2Co_6:14-18
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 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."
AIM: to teach my pupils the Bible doctrine of separation.
POINT OF CONTACT: We are going to be discussing in this lesson the Old Testament law of separation. Several of the things that we will discuss will be items such as the fact that it was illegal for a Jew to plant diverse kinds of seeds, for a lady to wear a woolen garment and a linen garment at the same time, and for an ox and an ass to plow together. For a point of contact you might get a picture of a donkey and an ox (or a donkey and a cow). Ask the pupils what is unusual about the two being together. You might even point out the fact that in the Old Testament days divers garments could not be worn together. Illustrate some garments being worn in the class. For example, ask if someone has on clothing of linen and wool. This would be a good way to get their attention, pointing to the fact that it was unlawful in the Old Testament days.
With this as our background, let us notice the Bible doctrine of separation.
I. SEPARATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE LAW OF GOD.
1. The Jews could not sow their vineyard with different kinds of seeds. Deuteronomy 22:9. In other words, they could not mix the seeds. God is teaching us that we should not mix our seed. The seed represents the Word of God. Nothing else will do but the Word of God.
2. They could not plow with two kinds of animals under the same yoke. Deuteronomy 22:10. This teaches that God’s people doing God’s work should not line up with the Devil’s people to do God’s work. It would not be wrong for two lost people to work together in bettering the streets of a city or in the improving of the school system of a city, but it would be wrong for a Bible-believing Christian and one who is not a Christian to work together in religious work.3. They could not mix material in their garments. Deuteronomy 22:11. This is just another way for God to teach that His people are to be a separated people.
4. This verse teaches us that they were not to cross-breed their animals. Lev_19:19. It was against the law to have a half-breed animal. Again, God is teaching separation to us.
II. THINGS FROM WHICH THE CHRISTIAN OUGHT TO BE SEPARATE.
1. We are to be separate from unbelievers. II Corinthians 6:14a. Notice the word “yoked” here. (Teacher, explain to your class what the yoke means. Use two of the pupils, pulling a make-believe plow, showing that a believer and an unbeliever ought not to pull the same “plow” for God.)
2. Righteousness should not have fellowship with unrighteousness. 2Co_6:14 b. This means we are to run with the right crowd, the crowd that does righteousness. We are not to be unkind or unfriendly to the wrong crowd, but we are also not to make them our best friends or run with them. In other words, we are in the world, but we are not to be “of the world,” so said Jesus in His intercessory prayer of Joh_17:1, A person could take this too far and even become unkind toward the unrighteous crowd. This, of course, is not Scriptural. We are, however, J to run with them. (Teacher, stress this point!)
3. Light is to be separate from darkness. 2Co_6:14 c. Christians are called the “children of light.” The unsaved are called the “children of darkness.” We are not to be associated with darkness. It might be wise to consider even physical darkness. You may notice that the more sinful a place gets, usually the darker it becomes. Those who walk in the light usually have nothing to hide. Darkness is usually trying to cover something.4. A believer is to be separate from an infidel. 2Co_6:15.
5. The temple of God is not to have idols. 2Co_6:16. We are the temple of God. It was a blasphemy for a Jew to bring an idol into the Old Testament temple. It is blasphemy for us to have idols in our body. Our bodies should be clean. Jesus should have first place, and our bodies are
certainly to be clean, holy, and dedicated to His service. (Teacher, explain to the pupils here some things from which they should be separated so they won’t hurt their bodies.)
6. We are to separate ourselves in marriage from unbelievers. Deu_7:1-3. (Teacher, stress this very strongly. This is so important.) One of the most wicked sins in all the Bible was for God’s people to yoke themselves in marriage with unbelievers.
7. We are to separate ourselves from false teachers. 2Jn_1:9-11. You will notice that when a false teacher comes to our house bringing his false teaching, we are not to invite him in, we are not to listen to his message, and we are not even to wish him well as he leaves. Now, if a false teacher comes to us for another reason, we should be kind to him. We should not, however, allow false teaching to enter our homes.
III. JESUS PRAYED THAT WE WOULD BE SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD.
Joh_17:15. Certainly we should help answer His prayer and be separate from the world. (Teacher, explain that there are others praying also. Godly parents pray for children. Pastors pray for members. Teachers pray for pupils. Let us pray for each other that we will be clean and separate from the world.)
IV. JESUS SET OUR EXAMPLE OF SEPARATION. Heb_7:26. Jesus is our pattern.
We are to live as He did. We are to be Christ-like. If we are to be Christ-like, it means more than just being sweet and kind, as is the usual concept. We are to be separate from the world.
V. IF WE ARE TO BE USED TO OUR FULLEST, WE MUST BE SEPARATED. 112Ti_2:21. (Teacher, carry a vessel to class with you Sunday. Have it dirty. Show how it cannot be used for drinking purposes, etc. Then cleanse the vessel and show how much better it can be used. We are vessels. We cannot be used to our fullest unless we are clean.)
VI. WE MUST BE SEPARATE TO HAVE THE SWEET FATHER-SON RELATIONSHIP WE OUGHT TO HAVE WITH GOD. 2Co_6:18. We are God’s children if we are born again. However, the relationship is strained unless we are separated. God will be as a father to us, and we can be as His children and enjoy a sweet relationship with Him only when we are separated.
VII. WHAT DOES SEPARATION MEAN?
1. We are to come out from among them. 2Co_6:17 a.
2. We are to be separate. 2Co_6:17 b. (A good illustration of this is the yellow and white of an egg. It might be wise to use such an illustration in class Sunday. One little bit of yellow can ruin the white in the making of an angel food cake. Show how we are to keep the yellow separate and how the Christian is to be separate.)
3. We are to touch not the unclean thing. 2Co_6:17 c. You will notice that we are to be very careful not to touch—separation is not moderation; it is not toleration; it is complete abstinence! May God help us not to touch that which is unclean.
