New Hope Community Chapel
Title: Be Separate
Text: 2 Corinthians 6:14 – 7:1
Date: June 3, 2007
Thesis: Ways the Church looks just like the world and what to do about it.
If I can trust God to save me from my sin, can I trust His Word?
Do I believe that it’s true?
If I believe that it is true, do I do what it says?
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1
Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can goodness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?
15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?
16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: "I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
17 Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.
18 And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
7:1 Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete purity because we fear God. NLT
I wish I didn’t have to preach this sermon.
I mean, I wish it were enough to just read this passage and know that everyone would have heard it, would digest it, and apply it to their lives.
I don’t like preaching these kinds of sermons.
I have struggled over this topic for the last three weeks.
First, not wanting to address it, then not knowing how to address it, even now, fearing the response.
It’s not uncommon that I would give a lot of thought to a message – some more than others – but I have lost sleep over this topic as much or more than any other.
You see, I would much rather preach a salvation message to lost people.
In fact, it’s too bad that I have to take a whole Sunday morning service to teach on a topic that would be clear to every one of us if we loved God’s Word enough to study it daily and apply it to our lives.
There are four kinds of people in the audience this morning:
1. Those who will say, “It’s about time.”
2. Those who won’t hear a word that is said.
3. Those who get mad and stay the same.
4. Those who ask questions, take a personal inventory, and make changes in the way they live.
Last Friday, May 25, Andrew Speaker, became the first person in 44 years to be placed under quarantine in the United States.
Andrew was on his honeymoon in Italy when he was notified by the CDC that the particular strain of TB that he had been diagnosed with was especially drug-resistant and extremely contagious.
He was told to turn himself in to the proper authorities immediately for treatment and containment.
He was especially told, “Not to fly”.
But instead of going to the hospital, Andrew and his bride took a series of flights until they ended up in Canada.
They drove into the United States where the border guard, who is now on leave pending an investigation, assumed that the computer warning that popped up on Andrew was a “discretionary” warning.
Andrew refused to be separate from healthy people and in doing so he put many people in a serious health risk.
The strange thing is, Andrew is a personal injury attorney.
Just wait, he’s gonna be sued by dozens and dozens of people – even if they don’t get sick, because of the emotional trauma that they have been put through as they have undergone testing and isolation.
Even more interestingly, Andrew’s new father-in-law works for the CDC investigating TB cases.
How would you feel if you had been seated next to Andrew on the plane that delivered him across the Atlantic into Montréal?
And yet you are daily exposed to do something that is far more dangerous than TB.
Every day you are exposed to something that has the ability – even the will – to destroy not only your life, but everyone around you.
You’ve been exposed to something so dangerous - it has the desire to destroy your church.
In fact, what you are exposed to on a daily basis not only wants your life and the life of your children, the life of your church, it wants your soul.
Since the fall of Adam and Eve sin has infected and poisoned the human race.
Sin has poisoned the human culture; it has poisoned the way we think, we way we act and the way we live.
Everything in this creation has been touched and affected in a negative way by sin.
Our American culture has been infected by sin.
The evil that infects the world will affect the church to some degree.
The attitudes of the world will try to invade the church.
We live in the world; we interact with the world.
We touch this world that has become sickened by the inflections of sin.
That infection is constantly trying to find its way into the church.
Unfortunately, it is getting into many churches and is causing spiritual infections, sicknesses, and many times, death.
We are careful about physical infections, but have little concern for the spiritual ones?
The passage of Scripture that we read from 2 Corinthians gives us a prescription for our disease.
It comes by way of four commands: two don’ts and two dos.
Let’s take them one at a time.
1 Corinthians 6:14
Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can goodness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?
15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?
16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols?
1. Don’t team up with unbelievers.
Clearly Paul is not saying that we should have no association with unbelievers.
Previously he wrote:
1 Corinthians 5:9-10
I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. NIV
Paul even encouraged believers to remain faithful in a marriage where the other partner was not a believer as long as it was possible.
This statement simply prohibits followers of Christ from forming close attachments with non-Christians.
Paul doesn’t expound upon his thought – rather he leaves it to interpretation with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Nevertheless, it clearly involves compromise with worldly values.
It’s clear to me that this verse prohibits any relationship, temporary or permanent, with unbelievers that would lead to a compromise of Christian standards or jeopardize consistency of Christian witness.
