4 we read of his wisdom:“Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.” So there will never be any such thing as a clean pig, or a clean hispanic, especially a cuban. Christ declared to the scribes and Pharisees that they were an unclean racial people at Matthew 23:27: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all [racial] uncleanness.” [Within they had not the spirit of God, as Jude had called them “clouds without water” and “twice dead” in his epistle. - WRF] At 1 Corinthians 7:12-14 we come across another manner of uncleanness, and that would be “clean” or “unclean” children: “12 If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. 13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. 15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. 16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?” Paul is here addressing something which is little understood and seldom addressed by churchianity today. This passage is indicative of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Because Eve was genetically of Adam, Eve, though she sinned, was sanctified in Adam, just as the wife or husband in this passage. Take away the equation of race here, and Paul’s words mean nothing. We would assert that at the time when Paul wrote those words, a Christian was taught that he, or she, must marry only one of their own kind, thereby keeping the race pure and the children clean. Paul instructed the Corinthians not to commit fornication later in that same epistle, in chapter 10, using a race-mixing episode recorded in Numbers chapter 25 as an example. So Clifton continues: This whole passage is based on believing the Gospel that Christ died on the cross in order to redeem his former wife, the twelve tribes of Israel, back to himself. The Gospel has nothing to do with what some term as “the original sin”. There are some teachers who, on every reading of the word “sin”, will replace it with the words “old Adam”. Personally I don’t know who does this, but we will continue with Clifton: But at 1 Timothy 2:14, Paul declares that: “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” But we are told that Adam also ate of the forbidden tree. Think of it this way: If your wife takes out the family automobile and has an accident causing several thousands dollars of damage, when a claim is made for damages, you, the husband will find yourself equally liable along with your wife. In other words, when Eve committed adultery with the serpent, Adam was equally responsible for Eve’s action. Now that was the original sin! [We should rather say that when Adam accepted the sinful Eve, that was the original sin. - WRF] So why don’t the preachers say “old Eve” rather than “old Adam”? The “children” in this passage are NOT racially “unclean”, but without at least one believing parent, are doomed to grow up in an unclean idolatrous environment and become mentally unclean. And it is simply appalling the mental uncleanness that our children are receiving today from our public school systems. Clifton meant well here, but I would not say that an Adamic man or woman could be mentally unclean. However if one does not follow the commandments of Christ, one is mentally common, and ma make himself unclean through the subsequent sins he becomes prone to committing. Then, in a mixed-race society, something which Rome was quickly becoming at the time, one is destined to have children which are indeed unclean, and it was that to which Paul seems to have been referring. But on the other hand something common, if it is not cleansed, could described as uncleanuntil it is cleansed. So continuing with Clifton: Uncleanness always generates more uncleanness. Homosexuality generates more homosexuality, both among men and women. Today [early 2008], our armed services are replete with such unclean activity. In the high schools tremendous peer pressure is directed toward any young White virgin lady to have sexual intercourse with a member of a different race. And should she have a date with a young Caucasian man, she will be scorned and ridiculed to no end. Therefore, race-mixing generates more race-mixing! When we view what is going on in the world today, Sodom and Gomorrah would compare to a Sunday school picnic. Peter said at 2 Peter 2:5-6: “5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly ...” We’re not playing a game of tinker toys here; race-mixing and homosexuality will be punished! Few there are who notice that the reason Noah and his three sons and their wives were spared is because they were perfect in their genealogy. There wasn’t a half-breed among them! Paul warned at Acts 15:20 and 1 Thessalonians 4:3 that we should avoid all pollutions of idols and unclean fornication (interracial sexual intercourse). Acts 15:20: “But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and fromfornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3: “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.” It is clear from his example in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, where he used the same term translated as fornicationin an admonition to his readers not to do such things, that Paul was referring to race-mixing when he used the term, just as Jude had used it in his epistle and just as it is often used in the Revelation. In that passage, Paul referred back to an event in the Book of Numbers where we read that “1… Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.” Returning to Clifton: Among the holiness movements they usually refer to sanctification as a second work of grace. But I believe it is so important to guard one’s racial purity that it should be considered a first work of grace. What Paul was trying to warn the Thessalonians about was: So your offspring will be born Holy, don’t perpetrate any race-mixing. Today we see a lot of unclean, unholy children coming into the world, and they are nothing more than sewer-creatures. One either has Holy seed or nothing! Ezra speaks of “holy seed” at 9:2: “For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.” Holy, clean seed was important to Ezra during his day, and it is still just as important in our day. Though the majority seem to be following Satan’s agenda for interracial multiculturalism, there is an even greater need for followers of Yahweh’s program for segregation! At the moment, Satan seems to be winning his cause, but in the end he and his fallen will lose. But meanwhile we must not give up the fight. This war between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman has been going on now for nearly 7,500 years, and will soon end with the defeat of satanic-Canaanites and their father! Here we must add, that only Yahweh God Himself is going to bring the children of Israel victory over the satanic world powers, as it is promised in Luke chapter 1, that Christ had come “71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; 73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, 74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.” If we hope to have a part in that victory, as it is described in Revelation chapter 19, then we must keep His commandments. We do not keep, but rather we transgress His commandments by voting with spics. But I only use this example as it is an issue with some of our friends which I have recently addressed.  