OPENING
* Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you (2 Corinthians 6:17).
God says, “come out from among them…” Why? Because our Heavenly Father is holy. Are we presenting the image of our Father in heaven as Jesus Christ did or are we presenting the image of the world? Paul was speaking to the Corinthian church when he wrote these words but prior to verse 17 he wrote:
* 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).
And,
* Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
BODY
1. Be ye holy
* As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy (1 Peter 1:14-16).
* Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
To be holy in the Bible carries the idea of being separate, one of a kind, pure, blameless, and without sin or fault. It is God’s chief attribute as Isaiah pointed out:
* And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory (Isaiah 6:3).
Notice the angels were crying holy, holy, holy, as opposed to love, love, love, which many seem to think the chief attribute of God is. But God's holiness is the main reason why we need a Savior, Jesus Christ.
* This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief (1 Timothy 1:15).
Being forgiven is great! Christ took the payment for our sins (John 1:29,36), and made us the sons of God (Galatians 4:5). But being righteous in Jesus Christ is the main benefit (cf. Romans 10:4, 2 Corinthians 5:17). This is how we are able to go to heaven, and be with God.
2. Like Father, like Son -- like sons
As we continue past verse 17, we read in verse 18,
* And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters... (2 Corinthians 6:18).
When one becomes a Christian by faith in Christ, they have been born again into the family of God. God now calls them his children (sons and daughters). As the children of God, it is expected that we behave as our heavenly Father would have us.
And later in chapter seven,
* 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 7:1).
Since we have been purchased by the precious blood of Christ, God desires that His people lead a different life than that of the world. That life is one of holiness where we progressively distance ourselves from the evils of this world. Not because we are being religious, but because we desire to be more like our heavenly Father.
3. Peculiar People
Jesus Christ came to save us out of this world, because one day, it will bear His wrath:
* And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
And if anyone is not in Christ, it will be a terrifying thing:
* It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31).
Which is why we must be found in His righteousness:
* And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith (Philippians 3:9).
Jesus Christ came to take us out of the world – spiritually speaking, and one day physically – so, as Christians, we are already different or peculiar from the world:
* Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Titus 2:14).
The term 'peculiar' means beyond usual; not common, or even refreshing. Christians are to look, sound, smell (spiritually), enjoy (things we take pleasure in), and live differently. If any man is in Christ, he is supposed to see things differently (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17). These things do not happen by the power of the flesh, but because we are yielding to the word of God and walking in the Spirit in our daily lives, leading Spirit-filled lives where we are being progressively distanced from the world.
The question however is, do we walk commonly, like everyone else? Is there anything unusual about us? Or do we look like, act like, speak like, enjoy like, and live like the world? As peculiar people in Christ, does our thinking reflect that we are not of this world? Do we behave in such a refreshing way that others may be drawn to Christ in us? Or, do we blend in with the world to the point that no one even knows we are Christians? Do people think, "there is something different about that person"? Or, do people look at us and think we are just like everyone else?
I'm not talking about religious behaviors here. People see and do that every day in the world. God calls us to be different in heart and mind, and the world is looking for people who think and live differently. It must start in the heart and it will permeate our lives (cf. Matthew 15:18-20). This is what people are looking for. Religion only tries to dress up the outside, but the deadness is still apparent to others (cf. Matthew 23:27).
4. Strangers and Pilgrims
Peter wrote:
* Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul (1 Peter 2:11).
The terms strangers and pilgrims carry the idea of, "you're not from around here", "I'm just passing through", that you are non-citizens of this worldly system of godlessness. Physically, it could be compared to perhaps the native Americans and what they may have once thought about the pilgrim settlers -- "these people are different!" Spiritually, it means that we walk in God's light as opposed to darkness of this world.
A) Are we being honest?
? Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:12).
To be honest here carries the idea of being virtuous. Are we virtuous at work, with each other, with neighbors, at home, on the internet?
B) Are we living in submission?
* Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme… For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men (1 Peter 2:13,15).