It probably wouldn’t be wise for a follower of Christ to link up financially – such as in a business partnership – with an unbeliever.
Nor would it be wise for a follower of Christ to link up in marriage with an unbeliever.
And since you shouldn’t marry someone without faith in Christ, you certainly shouldn’t date them either.
In fact, the Bible makes no mention of “dating”.
Dating isn’t God’s design – it’s man’s design.
In the Bible you find parent’s choosing a spouse for their child.
I think I like that idea. I mean that.
After all, how can two people with raging hormones (that have an intoxicating effect like an illegal drug) be left to make such a life impacting decision all alone?
You may think I am hypocritical - having chosen my own spouse.
Well, not everyone gets lucky like I did.
At very least, you young people searching for a mate should consider your parent’s wisdom with all regard and don’t violate their approval.
And I did do that.
I brought home more than one before I got the thumbs up.
But when I finally got the thumbs up I wasted no time.
If we were a little more certain about our choices going in perhaps we would have a higher success rate.
Interestingly, but incredibly sad, is the fact that the divorce rate in the church is equal to the divorce rate in secular society.
Why does the Word call for separation?
Because nonbelievers don’t share the same standards, values, and goals and believers shouldn’t link up with compromise.
The Word in no way opposes having casual friends or relationships with unbelievers.
How else would we evangelize the lost?
We ought to be pursuing relationships with that goal in mind.
Paul, here, is instructing Christians in the matter of close relationships.
Is your idea of a fun evening picking your child up at the police station?
Then let them be best friends with a teenager whose parents think it’s O.K. for kids to socially drink alcohol.
Do you love children and think it would be wonderful to raise grandkids in your early forties?
Then let your teenager fill up on MTV and go out on dates unsupervised.
If your closest friends are not in Christ or coming to Christ you are in significant danger of being pulled away from Him.
Be active in your witness for Christ to nonbelievers, but don’t team up with unbelievers.
Never lock yourself into a personal or business relationship that could ever cause you to compromise the faith.
Do everything in your power to avoid situations that could cause you to divide your loyalties.
The second statement is a “do” statement and it is offered in contrast to the first “don’t” statement.
2. Do come out from them and separate yourselves from them
Here is where we begin to have a real problem.
As a whole the Church of hasn’t done very well at separating from the world.
If you want to convince somebody that you have something they need, i.e. a relationship with Christ, then your life should look a little different than their’s. Don’t you think?
I mean our business practices should be above reproach.
Proverbs 20:23
The LORD despises double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest scales. NLT
Be different than the world.
The way we talk should be different than the way the world talks.
Ephesians 4:29
Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. NLT
Colossians 3:8-9
But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other… NLT
God’s heart is broken at the use of bad language, coarse joking and especially at the misuse of His name.
You can choose whether or not to use that kind of language.
Choose to be different than the world.
The way we dress should be different from the way the world dresses.
Now I’m not saying that all the men should wear suits and ties and the ladies should only wear long dresses to church – although that might not be a bad idea.
But I am saying that there is a standard of decency for a follower of Christ.
The standard, though, has all but disappeared.
We’re not so good at separating ourselves in the matter of decency.
This is particularly hard to address since it generally speaks to the ladies.
Perhaps I, as a man, am less qualified to speak on this point – perhaps I’m more qualified.
Ladies, God gave you breasts for two specific purposes.
1. They’re a gift to your husband. (Song of Solomon)
2. They’re to feed your baby.
The first one can wait until you get home and for the second one we have a nursery!
How awkward is that?
There’s really no other purpose, so when you’re out in public, at work, church, wherever you are when you’re not at home keep them covered.
We are all completely impressed, you’ve blossomed!
But every flower has a season.
And for you young girls who like those tight little tank tops – you know the ones that don’t cover your top very well and many of them bare your middle too – those aren’t “cute” they’re seductive.
You are causing yourself to be a stumbling block to men and God calls that sin – on your part.
Think about that the next time you’re getting dressed.
Paul, when he was writing to the Corinthians who were not bothered in their consciences about eating meats that were sacrificed to idols said:
1 Corinthians 8:9-13
Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall. NIV
You might not be bothered by your short shorts, your low cut blouse, your cleavage baring tank top, your itsy-bitsy-teeny-weenie yellow polka-dot bikini, but if you cause a weaker Christian to fall into sin – you are sinning against Christ.
And you can be sure that someone is observing what you do and they will always take it to another level.