Now Clifton concludes: Christ informed the scribes and Pharisees at Matthew 23:32 that they were of the “unclean” racially-mixed Canaanites mentioned at Genesis 15:16. (Compare “Fill ye up thou the measure of your fathers” to “… for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.”) These two verses cross-reference each other in many Bibles. In addition, Paul also identifies them as Canaanites at 1 Thessalonians 2:16, “… to fill up their sins alway[s] …” The enemies of Yahweh God cannot help but to sin, and even when they appear to do good, it is not necessarily with the motives or for the same reasons that men may imagine, so it is still sin. These same people, and all of their spawn, have come to dominate society today. But it is not just jews. Rather, the arabs, mexicans and other hispanics, many mixed southern or eastern Europeans and others who have been under the control of either jewry or islam over these past 2000 years, are nearly all genetically related to jews. Even many American negroes are related to jews, to those jews and arabs who dominated the supply chain of the slave trade or who owned the plantations of the so-called New World. I have learned throughout my own life’s experience that children do not learn from what their parents say, but from what they see their parents do. A parent can warn a child not to do something, but if the parent is doing it, inevitably the child will also. But this is also true of people and their leaders or teachers or other influences. When you accept someone from outside, for example, a Cuban, those who respect you and follow you will also accept them. Once having done so, the alien becomes more and more acceptable to those who respect you, and it leads to sins such as race-mixing. So you are teaching men to sin through your own actions. Tread carefully, as Yahsjhua Christ is recorded as having said, in Matthew chapter 5: “19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Now, in our modern society we are held captive by evil world governments, so sometimes we are compelled to do things which we despise simply in order to survive. That is acceptable so long as we do not forsake the laws of our God. The prophet Daniel is an ideal example, as he lived among the Chaldaeans and even held an office of authority under the Babylonians. But Daniel would die in the fires before he purposely dishonored or was disobedient to Yahweh. When we have a choice, and when we can control our own environments, if we transgress the commandments then we are purposely dishonoring God. We must come out from among them, meaning the aliens which the evil government has forced into our society. To voluntarily accept and even embrace them is to justify the wicked. In Isaiah chapter 5 the prophet condemned them “23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!” We do not want to be condemned likewise. Therefore we do not seek to justify anyone who was not cleansed on the cross of Christ with our fellowship or our respect. So this is also why I was recently compelled to part ways with the League of the South, because I am obligated to set this example; I have no other choice. [See this image and this image] I cannot stand silent before supposed friends who would justify the wicked for supposedly political reasons. I pray that they repent of it and learn from it, and that the Roman Catholic, denominational and politically-minded influences within the organization do not prevail, because we are confident that according to the Word of Yahweh our God, they can not prevail in the long term. Furthermore, the Florida chapter’s recent push into mainstream politics is puzzling. I do not know how one can adjure the realm, and vote for politicians who hate us and who support the realm. Voting for the lesser of two evils has never been the answer. Only Christ is the answer, and He only demands our obedience to His commandments. The law of Yahweh our God commands us to separate ourselves. If we refuse, we stain clear water with mud and with that we shall never find sweet drink. What does the Bible say about divorce? Is it ever a good thing? Before you say, “No,” think about this: Does the idea of divorce apply to more than just marriage? In 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, the Bible warns, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ Therefore, ‘Come out from among them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,’ says the LORD Almighty.” Did you get that part in verse 17? “Therefore, ‘Come out from among them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.’” What exactly was the Apostle Paul trying to tell us in this passage? During the time of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, many sermons were preached and books written about this passage. The Reformers believed the Church in Rome was leading people astray and not teaching the way of salvation. They saw this passage as a call to come out from an unbelieving church full of mysticism and superstition. However, that was not the intent of the Apostle Paul, when he wrote those words. Paul was talking about coming out from the world and all that it represents. The idea of separation is a vital part of our Christian faith. Failure to come out from the world often leads to compromise and a half-hearted devotion to God. Yet, this passage is seldom preached in the Church. It’s a fact that we are living in times of great confusion, leading to a great delusion. Many are being drawn down the path of a lukewarm, incomplete gospel without even knowing it. And much of it stems from this call for a divorce from the world. The early church lived a separated life. When Jews received Jesus, they were immediately cut off from the life of Judaism. They were ostracized by their family, friends, and relatives. Many lost their homes, their livelihood, their place in society, and their status within the greater community. The idea of being separated from their former way of life was not a question; it was a given. When Jews received Jesus, they were forced to embrace a new way of life. In many cultures that is still true today. In countries where Christianity is forbidden, separation from the cultural way of life is part of choosing to follow Jesus Christ. In the American culture, however, that is not the case. Today, many Americans profess to be Christians, and yet, live just like the world. They hold to the same values, principles, and lifestyles of the unbelievers – regardless of what God’s Word