Ordinances here refers to laws, rules, or policies. We are to live lives of civil obedience.
C) Are we shining as lights in this 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 (Philippians 2:15).
Lights shining in the darkness of this world to those who are in darkness. How bright are we shining? Does the light of Christ in our lives illuminate our lives that others may see and hear? The devil ha people in darkness:
* In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Do we help the devil by our walk or do we shine light for the Lord to use to open the eyes of the blind?
D) Are we being transformed?
* And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:2).
To be 'transformed' is to be changed. It is a metamorphosis. How transformed we are in our lives is a reflection of our maturity in Christ. To be 'conformed' means to be of the same pattern. Do we conform to the world or to God? Do the songs we sing conform to this world? Does our attire? Our vocabulary? Our entertainment? Our hopes and dreams for the future?
E) Are we developing inwardly?
* But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price (1 Peter 3:4).
Or are we developing our outward man? Are we putting on the image of religiousness or are we putting on Christ?
F) Are we setting our affections on things above?
* If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:1-2).
Affections refers to interest, what we enjoy, to think about or be mentally biased toward something or someone. When people observe or interact with us, do they notice a heavenly-mindedness that benefits others' earthly presence? Are our conversations filled with graciousness sprinkled with the word (cf. Colossians 4:6)?
G) Are we keeping ourselves unspotted from this world?
* Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world (James 1:27).
To be unspotted is to be clean from, without dirt. The world is a reference to the world system. How are we doing? How do we look? How do we act? How do we smell? Like everyone else in the world? Do our conversations reflect covetouseness (cf. Hebrews 13:5)? Is the name of the Lord blasphemed because of us?
* Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written (Romans 2:22-24).
5. By our behavior, some might have to ask the rhetorical question, “you’re a Christian”!?
Are we different, or are we promoting the same things as the world? Do our dress, appearance, music, attitude, celebrations, speech, holidays, and the like reflect God or the world? What does the world see in us -- something different, or the same old thing? Do they see Christ in us, or just us?
• Are we led of the Spirit, or do we get angry like everyone else?
• Do we praise God publicly or say “I’m lucky” like everyone else?
• Are we loving our neighbor, or hating him like everyone else?
• Are we declaring God’s glory in creation, or are we ignoring it like everyone else?
• Are we enjoying one another in church, or are we neglecting going to church like everyone else?
• Are we presenting a Godly image in word, deed, and conversation, or do we appear the same as everyone else?
• Are we bearing fruit which benefits everyone, or are we selfish like everyone else?
As believers, how are we different? How are we the same as the world? Being a Christian is not a checklist of dos and don’ts. The world goes to church. There are many religious people doing their duty. They read the Bible. They attend church. They pray. But after that, they go back to their old ways. Are we any different? What is different about believers? They have been transformed. They live holy lives that have been transformed in Christ, by the Holy Spirit indwelling every believer. So the Lord says "come out from among them".
CONCLUSION
According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, we have been created anew in Christ. We have been given a new heart, a new song, new vocabulary, new places, new topics, new pleasures, maybe even new friends, new interests, … new, everything new.
God says, “come out from among them…” Why? Because Jesus Christ came to redeem us from the world. Because our Heavenly Father is holy. Just like any good parent, the Lord does not want us getting entangled in the filth of this world. He wants us to shine as lights in this world, and do better than what the world does. Are we presenting the image of our Father in heaven like Jesus Christ did, or are we presenting the image of the world, the lost, the devil? Whose agenda are we promoting? Are we going about promoting our Father's business (cf. Luke 2:49), or are we promoting the worldly system that is against God (cf. 1 John 2:15-17).
If you are in Christ, you are 'in' this world, but are no longer 'of' it. Let us examine ourselves in the light of God’s word and pray for grace in whatever our need is today. If you have not looked to Christ today, ask God to reveal Him to you. If you have already trusted Christ, ask Him for the grace to be more yielded to His word and His Spirit so that you may be more like Him and come out from among them even further.
