DARE TO BE DIFFERENT
2nd Cor. 6:14-7:1
INTRODUCTION: As we roll into January we find ourselves being dedicated to making some changes-losing weight, eating better, exercising more; as well as making resolutions to be better people, manage our finances better, things like that. But, as we all know, those resolutions are often short-lived. Change is difficult-it’s hard to sustain. It’s no different when it comes to spiritual changes either. But that’s what we’re called to do as Christians-change. We are no longer supposed to be as we once were. But, it’s for good reason. But, as we know, change, even when it’s for the better, is still difficult to maintain. There is much working against it and sometimes we don’t see the rewards as quickly as would like. Plus we need motivators and incentives to keep at it and stay the course. For our spiritual development it’s all there-rewards, motivators and incentives. These are important as we strive for change; as we dare to be different than how we were.
1) Do not be yoked with unbelievers (14-15).
Yoked means joined with. Often this is used in regards to conducting romantic relationships and that’s part of it. We shouldn’t be romantically involved with unbelievers because we won’t be in harmony with them; we won’t have commonality with them. They won’t be looking at things from a spiritual standpoint; they won’t be considering God’s will.
That doesn’t mean we don’t associate with unbelievers; it doesn’t mean we aren’t friends with those who don’t follow Christ. Jesus associated with unbelievers many times. He said his followers are to be in the world just not of the world. Paul said in 1st Cor. 5:10 that if we didn’t associate at all with unbelievers we would have to leave the world.
So the problem isn’t associating with them; the problem isn’t even being friends with them-it’s joining with them; connecting with them in their folly. We need to avoid the attitudes and behaviors of the unbeliever. It’s about being different.
It’s not easy to be different. We like to blend in-we like to be part of the group-we like to fit in. In that we feel accepted. We don’t want to be the odd one-we don’t like being the misfit-we feel like we’re always on the outside looking in. As a Christian, that is the challenge we face if we are going to associate with unbelievers. That’s the struggle we will find ourselves up against-standing out.
When we don’t use foul language like they do, when we don’t tell or laugh at foul jokes like they do, when we don’t agree with the things they agree with, when we don’t support the things they support we will be looked at differently-we will be treated differently. Suddenly we aren’t the popular ones-we may not be invited back, the room may go silent when we walk in-we may get the looks-we may get the ‘who does he think he is, Mr. Holy Roller; Mr. He-Thinks-He’s-Better-Than-Us’ comments. Daring to be different has its risks-it has its share of difficulties but it’s what we’re called to be-not better, as some would think. Better-no; different-yes.
But the temptation to be yoked will be there; the temptation to blend in will be there-because it’s the easier thing to do-it creates less friction; it’s more comfortable. But we have to remember that’s not who we are anymore. We are new creations; the old has gone the new has come.
Then we see Paul asking a series of questions. Of course the answer to all these rhetorical questions is ‘nothing’. So then, if we are born-again, why do we connect ourselves in such a way? Because the desires are still there. Just because we are called to be different, just because we will quickly say it’s better to be different doesn’t mean we won’t be tempted to retreat back to old behaviors. Our minds play tricks on us. ‘One won’t hurt’ we tell ourselves. We know that dieting and exercise are good for us but we convince ourselves that it’s okay to compromise. Now, one cookie isn’t going to ruin our diet but for some people that one cookie starts a chain of events that eventually does ruin the diet. For some, they can skip a week of exercising and then get back on track. For others it causes them to continue to skip and then the next thing you know they’re not exercising at all.
When it comes to sin, one sin may not ruin your walk but once we start to compromise we set the stage for it to continue and grow and then next thing you know we are living as if we never were different. But that’s the lie we tell ourselves, ‘one won’t hurt; it’s no big deal’ but it does and it is-because for that one moment we are joining sides with wickedness; we are linking up with the devil. Even if it’s just once we are agreeing to be in disagreement with God. We are not in harmony with God; we are not in fellowship with our Lord. We are not being the called-out people we are supposed to be. We are not standing out we are blending in again. Now I’m not trying to make a mountain out of a molehill and call one sin a travesty but I think it’s important to highlight what exactly is going on lest we take it too lightly.