teaches. About a year ago, Christian Mingle, an online Christian dating service, asked their members to participate in a survey. One of the questions had to do with abstaining from sex outside of marriage. Sixty-seven percent (67%) said that sex outside of marriage was acceptable. People who claim to be Christians said it was okay to sleep together before marriage. That is certainly not what the Bible teaches. Homosexuality has now become an accepted norm – not just in the American culture, but in parts of the Church, as well. Sadly, many denominations have embraced what Scripture forbids. It’s amazing how far we have fallen from the truth of God’s Word. A recent survey by the Barna Group stated that seventy-six percent (76%) of American Christians believe the Bible is irrelevant. Think about that… Three out of four “Christians,” those who claim to be followers of Christ, believe the Bible is irrelevant, not important today. If the Bible is not important, than what is the standard by which we are to live? Is personal happiness the correct standard to guide us in life? Today, many who claim Christ will tell you that their faith is a private thing. Is Christianity a private thing? Can a person be a Christian and not live accord to the teachings of the Bible? Can you be a true follower of Jesus Christ, without anyone knowing it? Can we practice our faith for an hour on Sunday morning and live like the world the rest of the week? In Matthew 10:33, Jesus makes it plain: “But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”  The question we must ask is this? Can a person be a follower of Jesus Christ and still live like the world? Can we continue to live in sin and be right with God? I’m afraid we have created a gospel that says, “God loves me no matter what I do, because He a God of love.” He is definitely a God of love – but He is also a God of truth, righteousness, holiness and justice, and He calls us to live that way. Consider the words of the Apostle Peter: “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” (I Peter 1:13-16) Many today claim to be Christians, and yet, condone and/or even advocate the LGBT lifestyle. They claim God made them that way – and that He loves them just the way they are. Saints, God loves each of us, but He did not make anyone that way: sin did. Look at what Paul wrote in I Corinthians 6:9-11. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”   So the Biblical conclusion is this: Don’t live the way you once lived; God’s plan for you is much bigger! Don’t allow sin to reign in your mortal bodies; live a life set apart unto God. We must come out from the world and be separate – or we will struggle with living out our faith. Unfortunately, people have been led to believe that once you punch your ticket to heaven, you are good to go! Just say the prayer, and you’re in. They seem to believe that the road to heaven is wide and many will enter therein, but the road to hell is narrow and few will find the way. While no Bible-believing pastor would ever say that’s the intent, it seems to be their message. Whenever we water down the gospel or preach a one-sided one, we are not telling people the truth. Jesus said the road to heaven is narrow and few will find the way – and that is still true today. (Matthew 7:13-14) Folks, here is a fundamental truth of Scripture: If we give our life to Jesus, our life is not our own. We have been bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) The day you and I came to Christ, we died to our old way of life…or we should have. As Christians, we are part of “The Great Exchange.” We give up our old wretched, miserable life in exchange for a brand new one, the life of Christ. The day we were born again, we became new creatures in Christ Jesus and slaves of righteousness. Listen to what the Bible says in Romans 6:4-7… “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.” I love that last part, “he who has died has been freed from sin!” On March 15, 1971, the old Paul Moore died. I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ and became a Christian. The Spirit of God came into my life that day, and I’ve never been the same. At the time, I didn’t understand this idea of separation, or that my life was no longer my own. It took a while for me to learn and understand God’s Word and His will for my life. I’ll never forget the first time I read I Corinthians 6:19, where it says our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. I suddenly realized I was polluting that temple with cigarette smoke. So I ask the Lord to free me from the addiction of nicotine – and He did! Over time I realized that separation was much bigger than that. It meant that I really WAS separated from the world! When I gave my life to Jesus, I died. I was born again on March 15, 1971 – and that is also the day I died. I turned my life over to Jesus. So, I no longer have the right to tell God how I will live, what I will do, and where I will go. Colossians 3:3 speaks to those who follow Christ and says, “[We] died, and [our] life is hidden with Christ in God.” Saints, according to the Bible, we died the day we became a Christian. Have you ever heard a preacher give that message at an altar call? “Come to Christ this morning and die!” No, I’m afraid we never say that. We usually tell people that Jesus will just make their life better – and He will, once they die to being their own boss! Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor who was imprisoned and put to death in a Nazi concentration camp said these words, “When Christ calls a man, He bids him to come and die.” A costless Christianity produces a weak and feeble Church. If we fail to accept the call to come out from among them and be separate, we will always live a life of compromise. Can you be a Christian and not live a separate life? Maybe, but one thing I know for sure, you will never fully experience the blessing of God. Obedience brings blessing, and disobedience brings sorrow and pain. The love of many is growing cold today – in part, because they live in ignorance of the Word of God. Let me close with a passage from the book of Psalms, chapter 19:7-9.  “The revelation of GOD is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of GOD are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of GOD are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of GOD are plain and easy on the eyes. GOD ’s reputation is twenty-four carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of GOD are accurate down to the nth degree.” MSG Please don’t be confused by the American Christian standard of today, where it is not Biblical. A person cannot live like hell and expect to inherit heaven. The call to come out from the world and all that it represents is still true today. Following Jesus requires a covenant of marriage with Him – and a certificate of divorce from the world. Please follow and like us: