14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

17 Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” 18 I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.”

7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

NKJV

In Paul’s second epistle to the church in Corinth, there is a short passage containing some well-known verses, with exhortations to ‘come out’ and ‘be separate.’ Does this passage mean that Christians should refuse to fellowship with believers from other denominations? Should they live a monastic lifestyle, separating themselves from everyone who does not believe? Should believers not hold secular employment? Does this passage justify the Family’s policies of separation from secular society and from Christian churches?

The Family is an exclusive group. It is often difficult to locate, and is not generally open about its members and activities. Family members live communally in small groups and hold to various teachings that effectively raise impenetrable barriers between themselves and other Christians churches. They believe that they are generally more dedicated than other Christians and that contact with them could adulterate their own purity of discipleship. Therefore, they maintain strict separation from churches and from church Christians. Family leaders strongly discourage their members from fellowshipping with other Christians, or even from reading material written by other Christians. This separation is believed to strengthen their convictions, and to prevent compromise.

For more on communal living, click here.

What was Paul telling the Corinthians in this passage, and how can we apply the principle today? What do these verses really mean for Family members?

The book of Second Corinthians

Paul had a long and troubled relationship with the church in Corinth. He planted the church there (Acts 18), visited them several times, and wrote a few letters to them, two of which are recorded in the Bible as First and Second Corinthians. The city of Corinth was notorious throughout the region for its immorality. In fact, it had become an expression of speech that if someone had become licentious, unrestrained, promiscuous or debauched, they had been ‘corinthianised.’ Thus, the Christians living in Corinth were surrounded by gross immorality, which proved dangerous to their spiritual condition. For example, Paul rebuked them sharply in First Corinthians for tolerating, and even boasting about one of their number who was continuing in an incestuous relationship with “his father’s wife” (1 Cor 5:1-2).

It also appears that there were some itinerant Christian teachers who had infiltrated the church attacking Paul and teaching various false doctrines. In both epistles, Paul repeatedly defends his own apostleship and his anointing to teach the truth. In fact, 2 Corinthians 6 begins with such a defence in a passage which includes the greatly misunderstood verse (in the Family) “as deceivers yet true” (2 Cor 6:8). For an exposition on this verse, click here.

2 Cor 6:14-7:1

2 Cor 6:14 introduces Paul’s topic with the phrase, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers” (NASU), or “Do not become partnerswith those who do not believe” (NET). The Greek word ‘bound together’ literally means ‘unequally yoked’ and is used of mismatched animals.

Following this introductory admonition, Paul draws five contrasts in rapid succession (vs.14-16, NASU):

What partnership have righteousness and lawlessness?
What fellowship has light with darkness?
What harmony has Christ with Belial?
What has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
What agreement has the temple of God with idols?

The contrast is between “righteousness and iniquity” (RSV), between light and darkness, between Christ and Satan (“Belial”), between believers and unbelievers, between God and idols.

Paul then gives his main reason for not becoming partners with unbelievers: “For we are the temple of the living God” (vs.16 NASU). He proves his point by quoting a number of verses from the Old Testament.

2 Cor 6:16-18

Just as God said,

“I will dwell in them and walk among them;

And I will be their god, and they shall be my people.

17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.

“And do not touch what is unclean;

And I will welcome you.

18 “And I will be a father to you,

And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”

Says the Lord Almighty.

NASU

These verses may be found in Ex 29:35, Lev 26:12, Jer 31:1, Jer 32:38, Ezek 37:27, Ex 25:8 and Isa 52:11.

Paul concludes with an exhortation for spiritual and moral cleanliness.

2 Cor 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. NASU

The passage then may be summarised like this:

Introduction. Do not be bound together with unbelievers.

Argument. Christianity is the antithesis of unbelief.

The reason. We are the temple of the living God.

Proof. Old Testament scriptures showing that God’s presence requires spiritual cleanliness.

Conclusion. Let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness (NET).

Separation

Before we determine the exact nature of the separation that Paul is calling for in this passage, we should take a moment to look elsewhere into his writings to see what he said elsewhere.

