“Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.”” (2 Corinthians 6:17–18, NLT)
“You need to walk away from it.”
The sentence above came from the mouth of a doctor. He gave this advice to a stock analyst who worked on Wall Street in New York. The analyst had been in his position for eight years. During that time, he made lots of money. By his early thirties, he was a millionaire. He was known among some powerful people as a guy who could predict trends in the stock market. Yet, only in his thirties, the analyst began to have heart palpitations at work. The stress of the job was eating him alive. The exciting work environment was taking its toll. After a bout of nausea at work, his blood pressure was found to be 180 over 110. He was liable to have a stroke with those numbers. The doctor grimly stated, “You need to walk away from it.” He didn’t. He died at forty-one.
Steven’s first job at a paper mill paid well. It was a good steady job. The job was physically taxing, but the pay and benefits were good. Five years after working at the mill, Steven was given a position on the line that included a bonus along with added responsibility. Seven years after working there, he received special commendation by the “higher ups” for his exemplary leadership of his team on the line. There had been no accidents in the entire time he led his team, and the line had few interruptions. Despite the success, Steven sometimes felt nervous about issues at work and home. When a new manager increased Steven’s workload, Steven found it easier to cope by savoring a beer or two after work. When Stephen was promoted again, he took his line workers out for beers at a local bar once a month. He also began drinking a little more at home. Steven knew his father and uncle were alcoholics, but he convinced himself that he could stop drinking at any time. What would be the harm in a few drinks after work every day or two? However, as the drinking increased, so did Steven’s problems at home. He was an angry drunk. His wife became upset with the drinking. His young children grew afraid when Steven drank too much. In the end, Steven was told by his wife that he needed to give up drinking and seek help, or else she would divorce him. Her words that day included, “You have to give it up, Steven. For me.. for the kids. Please just stop!” Steven stopped for a while but inevitably started again. This cycle of stops and starts to his drinking went on for several years until his wife divorced him. Today, Steven is an old, bitter drunk dying from liver failure. Nobody is around to care for him when nausea overtakes his body, or he is too fatigued to get out of bed in the morning.
The scripture for today from 2 Corinthians 6 contains several words called “imperatives”. Imperatives are verbs that often contain commands. Imperatives always demand a response. Like a sergeant in the army who gives a command to a corporal, expecting it to be heeded, imperatives in scripture are meant to be followed. 2 Corinthians 6:17 and 18 command that you “come out from unbelievers”, and “separate yourself” from their ways. It also requires you “not touch their filthy things”. These verses expect you to turn away from worldly living and evil choices. It demands you keep yourself away from sinful living and temptations. In just a few words, these verses command that you make a break with evil in this world, with worldly attitudes and beliefs, with sinful ways. Unlike the stock analyst from Wall Street and poor Steven in the illustrations above, you need to make a break with worldly living in order to walk with Jesus. And you need to do this before it’s too late.
A. W. Tozer was a world-renowned preacher. When he studied the scripture for today, he had these words to pass on to people like you..
“Break with This World. I dare to say that Christians who have genuinely come to love and trust Jesus Christ have also renounced this world and have chosen a new model after which to pattern their lives.
Further, we should say that this is the aspect of the Christian life that most people do not like. They want comfort. They want blessing. They want peace. But they recoil from this radical, revolutionary break with the world. To follow Christ in this rough and thorough-going way is too much for them!” (Mornings With Tozer).
Too many good people can’t get themselves to break away from a sin, a temptation, a worldly pursuit, or an unhealthy addiction. They just can’t stop going down the path that will inevitably lead to their destruction. The true disciple of Christ knows better. He or she will make a break with the world at some point. Each will decide to follow Jesus instead of going down that road that leads to ruin!
After all the imperatives in the scripture for today, we next read about promises from God. If you heed these imperatives of God, if you make that break with worldly sin and evil, God will “be your Father”, “welcome you”, and make you a “son or daughter” (2 Corinthians 6:18). However, that can never happen if you don’t make a break with worldly ideals in the first place!
In very tangible ways, the world is alluring. Worldly sins are tempting. Worldly ways are often celebrated in popular media. Worldly people are often promoted, given awards, and praised by the powers that be. It is so easy to be sucked in by the smooth talking of worldly operators. Riches and power can be so appealing to one’s baser instincts. Lusts and passions offer short-term pleasure at the expense of eternal life. Selfish ambitions entice your dreams but may dampen godly love while hardening your heart.