If our reason for being around unbelievers is to share the gospel with them and be a good example for them then we may influence them to come to Christ. However, if our reason for being around them is just to hang out then we won’t influence them to the good, they will influence us to the bad. 1st Cor. 15:33, “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.” When our purpose with the unbeliever is simply to hang out with them then we will no doubt end up doing what they do. This is the danger in becoming unequally yoked-we end up exchanging our good character for bad and we digress back to where we were before.
2) For we are God’s temple (16).
As a new creation we are now a dwelling of the Holy Spirit. As a dwelling for the Holy Spirit we have God living inside of us; always walking among us. As a new creation God has called us his people and we have called him our God. We are no longer in opposition to God; we are no longer his enemies-we are on the same side now; we are now on the same team-the winning team. Being on the winning team obviously has its advantages. In our case, we have the all powerful-all wise-all knowing God right there with us all the time-helping us, challenging us, leading, guiding and directing us. We are his and he is ours-we are his children-we are his family.
And because we are his we have a new identity; we carry a new name-Christian. We have decided that we will live in accordance with this newfound love; we will live in respect for this newfound forgiveness. So, we hold in high regard the fact that the Holy One has taken-up residence in us-made us his dwelling and thus declaring us holy.
In the Jewish temple at the center-at the core you had what was called the Holy of holies-the innermost room. This is where God appeared-this is where he set up residence. It was the most sacred place; so sacred that the priest was allowed into it only once a year. And he better not deviate from God’s instructions or it wouldn’t turn out good for him. We are the temple of the living God. We should be just as serious about not allowing anything to defile ourselves as the temple.
1st Cor. 6:15-20. Could we see Jesus uniting with a prostitute? No. Did Jesus associate with prostitutes? Yes. But did he join them in their folly? Never. We need to unite ourselves with the Lord and be one with him. Therefore we need to flee from the temptation to link up with anything other than Jesus. Where we once were one with whatever it was we prostituted ourselves with-sex, money, power, food, alcohol, drugs, we are now one with Christ and that means we don’t do what we once did-we are under new ownership. Therefore we need to honor God with the place where he has taken up residence.
When we defile ourselves it’s like we are causing God to live in filth. We are being a stench in his nostrils instead of being a pleasing aroma; a fragrant offering-like Jesus was. Eph. 5:1-4, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”
The way we were is no longer proper; it’s no longer acceptable. We need to be different. The old things we once did are now out of place in our new lives as God’s holy people. We are a temple of God and that comes with a responsibility-to disconnect ourselves from the thoughts, attitudes and behaviors of the unbeliever and dare to be different.
3) Therefore be separate (17-18).
“And be separate”. This is not saying we need to ostracize ourselves from the rest of society and live in our own separate commune or live like a monk. It means we are to be separate from them on a spiritual level. We may need to separate ourselves physically from unbelievers if their influence over us is such that we are inclined to become connected with them in their sinful behavior. But we have to live in this world and that means we will be surrounded by unbelievers. The goal is to minister to them; the idea is to be a holy example to them in hopes of them being drawn to us and ultimately to Christ. But we do need to separate ourselves from them in regards to their immoral behavior.
“Touch no unclean thing”. This doesn’t mean if we sin God will reject us. It’s saying when we come to him we need to make a commitment to disconnect ourselves from that which is unclean. And when we do we see that the blessing in that is that we will have God as our Father.
In verse 16 God said, “I will be their God” and now we have a more intimate declaration, “I will be a Father to you”. He is not only our God, he is our Father too. That’s pretty special. It’s like when Jesus called his disciples, ‘friends’ in John 15. Jesus is not just our Savior; he’s also our brother. He’s not just our Lord; he’s our friend. We don’t just have a God we have a Father in heaven. That’s means we have a God who will be treating us like a loving father treats his children-he will be watching over us, protecting us, providing for us, blessing us, disciplining us for our own good-so we would mature and grow.
4) And be pure and holy (7:1).
