"14 DO NOT be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 What accord has CHRIST with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
16 What agreement has the temple of GOD with idols? 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.
17 Therefore go out from their midst, and "BE SEPARATE" from them, says the LORD, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
18 and I will be a FATHER to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to ME , says the LORD ALMIGHTY."
"This world" continually tries to convince the church that we need to assimilate to the ideals and lifestyles that THEY approve and mandate. There is no greater frustration than a Believer trying to live a life that is not in accordance to how GOD directs one one to live. JESUS said in Matthew 6:24 that we cannot serve two Masters, so why do we even attempt to? Is the church trying to prove GOD wrong? In Revelation 3:16 scripture states "So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." The way I read scripture, GOD doesn't want HIS children to try to be like "this world"!
Leviticus 11:44a says "For I am the LORD your GOD. CONSECRATE yourselves therefore, and be HOLY, for I am HOLY....". One dictionary defines CONSECRATE as "1.
to make or declare sacred; SET APART or dedicate to the service of a deity." Am I "dedicated to the service of a Diety", or am I trying to NOT OFFEND "this world" by not standing for THE TRUTH when it is against what they practice? While it is true that a person must be drawn by the Spirit of GOD to have their life changed, GOD may need me to be DISTINCT and SEPARATE as an example of what HIS Child should be? Remember, I am NOT MY OWN (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), I have been bought with a price so I must live for HIM!
When the temptation comes to be "unequally yoked", we must "BE SEPARATE" from them, says the LORD! Believers are a part of the Vine (John 15:1-8) and we can't assimilate to "this world", we must "BE SEPARATE"! We don't need to accept their lifestyles just to show them we love them, for what kind of love allows a friend to spend eternity in the lake of fire! We will "BE SEPARATE" for eternity. To be obedient now, we need to "BE SEPARATE" from them now!
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