Morning By Morning #255

Be separate.

2 Corinthians 6:17

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

As a Christian, you are “still in the world” (John 17:11) but are not to be “of the world” (John 17:14). What should set you apart is the object of your life. For you “to live” should be “Christ” (Phil. 1:21).”So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). You may store up treasure but store it up “in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt. 6:20). You may strive to be rich but let your ambition be to be “rich in faith” (James 2:5) and “good deeds” (1 Tim. 6:18). You may enjoy yourself, but when you are happy, “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19).

You should differ from the world in your goals and in your spirit. You prove you are of a heavenly race by walking humbly before God, always being aware of His presence, delighting in communing with Him, and seeking to know His will. You should also differ from the world in your actions. Even if something is considered right, if you lose by doing it, it must not be done; and if something is definitely wrong, although you would gain by doing it, you must shun the sin for your Master’s sake. You must have no “fellowship…with darkness” (2 Cor. 6:14) and its unfruitful works, but instead should reject them. Walk worthy of your high calling and position.

Remember, believer, you are a child of the “KING OF KINGS” (Rev. 19:16). Therefore keep yourself untarnished by the world. Don’t dirty your fingers, which will soon be strumming celestial strings. Don’t allow your eyes, which will soon see the King in His beauty, to become windows of lust. Don’t let your feet, that will soon be walking streets of gold, to become mired in filth. And don’t allow your heart to be filled with pride and bitterness, for that same heart will soon be filled with heaven itself and will overflow with rapturous joy.

Then rise my soul! and soar away,

Above the thoughtless crowd;

Above the pleasures of the day,

And splendors of the proud;

Up where eternal beauties bloom,

And pleasures all divine;

Where wealth, that never can consume,

And endless glories shine.

Henry Moore, 1732 – 1802

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

Our text is from the following passage, and is worthy of review:

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate.”

2 Corinthians 6:14 – 17