Avoid Unhealthy Relationships

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

Aesop wrote a fable titled The Charcoal Maker and The Cloth Cleaner. The story is about a charcoal maker who invites the cloth cleaner to come and move in together so that they could share expenses. Even though this would be a more comfortable living condition for the cleaner, he knew it would not be a good business venture. Every cloth that he would clean would only become stained by the dust from the making of the charcoal. The moral of the story is There are just some relationships that are not compatible and it is better to remain separate.

This moral did not originate with Aesop. It is one that goes back to when God chose a people for himself and commanded them to be separate from all the other nations around them and be a peculiar people. By this the rest of the world would see that the God of Israel is unique and his glory would fill the earth. Unfortunately time and time again Israel failed in this and it created unbelief and skepticism among the rest of the nations. It would bring a reproach upon God and his people eventually leading to the judgment, scattering, and enslavement of his people.

This is not just a Old Testament concept. In fact it is more stressed upon in the New Testament as God who once dwelled among his people, now dwells within his people. As a redeemed people, the gift of the Holy Spirit has been given to

• Lead us into all truth

• To testify of Jesus

• To glorify Jesus

With God bestowing upon us his grace and power we should have a great influence upon the world instead of the world have a great influence upon us. But unfortunately for many Christians today it is not the case.

Many Christians today are conforming to the world instead of transforming the world. It is failing to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. One of the last prayers that Jesus prayed before his death is found in the Gospel of John chapter 17. He prays for his  disciples (throughout all of church history) “Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.” (verse 17) He desires that his church be separated from the influence and power of the present evil world. But also too he prayed “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” (verse 15) In other words what Jesus desires is that his followers

• Be in the world

• But not of the world

• For the world

Modern Christianity has lost its power to transform because it has conformed and compromised it standards and convictions. In other words what God has cleansed we have allowed to become unclean because of our relationship to worldly things. Paul writes to the Corinthians and gives them the remedy on how to be separated from culture and influence it instead of being influence by it. He says

“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.”

Christians must make sure that they are not unequally yoked with unbelievers in dating and marriage. They do not need to be  in environments where evil and immoral things are being done. They are to be careful of what they watch, hear, and indulge in during their times of pleasure and recreation. God’s people are to make sure that they are not “Touching the unclean thing,” (verse 17) keeping themselves “Unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27)

No the charcoal maker and the cloth cleaner have no business joining together and neither does the church with the world. Let us never forget how great of an influence the world can be. We can never become so sanctified in this world that the world not have an evil effect upon us. May we “Abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good.” (Romans 12:9)

Meditate upon and pray 1 Peter 2:9 for yourself and your church in this presence evil world.

Pastor Robby