"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" II Cor. 6:14
At the time of my conversion to Christ, about 65 years ago, there was among bible believing (born again) Christians a great emphasis on "separation from the world." There were cautions raised against worldly language, entertainment, lusts, dress, etc. The ground for such emphasis was passages in the word of God such as this one before us today. That emphasis, it seems to me, has largely disappeared in the evangelical churches of today, replaced by an emphasis on accommodation with the world. If my judgment is correct, we were either wrong then, or we are wrong now.
The word of God has not changed. One of the most challenging aspects of scripture is the omission of "middle ground." In the bible a line is drawn; faith is on one side, unbelief on the other. Believers are on one side, unbelievers on the other. There is heaven, and there is hell, but no "limbo." There is absolute truth. Righteousness is not an approximation, but conformity to the revealed will of God. That, of course, is why we need a savior; we never can meet the divine standard, and that standard cannot be compromised.
Nowhere are these distinctions more sharply drawn nor clearly emphasized than in the text and context before us today. A man is either a believer or an unbeliever. He is either righteous or unrighteous. He is either in darkness or light, saved or lost. Scripture allows no "twilight zone." Yet that is where, if it were possible, most professing Christians of today (in our culture, at least,) seem to prefer to dwell. It behooves us to think again on the sharp contrast the bible makes between the sinner and the saint.
The scripture says, "He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God [John 3:18-21]." Believeth - believeth not; not condemned - condemned already; light - darkness. There is no middle ground, no "halfway house." Faith in Christ makes the distinction; fellowship with Christ makes the distinction evident. Jesus said again, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life [John 8:12]."
This lays the foundation for all the appeal in the epistles that follow, for a clear-cut contrast between the believer and the world. The apostle Paul pleads, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 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 [Rom. 12:1-2]." And the apostle John, in another place, exhorts "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him [I John 2:15]." "The love of the Father is not in him…;" how we would like some moderating phrase; but, it is not there. Darkness and light are contrasted once again, and we are in one category or the other.
When I interviewed with the pulpit committee of a certain church years ago, I inquired about the spiritual status of the deacons, and was told that there was one, an older man, who might not be saved! I took the position in response to the church's call. Sometime later, with this man in the group, I suggested that each man share the testimony of his conversion. I have never forgotten that man's testimony. He remarked that he had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ many years before, but continued, "It is only since you have come that I have realized that I cannot walk with one foot in heaven and the other in the world." Oh, that we might all learn that truth, and begin to fulfill the divine call, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty [II Cor. 6:17-18]."
This is the will of God for every true believer!
Yours for HIS glory,
"Pastor" Frasier
At the time of my conversion to Christ, about 65 years ago, there was among bible believing (born again) Christians a great emphasis on "separation from the world." There were cautions raised against worldly language, entertainment, lusts, dress, etc. The ground for such emphasis was passages in the word of God such as this one before us today. That emphasis, it seems to me, has largely disappeared in the evangelical churches of today, replaced by an emphasis on accommodation with the world. If my judgment is correct, we were either wrong then, or we are wrong now.
The word of God has not changed. One of the most challenging aspects of scripture is the omission of "middle ground." In the bible a line is drawn; faith is on one side, unbelief on the other. Believers are on one side, unbelievers on the other. There is heaven, and there is hell, but no "limbo." There is absolute truth. Righteousness is not an approximation, but conformity to the revealed will of God. That, of course, is why we need a savior; we never can meet the divine standard, and that standard cannot be compromised.
Nowhere are these distinctions more sharply drawn nor clearly emphasized than in the text and context before us today. A man is either a believer or an unbeliever. He is either righteous or unrighteous. He is either in darkness or light, saved or lost. Scripture allows no "twilight zone." Yet that is where, if it were possible, most professing Christians of today (in our culture, at least,) seem to prefer to dwell. It behooves us to think again on the sharp contrast the bible makes between the sinner and the saint.
The scripture says, "He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God [John 3:18-21]." Believeth - believeth not; not condemned - condemned already; light - darkness. There is no middle ground, no "halfway house." Faith in Christ makes the distinction; fellowship with Christ makes the distinction evident. Jesus said again, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life [John 8:12]."
This lays the foundation for all the appeal in the epistles that follow, for a clear-cut contrast between the believer and the world. The apostle Paul pleads, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 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 [Rom. 12:1-2]." And the apostle John, in another place, exhorts "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him [I John 2:15]." "The love of the Father is not in him…;" how we would like some moderating phrase; but, it is not there. Darkness and light are contrasted once again, and we are in one category or the other.
When I interviewed with the pulpit committee of a certain church years ago, I inquired about the spiritual status of the deacons, and was told that there was one, an older man, who might not be saved! I took the position in response to the church's call. Sometime later, with this man in the group, I suggested that each man share the testimony of his conversion. I have never forgotten that man's testimony. He remarked that he had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ many years before, but continued, "It is only since you have come that I have realized that I cannot walk with one foot in heaven and the other in the world." Oh, that we might all learn that truth, and begin to fulfill the divine call, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty [II Cor. 6:17-18]."
This is the will of God for every true believer!
Yours for HIS glory,
"Pastor" Frasier
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