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        "Personal Separation"
        II Corinthians 6:14
        Theme:         Not only does the believer need to separate from sin, but also from sinners.

        I. The Extent of Separation from Unbelievers – 6:14a

          A. Alliances Are Restricted

            1. Having dealt with the issue of the believer’s responsibility to practically separate from sinful indulgences and pursuits, we now turn to the next level – the command of God for believers to separate from unbelievers – people who remain in bondage to the "world"
            2. We are told here: "Do not be bound together with unbelievers" – a clear statement that restricts the amount of intimacy that we are able to have with those who are unsaved.
            3. The word "bound together" literally means to draft animals that need different kinds of yokes because they are of a different species. (e'tero" /zugew) – Deuteronomy 22:10
            4. The clear instruction then is that a believer must not allow himself to be caught in any kind of alliance with unbelievers.
            5. Certainly this would pertain to marriage, business partnerships, and even common associations that produce intimacy.
            6. What business does a believer have of taking the unbeliever’s yoke upon his neck? It will always result in the believer compromising.
            7. Instead of the unbeliever being willing or able to take upon himself the believer’s yoke (which is the yoke of Christ – cp. Matthew 11:29-30), this is already being repudiated or the unbeliever would be a believer.
            8. Instead, it is necessary for the believer to compromise his/her faith for the sake of intimacy with the unbeliever.
            9. Instead of possessing an equal scorning of the unbeliever’s yoke as the unbeliever does the believer’s, many a believer accepts it upon his neck and then vainly imagines that he can still retain faith’s yoke.

          B. Association Is Permitted

            1. However, lest we begin to see the unbelievers in a way that repels us from contact with them, we are reminded that although we are not to directly associate with them, some degree of contact is permitted.
            2. To hide from the world is to eliminate the opportunity to serve Christ as salt and light – cp. 1 Corinthians 5:9-10
            3. Jesus Himself acknowledged that we were not to attempt to isolate ourselves from the world – but that only we were to keep ourselves from worldliness – cp. John 17:15-18
            4. Hence, the general will of God is that we not allow ourselves to enter into any alliance or association with unbelievers, but that we keep ourselves wholly devoted to Christ and the agenda of sanctification.
            5. However, contact with people in the world will exist, primarily for the purpose of evangelism.

        II. The Expected Areas of Separation from Unbelievers – 6:14b-16a

          A. Have No Partnership with Lawlessness

            1. The explanation of the restriction of relationships with the world is provided in a series of five contrasts presented in the form of self-answering questions examining the relationship between the world and Christ.
            2. Paul begins by stating "for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness . . . ?"
            3. "partnership" – comes from two words "together" and "to have" – meaning "to have together" in common.
            4. "Righteousness" – refers to those whose lives are guided by the authority of God and who - out of a love for God – are allowing their lives to be conformed to the image of Christ – cp. Ephesians 4:17-24
            5. "Lawlessness" – refers to that which is not loyal to the commandments of God and that winks at the Word of God as non-binding and is indicative of a heart that is not affected by a relationship with Christ – Matthew 7:23.
            6. Thus, the first reason why we must not allow ourselves into association with unbelievers is that we have bowed our knee to the authority of Jesus Christ and the unbeliever has not.

          B. Have No Fellowship with Darkness

            1. His second contrast states: "what fellowship has light with darkness?"
            2. These two elements exclude the other by their very nature – that is, where the one is, it drives out the other.
            3. Notice the emphasis that God places on His people being light:

                a) God is "light" and in Him is no darkness at all – 1 John 1:5

                b) Christ is the true light – John 1:9

                c) He is the light of the world – John 8:12

                d) It is faith in Christ that allows men to become sons of Light – cp. John 12:35-36

                e) Thus, the believer is able to walk in light as we are in Christ Jesus – cp. 1 John 1:7

                f) Our destiny as believers is to share in the inheritance of Light – Colossians 1:12-13.

            1. However, darkness is the absolute opposite of light and represents all that is false and evil

              a) "Darkness" was the spiritual condition out of which believers were called – 1 Peter 2:9

              b) Physically, God separated the light from darkness at creation – spiritually this separation is just as significant – they are poles apart – cp. Genesis 1:4

              c) Darkness is the destination of judgment for all who are currently indulgent in the unfruitful deeds of darkness – cp. Matthew 22:13; 25:30; 2 Peter 2:17
            1. Instead of finding what is common between light and darkness, we are to "expose" darkness by being light – cp. Ephesians 5:8-11
            2. Hence, the second reason we ought not be associated directly with unbelievers is that what is light produces life, while darkness produces death.

