COME OUT AND BE SEPARATE

 TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 6: 14-17

“14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 17 Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

The believers of old got the name “Christians” from the people of Antioch in the book of Acts 11: 26. They got the name because the people of Antioch noticed something conspicuously different about Christ followers. The believers’ lifestyle was so evident and unique that the name “Christian” was assigned to them because they put into practice all they had learned from Jesus. They emulated Jesus and lived lives worthy of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. They represented Christ and made him known to the whole world even after he had ascended!

We are created in the image and the likeness of God, and as dedicated children of God; washed and redeemed with the blood of Jesus Christ, we are no more of this world even though we live in this world. The salvation we got on the day we chose to follow Christ, means that we are ready and determined to live a sanctified life- that means separation from the world and unto God. This separation from the world is an internal state of separation- it means separating yourself from worldliness and every work of flesh, as well as separating yourself from unbelieving friends and relatives. Separating from unbelievers does not mean you should run away from them or abandon them; it only means that you should be careful how you relate with them. you should stand your ground by maintain the standard that Christ has given us- do not compromise on your faith, do not conform with the standard of the unbelievers and the world at large. Rather, you should be a good example of the believer that will act as change agent to intercede and witness to unbelieves to turn from their sinful ways.

Sanctification has to do with dedication, consecration, purity, and separation from sin. These days, it is difficult to distinguish a worldly person from a Christian. There are many works of flesh and worldliness that has crept into the body of Christ because of what is tagged “Modern Christianity.” These are evident from the choice of clothing (appearance in general), style of dance- (worldly dance steps are reigning in altars of God!), to the choice of music, songs, worldly slangs, and lyrics that have crept into Christian praise teams!

When you examine the lifestyle of some believers, you will marvel to see how difficult it is to see Christ reflected in them! Our text says as believers you should not have anything to do with unbelievers, because there is no correlation between light and darkness. The verse says, “we are the temple of God.” The Spirit of God lives in you, do not grief the Spirit of God with the way you live. Do not emulate unbelievers, you are an agent of change to draw sinners to Christ. Do not let the world change you or draw you out of God’s side to their side. Come out of them and be separate. Let people see Christ in you, do not conform with the doctrines of this world. Come out of them and be separate!

IMAGE: Google.

PRESENT YOUR VESSEL IN SANCTIFICATION AND HONOUR

TEXT: 1 THESSALONIAN 4: 1-8.

“Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; ² for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴ that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honour, ⁵ not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; ⁶ that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. ⁷ For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. ⁸ Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.”

Sanctification can be defined as making something or someone holy, setting apart as sacred, purify and be free from sin. On this note, I will define sanctification as separation from the world and  dedication unto God- it means doing away with worldliness, sinful living and embracing holiness- being sold out to God totally by doing His will, walking to please Him in all your ways.

The Bible tells us that the eyes of the Lord are too pure to behold iniquity (Habakkuk 1:13). For you to be at peace with God your ways must be right before Him, you must not be in tune with the world.

“You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4:4).

We were bought with a price and that makes us to be accountable to the one (God through Christ) that paid the price. Your life is no longer your own anymore because Jesus paid the price with his precious blood. Hence, you cannot live as you want any longer- you must live according to the dictates of your owner (God).  

Whatever God tells you to do, you must do, and your ways must conform to His commands.

From the day you gave your life to Christ, it is expected of you to have turned a new leaf- the scripture says you are now a new man old thing have passed away behold all thing have become new(2 Corinthians 5:17). In this wise, all your sinful old ways shouldn’t be reflecting in you as a new person in Christ.

God wants you to be sanctified, to avoid all form or immorality and other works of the flesh.

Our anchor scripture says in verse four “that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honour.” This verse is telling us that it is our sole responsibility to decide to live a sanctified life. You must make the determination to stand out from the world and its sinful pleasure so that you can embrace holiness and attain perfection by the grace of God.

Living a sanctified life is a personal obligation- the determination to live according to God’s precept is a matter of choice rather than coercion. God will not force you to do anything; He has given us the free will of choice.

Your pastor, Sunday school teacher, Bible study leader, House fellowship leader or the church counsellor cannot compel you to separate yourself from the world; they can only preach the word and encourage you to be a doer of the word. The onus is on you to obey the word of God and be determined that you will walk blamelessly with Him. Sexual immorality, lust of the eyes and pride of life, greed and covetousness should be avoided.

We are vessels of God- a vessel is an object that can retain contents either liquid or solid substance.

As spiritual vessels your heart can retain things; that is why the writer of our anchor scripture says we should possess our vessels in sanctification and in honour. You are the temple of God the spirit of God lives in you, but as soon as you harbour filthy things inside of you, any immoral act would make the Holy Spirit to take a break from you because light and darkness cannot mingle.

Let no corrupt though be in you like the people of the world. Examine yourself and be honest with yourself, make amends if need be. God did not call us to be impure; but to live a holy life. If you reject this instruction you are rejecting God and the outcome may be grievous.

As you cannot use a dirty plate to eat, so also God cannot use a dirty vessel. You must be purified and sanctified for God to use you.