2 Co 6:17-18 “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
The concept of separation from evil–from all that contradicts, opposes and defies God’s character, standards and purposes–is fundamental to God’s relationship with his people. According to the Bible, separation involves two dimensions–one negative (i.e., relating to what we avoid or must not do) and the other positive (i.e., relating to what we should seek after or must do):
a) We must deliberately separate ourselves morally and spiritually from sin (see Ro 6:1, note). This is everything that is contrary to the work and character of Jesus Christ and God’s Word.
(b) We must purposefully pursue a deeper and closer relationship with God through time spent in prayer, God’s Word, worship and service. By put- ting our primary efforts into pursuing a deeper relationship with God and fulfilling his purposes for our lives, we will naturally take on Christ’s character traits and become further removed from evil. This two-way separation results in a deep sense of our relationship with God as our heavenly Father who lives with us by his Spirit and takes care of us be- cause we are his sons and daughters (2 Co 6:16-18).
(1) In the OT, separation was an ongoing requirement for God’s people (see Ex 23:24, note; Lev 11:44, note; Dt 7:3, note; Ezr 9:2, note). They were expected to be holy (i.e., morally pure, spiritually whole, separated from evil and dedicated to God’s purposes). This meant living in a way that was dis- tinct and different from those who did not follow God. Though it may have seemed like an extreme measure, God typically required Israel to remain separate from people of other nations whose corrupt lifestyles and religious practices would influence his people to rebel against him and abandon their faith in him. One key reason God punished his people by allowing them to be conquered and exiled (i.e., deported, taken away) into Assyria and Baby- lon was their continued desire to worship the false gods and imitate the wicked lifestyles of the nations around them (see 2 Ki 17:7-8; 24:3; 2 Ch 36:14; Jer 2:5, 13; Eze 23:2, Hos 7:8.
(2) In the NT, God commanded Christ’s followers to remain separate (a) from the corrupt world system (i.e., the beliefs, lifestyles and God-defying way of doing things) and from behaviors that compromise God’s standards of purity and integrity (Jn 17:15-16; 2 Ti 3:1-5; Jas 1:27; 4:4). (b) from those in the church–particularly those who say they are followers of Jesus–who disobey and defy God and refuse to turn from their own ways and follow Christ with passion (Mt 18:15-17; 1 Co 5:9-11; 2 Th 3:6-15) and (c) from false teachers, churches or religious systems that promote ungodly beliefs and deny the truth of God’s Word as revealed in the Bible (see Mt 7:15; Ro 16:17; Gal 1:9, note; Tit 3:9-11; 2 Pe 2:17-22; 1 Jn 4:1; 2 Jn 1:10-11; Jude 1:12-13).
(3) Our attitude as we are separated must be one of (a) hatred toward sin (i.e., everything that offends, opposes and defies God and contradicts his character and standards) and the corrupt world system (Ro 12:9; Heb 1:9; 1Jn 2:15), (b) opposition to false religious teaching (Gal 1:9), (c) true com- passion for those from whom we must be separated in perspective and be- havior, which includes a willingness to pray for and reach out to them with the love and message of Christ (Jn 3:16; 1 Co 5:5; Gal 6:1; cf. Ro 9:1-3; 2 Co 2:1-8; 11:28-29; Jude 1:22) and (d) a respectful fear of God (i.e., a holy awe and reverence that makes us aware of our accountability to the Almighty God) that will cause us to remain pure and true to his purposes (2 Co 7:1).
(4) The purpose of separation is that we as God’s people might hold fast to the way of righteousness through Christ and grow in (a) our spiritual salva- tion (1 Ti 4:16; Rev 2:14-17), our faith (1 Ti 1:19; 6:10, 20-21) and our per- sonal purity and holiness (Jn 17:14-21; 2 Co 7:1); (b) our service and devo- tion to God as our Lord and Father (Mt 22:37; 2 Co 6:16-18); and (c) our ability to influence and convince others of the truth of Christ’s message and the blessings of following him (Jn 17:21; Php 2:15).
(5) If we separate ourselves in true faith and willing obedience, God himself rewards us by bringing us into a deeper relationship with himself. As a re- sult, we will have a greater sense of his protection, blessing and fatherly care. He promises to be everything that a good Father should be. He will be our counselor and guide, and he will love and cherish us as his own children (2 Co 6:16-18).
(6) The refusal of God’s people to separate themselves from evil will surely result in the loss of companionship with God (2 Co 6:16), of acceptance by the Father (6:17) and of our rights as children of God (6:18; cf. Ro 8:15-16).
(7) Separation does not mean that we refuse to communicate with or reach out to sinners (i.e., those who do not yet have a personal relationship with Christ). Certainly we must avoid relationships, activities and behaviors (even with people in the church, cf. 1 Co 5:9-11; 2 Th 3:14) that would cause us to compromise or defy God’s commands, principles and standards. Yet, with God’s guidance we also must find ways to reach out to people in love and communicate the message of forgiveness and new life through faith in Christ. However, in doing so we must not foolishly expose ourselves to un- godly temptations and evil influences that could lessen our influence for and relationship with God (cf. 2 Ti 2:22; Tit 2:7). Many once-committed Chris- tians have made regrettable choices in building close relationships with those who choose to live without God and his standards. As a result, they have discovered the truth and reason behind God’s repeated warnings about avoiding spiritually questionable activities and close association with people of poor character (cf. 1 Co 15:33).
– Fire Bible study notes