          C. Have No Harmony with Belial

            1. The third statement he makes is "what harmony has Christ with Belial?"
            2. Here the contrast is between that which is precious and valuable – the Lord Jesus - and that which is worthless (the literal meaning of belial) – indicative of Satan’s work
            3. In what word, thought, purpose or work do these two – Christ and Satan – agree?
            4. There is no agreement or harmony between these two.
            5. In fact, there is such contrast between them and little comparison of them, that Christ came "to destroy the works of the devil" – 1 John 3:8b.
            6. Thus, the third reason we cannot be associated with unbelievers is that there is nothing but hostility between Christ and Satan – absolutely no harmony – to find harmony is to betray Christ.

          D. Have No Camaraderie with Infidel

            1. The fourth statement Paul makes is "what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?"
            2. What portion or camaraderie do we genuinely have with unbelievers?
            3. We have been justified by faith (Romans 3:28), and are at peace with God (Romans 5:1). We have had the light of the glory of Christ shine forth in our hearts (2 Corinthians 4:6) producing a quickened understanding (Ephesians 4:17).
            4. In contrast, the opposite is true of the unbeliever – he is judged already (John 3:18) and will not enter into God’s rest (Hebrews 3:18-19). He is damned (Mark 16:16) and will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).
            5. How can the believer find intimacy with such ones as these?

          E. Have No Agreement with Idols

            1. The final question Paul asks is "what agreement has the Temple of God with idols?"
            2. God’s sanctuary – the place of his dwelling – is God’s alone.
            3. False gods and idols have no problem dwelling in community with other gods – they combine quite naturally in the Pantheon./
            4. However, can and idol come into the holy place of the Most High God there to speak and to vote in concord with God?
            5. Since the seat of worship of the believer and the seat of worship of the unbeliever are completely irreconcilable, so also is the person.
            6. We cannot become intimate so as to associate with unbelievers because the affections of our hearts are completely divergent.

        III. The Explanation for Separation from Unbelievers – 6:16b-18

          A. Our Identity As the Temple of God – vv. 16b-17

            1. Having furnished the specific reasons that we are to separate from unbelievers, Paul now gives the foundational reason – "For we are the temple of the living God"
            2. "Temple" – is not the general word for Temple which would include the outer courts and auxiliary buildings, but the specific word for the inner sanctuary (nao") – the Holy Place.
            3. He states that the basic reason that there must be some sanctification of the believer from the unbeliever is because we are the living God’s sanctuary – and as such, we cannot profane the Lord God by allowing our hearts to embrace that which is devoid of holiness and filled with death.
            4. The blessedness of this identity is missed when we fail to see the significance of being the place where God dwells – the fact that the Lord Jesus resides within us and is at home with us – "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."
            5. It is on the basis of this understanding that Paul makes his appeal for the believer to recognize his special identity as the sanctuary of God and "’come out from their midst and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘And do not touch what is unclean and I will welcome you’"

                6. a) This comes from the passage of Scripture where Israel is admonished by God to depart from Babylon when given the choice and return to the land of Israel – cp. Isaiah 52:11-12

                b) This is the continued expectation of God for His people as they encounter the same godlessness from the world – cp. Revelation 18:4.

            6. Clearly it is when we are willing to depart from intimacies with that which is ungodly that we find ourselves most able to enjoy the presence of a holy God.
            7. To the degree that we continue to indulge in that which is profane, we find estrangement instead of intimacy with our God.

          B. Our Intimacy with God – v. 18

            1. The relationship that is enjoyed when we respond to the call of God to come out from the midst of that which is unclean and separate ourselves unto God, is described in terms of endearment.
            2. On God’s part He promises: "I will be a father to you." – a reference to the care and affection that He shows to His children who walk uprightly
            3. He states that our relationship to Him will be as children; "and you shall be sons and daughters to Me."
            4. Who would jeopardize the high rights and privileges of this relationship by touching anything unclean and not remaining separated?
            5. In light of these things, Paul states: "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." – 2 Corinthians 7:1.

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