II Corinthians 6:17 states, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.”
As a young pastor in my first church, I took a couple of young men with me into the neighboring city to do some door-to-door evangelism. We weren’t received well. One man slammed the door in our face while cursing at us. That ended that!
In our text it is the Lord that says, “I will receive you.” In John 14:3 Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself: that where I am, there ye may be also.” It is worth more than anything else in the world to be received by the Lord. God wants more than anything else to receive you.
The first call in our text is to “come out from among them.” This refers back to what Paul says in verse 14, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with with darkness?” Jesus was condemned for eating with sinners. There is, however, a difference between going to the sinners with the gospel, and being yoked together with them. When it comes to marriage, the believer should not marry an unbeliever. When this does happen, Paul gives instruction for this relationship. Staying with an unbelieving spouse to win them to the Lord is permissible. It does not always work. How much better to avoid the yoke in the first place.
A believer might find himself yoked with a church which does not equally believe the Word. Some churches can be very liberal. I knew of a man who made his living selling alcohol and was yet a leader in his church. Some churches believe a little alcohol is okay. Some people call themselves believers and think drinking in moderation is fine. Proverbs 20:1 says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Those who have a thirst for alcohol not only seek for Scriptures that might allow it, but seek for those who might join them (Romans 1:32). Don’t be fooled.
The second call is to be separate. It takes strength of character to be the only one in the class to stand up against an ungodly professor. Others in the class may agree with you, but cowardly remain silent. Don’t be afraid to be separate. Only a few walk the narrow way (Matthew 7:14).
The third call is to touch not the unclean thing. This is the last chance to get out of the snare. Touching or taking hold of evil is claiming it for yourself. Once Eve took the fruit in hand there was nothing to keep her from eating it.
You may feel that this advise is too late. That’s a lie of Satan. We are all born in sin. The call is for all of us. In II Corinthians 6:1-2 Paul speaks of God’s grace. He says, “….now is the day of salvation.” Come out and be rejected. It is the Lord that says, “I WILL RECEIVE YOU!”
