It's Time to File for a Divorce

2 Corinthians 6:14 in the King James Version: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” The New American Standard Version says, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?”  Some, well most, equate this with relationships or marriages.  Some people (mostly women) will marry someone (non-Christian) thinking they can change him and bring him into the body of Christ but statistics shows that more often than not, it’s the opposite.  Instead of bringing them into the light they draw you into their darkness.  And I believe that may be why God is so adamant about Christians not being unequally yoked.  I once heard it said, it's easier to pull someone down and than to pull someone up.  

  But I'd like us to look at this another way.  I believe today that the Church has become married (became one with) or at least 'engaged' to the world in hopes of bringing them into the Light. Doing the things the world's way instead of God's way, acting and dressing like the world when God tells us to come out from among them and be ye separate! He says we are a unique generation, a royal priesthood.  He has called His Bride to be holy...pure and unblemished by the world. But instead of bringing the world into the Light the world is pulling the Church into its darkness.  You can’t hold hands with satan with one hand and with Jesus with the other hand. Jesus plainly tells us if we’re friends with the world then we’re enemies with God. (James 4:4 and 1 John 2:15) Sinfulness can rub off on you. You can catch it like a disease.  But holiness is not like that. You can't catch holiness. It can’t be picked up by contact or exposure; it has to be chosen on purpose.  You can’t make someone holy, they have to make that choice for themselves. You can't pull someone up unless they are willing to make the climb. 
  
  Now I know I'm gonna be hit with this one....1 Corinthians 9:19: “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;  to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law;  to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.  Now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.”   But what did Paul really mean when he said this?  Paul’s liberty in his evangelism was not a freedom to serve the flesh (world) in any way. Paul was always strict in regard to sin and he did not allow anything in his life that would bring the result of sin by spiritual carelessness. He would never allow himself to become as the world to win the world!  He would not become a drug user to reach the addict, he would not become a drunk to reach a drunk. He would not sugar coat the gospel to please itching ears!  Remember he rebuked Peter for his compromise of the gospel to the Jewish brethren. Galatians 2:12-13 speaking of the Judaizers “for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. “Saying to Peter Galatians 2:14 “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? He preached holiness in all its fullness and beauty.  

 In 1 Corinthians 9:22 Paul said by inspiration of the Holy Spirit: “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” 

 If this is was taken apart from the rest of scripture one can believe that Paul was willing to do anything to reach the lost, including adopting their lifestyle and compromise his ethics, moral and beliefs. This is a doctrine that is popularized among the seeker friendly evangelism crowd today. If we use this logic then one cannot reach a drug addict unless they become one, one cannot reach a drunk unless they drink alcohol.

 When we compare scripture with scripture, we find that Paul did not mean this. Paul taught that believers are to “abstain from any appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Paul would not have done anything contrary to Christ and His ways in his own life and ministry. Paul would never suggest that the Church marry (become one with) the world.  Paul’s life centered in living out the gospel and in preaching and teaching the gospel. Nothing else was of any concern to him. "I do all things for the sake of the gospel. His life was the gospel. He, therefore, set aside anything that would hinder its power and effectiveness."

 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask now the priests to decide this question of law: If one carries in the skirt of his garment flesh that is holy because it has been offered in sacrifice to God, and with his skirt or the flaps of his garment he touches bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any kind of food, does what he touches become holy (dedicated to God's service exclusively)? And the priests answered, No! Holiness is not infectious! Then said Haggai, If one who is ceremonially unclean because he has come in contact with a dead body should touch any of these articles of food, shall it be ceremonially unclean? And the priests answered It shall be unclean. Unholiness is infectious! (Haggai 2:11-13)

 So I have to ask you...are you becoming more worldly-minded than you are becoming spiritually minded? If so, you have probably crossed the line and need to separate yourself.  Christ does not call you to lose your holiness, but to gain theirs.

 Church, it’s time to file for a divorce! 

In His love,
Elizabeth