“Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”” 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 ESV
Reflection: what defiles a follower of Christ?
Over and over we read in the Old Testament God instructing the Israelites to separate themselves from what was unclean, including from the gentiles who worshipped idols. To be separated from a world that defiled what God has created and what God said was good. There are many examples of God calling for this separation of His people. Perhaps the most well known is when God brought the Israelites out from the land of Egypt, leading them through the desert towards the “promised land”. During this time in the desert, God was there in their midst, walking with them, providing for them, and leading them. But we also remember that they were a defiant people, grumbling and complaining about God’s provision and laws; some even desiring to return to Egypt and what they had there. Many didn’t want to worship God, but instead made a golden calf that they worshipped.
In the end of chapter 6, Paul writes to the Corinthians “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols?” 2 Corinthians 6:14-16a ESV. He is basically making the same argument as was made to the Israelites of the Old Testament, that as followers of Christ, are also to be separate from the world, from unbelievers. And to make it clear that the same separation applies, notice how Paul continues by quoting from the Old Testament, “For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”” 2 Corinthians 6:16b-18 ESV. But wasn’t this written specifically for the Israelites, you might say?
Remember that Jesus established a new covenant in his blood, which supersedes the old covenant. And with this new covenant, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 ESV. This separation Paul writes about is not a commonly discussed, or even an accepted within Christian circles. If you think about it, Christians are so deeply involved and even mixed in all aspects of the world. Take any workplace, any neighborhood, or even any family, is it possible to tell the Christians apart from the unbelievers? Shouldn’t we be very different in our behavior? In the use of language and topics discussed?
Notice that Paul again makes the argument for holiness, saying “For we are the temple of the living God”, and he concludes this whole section by saying “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1 ESV. Notice the call for holiness in body and spirit. I believe his words ring just as true today as to the Corinthians almost 2000 years ago. We are to be separate, set apart from the world for God.
Are there unclean things that you need to remove from your life, and perhaps even unbelievers that you need to separate yourself from? Paul calls us to cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, to be pure as a bride preparing for her wedding day.