for the Saviour. The contrast is be tween anybody who names the name of Christ and these gross sins that are clearly off base, even by the world's standards. There is an interesting coupling of words here in the terms covetous, idol- otry and extortioners. It is strange to think that a Christian could find any satisfaction in these things rath er than in God. There is no lasting satisfaction to be found in things of this world. The last word in the group is railer. This is an individual who uses abusive language, telling off other people. He is primarily in terested in himself rather than in others. He always tries to justify himself. When he blows off steam he does not care who he hurts. As believers we must be different. By the quality of our lives we should prove that we have been changed. Furthermore, we are not to asso ciate with Christians who live in this way. While we cannot get out of the world yet we do not have to fellowship with those who want to wallow in sin. It is interesting to see that we are not counseled to remove ourselves from admitted robbers or drunkards but rather not to have company with forni cators. The reason for this is that we are to maintain a clear and positive impact on those who live without Christ. We must not asso ciate with Christians who besmirch the name of our Saviour by the kind of shallow living that they carry on. Paul tells the Corinthian believ ers, "I wrote unto you so that you would not be mixed and inter twined together with the world so that there would be absolutely no distinction between you. Christians
have no business living this way (II Corinthians 6:14-16). Paul is not talking about some of the minor little things that are unimportant. He refers to some very basic prob lems over which we are to experi ence victory through Christ. We are to be distinctive so that others can see that Christ has made a transformation in our lives. If we, in our fellowship, put our arms around a sinning Christian who, in an obnoxious way, lives a twisted existence, parading his freedom with wickedness rampant, then men of the world will say, "Well, obviously, they do not have the answers. They have the same prob lems we do!" Paul urges separa tion from that which would defile (II Corinthians 6:17). This is not a passage that says we should be arguing among ourselves in Chris tian circles over minor problems. It basically tells us that we have to remain distinctive in our pattern of life before the men and women of the world. We must be differ ent where it counts which is in commitment to and control by God. There is a grave danger in being more concerned about things than about God. We have to dis associate ourselves from such a concept. We will never find satis faction in Satan or in self. A person can be very separated in one sense, and still be mixed with the world's philosophy. Com mitment to God is to be so over riding that in the gross approach to life there is a clear-cut distinc tion. It is so easy to miss the ma jor purpose of life. Our conduct is to be totally above reproach in those areas where the world clear ly sees the need for distinction. There is neither virtue in being Page 23
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