For instance, we know he does not mean that Christians should divorce their unbelieving spouses, because he specifically discussed that topic in 1 Corinthians.

1 Cor 7:12-13

12 But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away.

NASU

He also does not mean that Christians should refrain from all association with unbelievers.

1 Cor 5:9-10

9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.

NASU

However, Paul commanded his flock to refrain from association with immoral people in the church!

1 Cor 5:11-13

11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler — not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

NASU

False Christians are to be shunned.

2 Thess 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. NASU

False teachers are to be rejected.

Rom 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. NASU

Paul also told the believers to refrain from any activity that might stumble another believer.

1 Cor 8:13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble. NASU

Rom 14:21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. NASU

Paul did not say that Christians should be separate from secular society in general. Instead, from the series of contrasts that Paul drew between Christ and Satan, and righteousness and lawlessness, we can see that he was talking on a spiritual level.

When Paul then says, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers,” he is calling for separation...listen carefully...at the religious level. That’s what he means. At the spiritual level. And, frankly, nothing is a greater spiritual enterprise than a marriage because it is in a marriage where we literally depict Christ and His church. But that’s what he’s talking about…. We’re talking about a spiritual enterprise, worship, ministry, evangelism (John Macarthur).

A little more from John Macarthur:

And as I said last time, it is essential to understand what it means but first of all what it does not mean. Paul is not saying, cut off all contact with non-Christians. He’s not saying that because we have to reach them with the gospel. That is not the issue. He’s not saying don’t evangelize the unconverted, don’t confront people in false religions. He’s not saying that. We must do that. Secondly, he is not calling for complete isolation on the part of the church. We are not to become isolationists. We are not to be monastics. We are not to go hide somewhere and pull apart from the world. Quite the contrary. We are to find unbelievers and love them and be their friend and set a model of spiritual example for them. Furthermore, he is not saying you are to divorce your unsaved partner, or to sever all unsaved contacts...all contacts, I should say, with unsaved people in your family. He is also not saying that you can’t work or play or do business or be engaged in common earthly enterprise with unbelievers. He’s not saying that, of course you can. What he is saying is you cannot link up with unbelievers in religious causes...or religious enterprises. You cannot go to their worship and become a part of it, you can’t make them a part of the Kingdom of God. You can’t engage them in anything that involves ministry, teaching, or worship. Where there is ministry, teaching and worship there has to be absolute separation. (John Macarthur).

Christians separating from Christians

As noted above, Christians are to stay away from other Christians who are immoral or continue in sin, or who teach false doctrine. Otherwise, there is much in the Bible advocating unity between Christians.

1 Cor 1:10-13

10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. 12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” 13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

NASU

The Christian church is likened to a body, in which each part depends on the other parts.

1 Cor 12:12-26

12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

NASU

Conclusion

Christian groups should not separate themselves from other Christian groups. The biblical reason for remaining separate from other Christians is in the case of sin in the church or false teaching. Christians, however, should not enter into marriage with unbelievers, or other binding spiritual relationships. There can be no spiritual activity such as worship or witnessing conducted in partnership with unbelievers.

A final word from John Macarthur:

People ask me this all the time, “I’m in a liberal church, what should I do?” Answer...leave immediately. People sometimes say to me, “I’ve come to know Christ, I’m in the Catholic Church, what should I do?” Leave immediately. The indication of this text couldn’t be more clear. “Do not be bound together with unbelievers.” And again, the context is a context of spiritual enterprise, spiritual activity, worship, teaching, evangelism, and ministry.

Further study (external links)

The World by J.C. Ryle

Separating from Unbelievers by John Macarthur

Watch Out for These by Ray Stedman

Stedman includes 2 Cor 6:11-13 as an introduction, in which case the theme is one of openness and inclusivity. He says the ‘yoke’ of verse 14 speaks of permanent relationships as in marriage, and of controlling relationships, where you are forced to do something wrong because of the your relationship with the person in question.

Home

Be Separate

The book of Second Corinthians

2 Cor 6:14-7:1

Separation

Christians separating from Christians

Conclusion

See also (on Make Straight Paths)

Further study (external links)