Come Out from Among Them and Be Separate - Part 1

Religious Separation and the Meaning of Being Unequally Yoked

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

If you'd like more information, visit our website, morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. All right, the title of this morning's message is, Do Not Be Unequally Yoked. Do not be unequally yoked.

What does that mean? Well, first, let's start with what is a yoke? A yoke is basically a wooden cross piece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and then attached to a plow or a cart that they would pull.

So if you think of two oxen being joined together, their necks would be locked together in this yoke. So that means they would have to walk in the same direction. The yoke causes them to walk side by side, at which point I am reminded of what the scripture says in Amos chapter three, verse three.

It says, Can two walk together unless they are in agreement? So when a believer becomes yoked together with an unbeliever, what happens? The believer starts going where the unbeliever goes. The believer starts agreeing with what the unbeliever says.

They start acting in a way that the unbeliever acts. And what does the Lord say in verse 17 of 2 Corinthians chapter six? Come out from among them and be separate, saith the Lord. So we're going to break this message down into three parts.

Being unequally yoked, we're going to look at how this may be done. Then we will look at why this should not be done. And of course, this has implications not only for what we're talking about here and in church, but it has implications for marriage, for business partnerships, and even to a degree, even for friendships.

Paul’s Appeal to the Corinthians and the Call to Separation

But let's start with the immediate context, which is religious fellowship. Paul begins in verse 11. He says, Oh, Corinthians, we have spoken openly to you. Our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.

Now, in return for the same, I speak as to children, you also be open. So what's Paul talking about here? And we've discussed how the apostle had such great love for the church that he founded. Paul views them.

He views the Corinthians. See, when he says, I speak to you as children, that's not an insult. He's saying, you're like my children. You're like my spiritual children in the faith. He's saying, my heart is open to you.

Open up to me. Open up to us and what we're trying to say. And I think it's important to remember how this letter of second Corinthians begins. In chapter one, Paul talks about me and Timothy, Paul and Timothy writing to the church of God, which is that Corinth with all the saints, right?

With all the saints. Why is that significant? Well, what is a saint, right? The world has done a lot to confuse what a saint is, but a saint, basically, it's a synonym for a Christian. A Christian is a saint.

A saint is a Christian. So the saints are the Christians in Corinth. And the idea of what a saint is, it does speak to a purity of heart. That's true. But a saint is one who is set apart. That's the primary meaning there.

A saint is one who is set apart. They are different. They are what? Separate. They are separate. So Paul and Timothy, they open up that way in chapter one. And now, once again, they are pleading with the church.

Be open. Listen to us. We love you. We're not telling you this to beat up on you or to put you down. We love you. Please listen to what we have to say. And what does Paul say? Verse 14. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.

For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Which is just another name for Satan. Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be my people.

Now turn to Exodus chapter 20. Exodus chapter 20. And do you remember what the Lord said about himself when he was talking to Moses? When he gave the Ten Commandments? He says to Moses, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.

You hear the word jealous or jealousy usually has a negative connotation to it. Well it can't be negative across the board because what does God say about himself? I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.

And he says that within the context of idolatry. And of course Paul tells the Corinthians what agreement has the temple of God with idols. Look at Exodus 20 verses 4 and 5. The Lord speaking. He says, you shall not make for yourself a carved image of any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth.

You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am what? A jealous God. The iniquity of the father is upon the children to the third and fourth generations. And don't miss this part of those who hate me.

Of those who hate me. One thing the Lord does not appreciate to say the least is divided loyalty among his people. And again, just that word jealousy. It brings all sorts of things to mind. Usually it will bring a relationship between a man and a woman.

So jealousy can be in relationships. Marriages. When a spouse or significant other is flirtatious towards members of the opposite sex. Or God forbid there is infidelity that provokes what? Jealousy. And the act of infidelity is a hateful act as opposed to faithfulness, which is a display of love.

So we're going to see in a moment in the Ten Commandments. It's not just a list of thou shalt not or something that condemns. God is teaching about what love is in the commandments. So what's the point here?

Spiritually speaking, when God sees his people being unfaithful. Having associations with idolatry in false religion. That makes God jealous. We just read that. All right, now turn back to 2 Corinthians chapter 6.

See, we had to establish that because if I just said, you know, God is a jealous God. Few people might not believe me. Well, I don't think God is like that. Well, we just read it in the scripture. So what are Paul and Timothy calling for in 2 Corinthians chapter 6?

They're calling for religious separation. Okay, that's a message that needs to be preached in more churches today. Religious separation. Now, what do we see? We see an antichrist agenda of bringing everybody together.

And it sounds good bringing people together. Paul is calling for religious separation. See, it goes against the grain of what the world is saying, does it not? Verse 17, therefore. And therefore, okay, why is that there?

Paul is saying, based on everything I just said, do not be unequally yoked. And Paul here is going to quote from the Old Testament scriptures. So we see that this is a principle that most certainly still applies.

Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. And I will be a father to you. And you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

The Ten Commandments as a Guide to Love for God and Neighbor

Now turn, if you would, to Matthew chapter 22. Matthew 22. So going back to the Ten Commandments and thinking about the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments not only show us what sin is. The Ten Commandments show us something about love as well.

That's not usually what people think of when they think of the Ten Commandments. But it most certainly shows us something about love. The Ten Commandments tell us how to show our love for God. We say, have faith in God, love God.

How do I do that? How do I have love for God? How do I show my love for God? See, we love God when we worship God. When we refuse to bow down and serve idols. Showing our faithfulness to the Lord. That's how we show our love for Him.

When we keep His name holy and we do not use His name in vain. That's how we show our love for God. To keep a day set aside for Him. To keep it holy. See, if somebody says, well I love God. But I don't gather to worship God.

I use His name in vain. I ignore all of the commandments given. On what basis can they really claim to love the Lord? Likewise, if you say you love your neighbor. I love my neighbor. No, it's true. I lie to him and I steal from him.

And I commit adultery with his spouse. And I want to kill him. But I love him. Nobody would buy that. It is the same for God. Do you remember how Jesus summarized the Ten Commandments? Matthew 22, look at verse 35.

Then one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question. Testing him. In saying, teacher, which is the great commandment of the law? And Jesus said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. So what is this? This is a summary of the law.

The summary of the Ten Commandments. Love God, love your neighbor as yourself. It's a summary of the commandments. So the first half, if you think about it, the first half of the Ten Commandments deal with man's relationship to God.

Have no other gods before me. Do not take the Lord's name in vain. Keep the Sabbath holy. So the first half of the commandments deal with man's relationship to God. The second half of the commandments deal with man's relationships with his fellow man.

So to show your love for God and neighbor is not to have a warm, fuzzy feeling about them. Now you might have that too. And that's okay. But that's not really how you show your love for neighbor. You show your love for God and show your love for neighbor by doing them no harm.

Whether it's outward in the flesh or even if it's inward in your heart. So with all of that said, it is clear that Paul was seeing something, maybe many things, in the Corinthian church that were not honoring to God.

And that were probably not helpful to their relationships either. In his previous letter, you remember how Paul talked about those who were eating meat sacrificed to idols. And in this letter, Paul is expressing his concerns about church members who were giving an ear to the doctrine of the false teachers.

And all of this amounts to doing what? The Christians in Corinth, they were flirting with the world. Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Moores Corinth Church. If you'd like to listen to the complete message or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website, moorescorinthchurch .com.

And we'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett. Until next time, may the grace of God be with you.