Be considerate of everyone else.
One more thing and then I move on… Your underclothes got their name for a reason… under clothes.
You’ll never go wrong by being overly modest.
And one more way – there are too many to list – one more way to be separate is in the way we make up our bodies.
I know this is a tough one, but I am talking about things like tattoos and body piercing.
These both have their roots in pagan rituals.
By that I mean demon worship.
Both of them are symbols of rebellion – Christ never had any part in rebellion.
He was obedient – even unto death.
If you had these things before you came to faith in Christ – you’re forgiven.
Some things can be undone and others can’t, but for a disciple, neither tattoos nor body piercing should be anything to boast about or show off.
If you already have them, perhaps concealing them would be more appropriate; if you’re considering getting them – I wouldn’t recommend it.
1 Thessalonians 5:22
Abstain from all appearance of evil. KJV
Certainly body art has the appearance of evil – to the untrained eye, it’s tough to call.
And from it’s origin it has been associated with demonic worship.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. NLT
Someone might say, “What if I tattoo John 3:16 on my face or wherever? Wouldn’t that honor God?”
Well, that’s a really rebellious thought.
If God created your body for His dwelling who are you to think that you can improve upon its look?
Your body was created to honor God and it does that by being just the way He created it to be.
Don’t team up with unbelievers; do come out from among them and be separate.
And the Word says in verse 17, “Don’t touch their filthy things.”
The world has all kinds of filthy things that it would love to infect you with.
Violence – from video games to movies – the world would like you to believe that these things are just normal, real world activities.
That’s a lie.
Boys don’t need to be taught to be violent in order to survive.
Violence isn’t manly.
A man will stand up for what’s right; he will defend what’s right; he will die for what’s right – but that’s not violence.
A man is supposed to discipline his children and be the head of his house - but not with violence.
A 16-year-old beating his female teacher in the head while another student videotapes – that’s a product of violence – video games and movies that glamorize villains.
Don’t touch their filthy things.
Alcohol, tobacco and drugs are the world’s filthy things.
I know the big argument in this will be, “Well, what about moderation?”
Well then I’ll bring you back to the verse that talks about causing another to stumble.
If you can be 100% sure that everyone who sees or knows about your “moderate drinking” has never had nor never will have an alcohol problem then see me and I will give you more reasons to abstain.
Pornography – even the “soft” kind found on network TV is the world’s filthy thing. Don’t touch it,
Is there anyone left who’s not offended today?
Maybe I’ve left out your favorite sin.
You know what it is… it’s keeping you from living a life that Christ wants you to live.
And finally, do cleanse yourselves from every defiling thing (body and spirit)
7:1 Let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit.
I’m going to give you an assignment today.
I want each of you to go to your homes and take an inventory of things that are found there that are not pleasing to the Lord.
He’ll show you what they are: movies, magazines, books, computer, music, Ouija board, horoscopes, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, anything resembling witchcraft, maybe art in some cases…
I want you to bring those things – double bag them in black plastic if you have to – but bring them to the church so that we can destroy them and rejoice together.
You might say, “Well, as long as I make it into heaven - that’s what counts, right?”
My question to you is, “Do you just want grace for the sake of squeaking into heaven? Or do you want to live for Christ?”
The Word says,
7:1 And let us work toward complete purity because we fear God.
Joshua 24:15
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." NIV
You might wonder, “Pastor, are you mad at us?”
No, I’m not mad – I’m sad.
I’m sad because of the condition of the church.
And I am sad, because even as I have labored over this message, the Lord warned me that for some it would fall on deaf ears.
But the Word will expose.
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. NLT
When a person comes in contact with TB, he doesn’t get sick two seconds later - so it is with the spirit.
A person doesn’t lose their faith overnight.
Have you ever felt like you were coming down with a bug?
What do you do?
Some people start taking dosages of vitamin C.
You may go to bed earlier to try to get rest so your body can fight the sickness.
Some of you may have Grandma’s special concoction that you mix up that you believe will help.
You do these things even if all of the symptoms haven’t shown up yet.
Since we don’t lose our faith overnight, often the first signs are not external, they are internal, but they should still be recognizable.
We know when the world has started infect our minds.
We know when our mind has been entertaining thoughts that are contrary to what God desires of us.
It’s then that we start to saturate our thoughts with the Word of God and prayer.
These are our best weapons to counteract a spiritual infection.
