Riff's Christian Journal

2 Corinthians 6:17 KJV

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you…

Here is the scriptural verse in context so that you can understand its full meaning.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 KJV

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? [15] And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? [16] 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. [17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, [18] And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

From a young age… was a member of a Methodist church, later a Layman of an Episcopal church followed by being an Elder in a Presbyterian USA Church etc. This all covered a period of about thirty years. Since then all these denominations, and a few others, have lost members instead of growing. What is the common denominator?

They have all become more like the world in that they have embraced liberal humanistic thinking. They have ignored and stopped believing in scriptural teachings concerning marriage, family, church leadership (qualifications for bishops, elders, deacons set aside and disobeyed), homosexually and politics; just for starters.

In truth instead of listening to sound scriptural teaching they started hearing and listening to preaching that became more to their liking. This preaching of embracing the things of the world and becoming more involved in the affairs of life, mixed with love, became more pleasing to them and less of an irritant as we read…

2 Timothy 4:3-4 KJV.

[3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; [4] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Matthew 15:8-9 KJV – Jesus speaking to religious people

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. [9] But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

In truth they believe they are doing service to God, but through their disobedience, they dishonor the Lord Jesus.

God sees this and He knows many have already left the visible church but, as God wills, many more will come our from these churches and start reading New Testament scripture for themselves as God gives them understanding. Only then will we realize how these denominations have left their first love and are teaching things of which God does not approve.

They who do come out might be able to find a church that follows scriptural teachings and give them the opportunity to have fellowship with true children of God – disciples of Jesus.

Only by reading New Testament scripture, and learning what it means to be under Grace doing the will of God, true Christians will begin to understand why God has said –

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, [18] And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

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