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.
Let the children of the living God hear...
On the day that God calls us to receive His grace, a great distinction between light and darkness is manifested to us , what was once perceived by us as acceptable , suddenly becomes visible to us as utterly unacceptable. The truth of God exposes all deception, and His Light brings us to a clear understanding of what sin is before Him. We are granted a new consciousness and attitude towards sin, God's truth becomes our lamp filled with an abundance of oil in order to light up our path in a dark world of lies and deceit. The scripture previously mentioned calls for all true believers in Christ to live a set apart life to God.It has always been the will of God according to evidence found in the scripture , that there be a very clear distinction between Israel and the rest of the nations.
See scripture below:
Exodus 8:23
And I will put a division between my people and thy people: tomorrow shall this sign be.
Exodus 11:7
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
Numbers 23:9
For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
In a similar manner the Church of Christ is to be reckoned among the nations, as distinctly different and easily identified as the elect of God in Christ.
However these days, the subject of separation in light of 2 Corinthians 6 : 14- 18, has somewhat become controversial within the body of Christ. Tolerance of sin within the church is compared to the love of Christ, and the truth concerning God's hatred of sin is viewed as judgmental.
This I believe is the greatest disease clinging to the body of Christ, one that has been engineered by the enemy and has gone undiagnosed for years, slowly corrupting, and destroying the effectiveness of the Church of Christ on this earth. The Word of God calls all believers in Christ to depart from iniquity,
See scripture :2 Timothy 2 : 19
Paul in various parts of his epistles to the Churches strongly encourages the body of Christ to deal with sin within the church promptly. The Word of God cannot change in order to accommodate a certain generation, it must always be that we as the Church must either accept the whole Truth of God , or decline from referring to ourselves as Christians. By tolerating sin in the Church of Christ , are we not blaspheming the redeeming power of the blood of Christ ?
See scripture : 1 Corinthians 5:8-12 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 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. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
Compromising within the Church of Christ is the reason why the Name of our redeemer is blasphened by those on the outside, compromise on the Truth, drims out the light of the Church that's supposed to be drawing in those who walk in darkness. The worldliness of the body of Christ allows no distinction to exsist between those on the inside and those on the outside.
For example, worldly women on some occasions seemed to be more decently dressed than many woman found in the Church of Christ, appropriateness and modesty is rare in the House that is called after the Name of God. The House of God, should be a place of reverence to the LORD, and not a display of worldliness. How can salvation be preached to those on the outside, whilst majority of those who names the name of Christ are themselves far from truly understanding the salvation that is found in Christ.
The gospel of love = tolerance of sin= blasphemy against the suffering and death of Christ= ineffective to lead the lost to the salvation of their souls.
The gospel of Truth= dealing with sin=setting an example of the holiness and power in Christ= drawing in the lost , to hear the Word in truth, to the salvation of their souls.
To withdraw from those who continue in sin and still name the Name Of Christ , is love rather than judgement. To be silent and accepting of sin, is true hatred toward the person going astray in sin. In this case silence will not only destroy the individual's life in the flesh, but will ultimately cause eternal death to reign over the individual's soul.
See 1 Corinthians 5:4-5
Many share in on others sins because they fail to hear and abide by the whole truth of the Gospel, most find it controversial to saperate themselves from sinning family members and friends whom name the Name of Christ, yet live unrepentant and irreverent lives. It is not for the body of Christ to judge those on the outside, but rather those on the inside. Is it not Christ Himself that said :
Luke 12:51
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
Matthew 10:36-38
And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Did any of those who dishonor the LORD in disobedience to the Word of God, suffer death on the cross for the salvation of your soul ? Can those we choose to please other than Christ offer us eternal life? Is this not this the attitude that every one that names the Name of Christ should have ?
Galatians 2 : 20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Beloved of God in Christ, hear these words, repent and turn , the time is short... May the LORD be glorified in His Word.
In Jesus name Amen.