Sometimes, you need to make a break with this world. You need to just walk away from the world’s temptations.
The sentence above came from the mouth of a doctor. He gave this advice to a stock analyst who worked on Wall Street in New York. The analyst had been in his position for eight years. During that time, he made lots of money. By his early thirties, he was a millionaire. He was known among some powerful people as a guy who could predict trends in the stock market. Yet, only in his thirties, the analyst began to have heart palpitations at work. The stress of the job was eating him alive. The exciting work environment was taking its toll. After a bout of nausea at work, his blood pressure was found to be 180 over 110. He was liable to have a stroke with those numbers. The doctor grimly stated, “You need to walk away from it.” He didn’t. He died at forty-one.
Steven’s first job at a paper mill paid well. It was a good steady job. The job was physically taxing, but the pay and benefits were good. Five years after working at the mill, Steven was given a position on the line that included a bonus along with added responsibility. Seven years after working there, he received special commendation by the “higher ups” for his exemplary leadership of his team on the line. There had been no accidents in the entire time he led his team, and the line had few interruptions. Despite the success, Steven sometimes felt nervous about issues at work and home. When a new manager increased Steven’s workload, Steven found it easier to cope by savoring a beer or two after work. When Stephen was promoted again, he took his line workers out for beers at a local bar once a month. He also began drinking a little more at home. Steven knew his father and uncle were alcoholics, but he convinced himself that he could stop drinking at any time. What would be the harm in a few drinks after work every day or two? However, as the drinking increased, so did Steven’s problems at home. He was an angry drunk. His wife became upset with the drinking. His young children grew afraid when Steven drank too much. In the end, Steven was told by his wife that he needed to give up drinking and seek help, or else she would divorce him. Her words that day included, “You have to give it up, Steven. For me.. for the kids. Please just stop!” Steven stopped for a while but inevitably started again. This cycle of stops and starts to his drinking went on for several years until his wife divorced him. Today, Steven is an old, bitter drunk dying from liver failure. Nobody is around to care for him when nausea overtakes his body, or he is too fatigued to get out of bed in the morning.
The scripture for today from 2 Corinthians 6 contains several words called “imperatives”. Imperatives are verbs that often contain commands. Imperatives always demand a response. Like a sergeant in the army who gives a command to a corporal, expecting it to be heeded, imperatives in scripture are meant to be followed. 2 Corinthians 6:17 and 18 command that you “come out from unbelievers”, and “separate yourself” from their ways. It also requires you “not touch their filthy things”. These verses expect you to turn away from worldly living and evil choices. It demands you keep yourself away from sinful living and temptations. In just a few words, these verses command that you make a break with evil in this world, with worldly attitudes and beliefs, with sinful ways. Unlike the stock analyst from Wall Street and poor Steven in the illustrations above, you need to make a break with worldly living in order to walk with Jesus. And you need to do this before it’s too late.
A. W. Tozer was a world-renowned preacher. When he studied the scripture for today, he had these words to pass on to people like you..
“Break with This World. I dare to say that Christians who have genuinely come to love and trust Jesus Christ have also renounced this world and have chosen a new model after which to pattern their lives.
Further, we should say that this is the aspect of the Christian life that most people do not like. They want comfort. They want blessing. They want peace. But they recoil from this radical, revolutionary break with the world. To follow Christ in this rough and thorough-going way is too much for them!” (Mornings With Tozer).
Too many good people can’t get themselves to break away from a sin, a temptation, a worldly pursuit, or an unhealthy addiction. They just can’t stop going down the path that will inevitably lead to their destruction. The true disciple of Christ knows better. He or she will make a break with the world at some point. Each will decide to follow Jesus instead of going down that road that leads to ruin!
After all the imperatives in the scripture for today, we next read about promises from God. If you heed these imperatives of God, if you make that break with worldly sin and evil, God will “be your Father”, “welcome you”, and make you a “son or daughter” (2 Corinthians 6:18). However, that can never happen if you don’t make a break with worldly ideals in the first place!
In very tangible ways, the world is alluring. Worldly sins are tempting. Worldly ways are often celebrated in popular media. Worldly people are often promoted, given awards, and praised by the powers that be. It is so easy to be sucked in by the smooth talking of worldly operators. Riches and power can be so appealing to one’s baser instincts. Lusts and passions offer short-term pleasure at the expense of eternal life. Selfish ambitions entice your dreams but may dampen godly love while hardening your heart.
Sometimes, you need to make a break with this world. You need to just walk away from the world’s temptations.