2 Corinthians 6:14-18 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.
Our call as Christians is to follow Jesus Christ. Being like Christ means that we are to be compassionate and caring, like Jesus taught us the story of the Good Samaritan and the golden rule. We are called to shine like a light in a world that is trapped in darkness and deception. We are to be holy, without being holier-than-thou. We are called to separate from the world, but not be separatists. But one thing we are not called to be is relevant. By that I mean that we not called to try to fit in with the ways and mores of this fallen world system and follow Christ at the same time. When the church ceases to be different than the world, we lose our salt and become ineffective ambassadors of the gospel.
When the church seeks to live on the cliff edge of worldliness in the name being relevant, we have lost our way. I am not advocating in the least a separation from society. I am reminding us of our call to cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12b). Yes, we are to be going into the highways and byways and meet people where they are at with the love and grace of God. But never are we to compromise the truth of the gospel or the call to be different. We are called to be God-glorifying workers, neighbors, team members, students, CEO’s, doctors, in this life. We breathe in the same air and enjoy the same sunshine with the lost. But the Spirit within us constantly reminds us that we can never be unequally yoked with darkness and still be a witness for Christ.
Consider your ways, beloved. Walk circumspectly. Redeem the time before the lost. Live and love just like Jesus did with no compromise. Be a Christian, not a chameleon.
Pastor Ray,
This is a tough challenge for all of us for sure. Striking a delicate balance between being gracious and knowing when to walk away ain’t easy. As we serve in the Father’s Heart we try to connect people to churches after they find Jesus. Unfortunately many churches in these neighborhoods are internally focused and do not welcome street people inside of their walls. Certainly these are tough neighborhoods and some dangerous people may wind up sitting in their pews. But pushing away even saints in our ministry (which happens often) to keep their church from becoming “unclean”, now that’s a different story. Call it hyperseparatism.
Jesus as God had infinite discernment which we badly lack. In Luke 4 He walked away from a sinful hostile crowd in His home town. He taught by both word and example so walking away is sometimes the right decision for us. But when?
We of very finite wisdom must make this call, sometimes on a daily basis. Persistence is needed but not at the expense of being tolerant of habitual sin within ourselves or in others. On the flip side, at times well meaning saints become argumentative with those we meet in support of scripture. Stating our faith without either becoming a chameleon or having a holier than thou attitude is hard. Jesus as Son of God walked away in Luke 4:37. He tried to reach others in His truth but in Godly wisdom knew when to become separate as Paul states in Corinthians. He did so even though (unlike us) He would never partake in sin.
Lord, we ask for your wisdom and discernment as we try to find this balance between separation and reaching others. Jesus died on the cross for us as the ultimate sacrifice but also walked away when appropriate. Let us pray for this wisdom in our own lives.
Love,
JoseM