Since we have the promise of being connected to God as his child and therefore having the promise of heaven, since we have been freed from eternal damnation, since we have been redeemed from the yoke of spiritual slavery, let us respond to that undeserved blessing by ridding ourselves and distancing ourselves from everything that seeks to contaminate us and enslave us all over again.
Body and spirit-outward sins and inward sins-sins we do and sins we think-sins of the flesh and sins of the heart and mind. We need to seek to be pure-decontaminated. We need to cultivate healthy relationships, pursue healthy goals, and live a healthy lifestyle. When we’re unequally yoked we are saying we don’t want to be different, we don’t want to be pure, we don’t want to be holy.
If we find ourselves becoming unequally yoked then we are forgetting what was done for us and why. Titus 2:14 declares that the purpose of being born-again was not just for our redemption but also for our purification. Since we have the promise of salvation and eternal life let’s make the goal of our lives to be spiritually pure-let’s dare to be different.
5) What are some of the benefits of daring to be different?
• We will understand what God’s will is. Rom. 12:1-2. When we are appreciative of God’s mercy toward us we will dedicate ourselves to holy living. We will make a commitment to not live by the pattern we once did but we will change-we will be different-we will be focused on changing our mindset. That’s where it all starts-the mind-if our thoughts are transformed then so will our actions be. And if our mindset is transformed to focus on spiritual things then we will be able to not only discern what God’s will is but also we will approve of it.
If we are unequally yoked we are disapproving of God’s will. We are not seeing it as good and pleasing; we are not seeing it as something to follow and be connected to. We can know God’s will but not approve of it. I can know that God wants me to avoid certain things but not care. But if I dare to be different, if I care to be transformed then I will not only know it but I will also want it; I’ll be able to see that God’s will is the better thing. And that means I will be acting in wisdom. If we want to be able to know God’s will then we need to dare to be different.
• We will be strong and prosperous. Psalm 1:1-3. Blessed is the person who chooses to not be connected with those who practice wickedness. Do we connect ourselves with people whose life is marked by sin? Do the people we are close to mock God? Does it bother us? Do we say anything or do anything about it? Do we find ourselves joining in with them?
There is a blessing for the one who avoids becoming unequally yoked with unbelievers. Unlike the unbeliever, he has a thirst for God’s word-he desires to know God and his ways. Unlike the unbeliever, he spends his time thinking about what God has to say. Unlike the unbeliever, he has a clear understanding as to what is truly valuable.
And we see that the one who dares to be different is spiritually well-nourished. Part of being spiritually well-nourished is being able to handle life’s situations without fear and worry and instead can deal with them with trust and peace. And the person who delights in the Lord bears good, spiritual fruit. He is a person of integrity and morality and a good, godly example that nourishes those around him.
And we see that the one who dares to be different will prosper in everything he does. That’s because his delight is not in anything wicked but rather in everything godly. And when our desires are in line with God’s will then God will grant us success in his perfect timing. When we dare to be different we will be strong and prosperous.
• We will be pure. 1st John 1:5-7. If we claim to be yoked with God yet we are in union with the darkness we lie-mainly to ourselves-and are not living by the truth we claim to be. When we are yoked with unbelievers and walking in impurity we can be living in denial-we don’t think we’re unequally yoked, but since we’re in darkness we can’t see that. We might think we’re close with God because we believe in him, go to church, pray but outside of church they are filling their lives with non-spiritual things there’s a disconnect. If outside of church all their close friends are non-church people then there’s a problem. The question becomes how connected am I with the church? How connected am I with God if the only time I really think of him is on Sunday morning?
However, if we live by the truth we will be yoked with fellow believers apart from just Sunday morning. We are thinking of God throughout the week. We are consistently monitoring our thoughts, words and actions to see if they line up with the truth. The people who are unbelievers in our life may be people we love but we are no longer joining with them in impure words or activities.
And because of that, we are in a position to become cleansed and pure. We can’t become cleansed from all sin when we’re still walking in darkness. We can’t be pure when we’re yoked with unbelievers. We can’t be the people God wants us to be unless we will dare to be different.
