What does it mean to come out from among them?

Answer

Second Corinthians 6:17 states, “Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you” (CSB). The phrase “come out from among them” refers to a passage in Isaiah.

Isaiah 52:11 talks about the Israelites who are returning from exile in Egypt. (When Jerusalem fell, many people were taken to Babylon, but some fled to Egypt, hoping for safety. Jeremiah warned them against this, but they went to Egypt anyway, taking Jeremiah with them against his will. Refer to Jeremiah 42 – 43.) In Isaiah 52, God promises to bring back to the Promised Land the descendants of those who went to Egypt. The instruction to “come out from among them” is a strong call. The Israelites are instructed to abandon any idolatrous practices they may have adopted in Egypt and return to the Promised Land; simultaneously, it assures that God will bring them back at the appropriate time.

Paul references this passage from Isaiah in relation to the Corinthian church. He uses familiar language to convey a new meaning. Just as the exiled Israelites were to reject any idolatry from Egypt, the Corinthian believers are to discard the idolatry and sexual immorality prevalent in Corinth. They are to separate themselves from the world’s sin.

Preceding 2 Corinthians 6:17, Paul advises them, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers” (verse 14). While often applied to a believer marrying an unbeliever, it has broader implications. In the Corinthian church context, it appears to relate to involvement in idolatry.

To further explain the prohibition of being yoked with unbelievers, Paul poses a series of rhetorical questions. The iImplied answer to all of these is a big NOTHING!:

“What do righteousness and wickedness have in common?” «Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? », (2 Corinthians 6:14).

“What fellowship can light have with darkness?” (verse 14).

“What harmony is there between Christ and Belial [the devil]?” (verse 15).

“What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” (verse 15).

“What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?” (verse 16).

This final question gets to the heart of the matter. If there is no fellowship between the temple of God and idols, then the Christian should have nothing to do with idol worship: “For we are the temple of the living God” «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. », (2 Corinthians 6:16). Then to further support the idea that Christians are the temple of God, Paul quotes from Leviticus 26:12, which is also alluded to in Jeremiah 32:38 and Ezekiel 37:27: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people” «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. », (2 Corinthians 6:16). The temple of God is where God dwells, and He says He will dwell among His people, making them the temple.

Since believers are, in fact, the temple of God, Paul concludes, “Come out from

“Therefore, ‘Come out from among them and be separate. . . . Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.’” Christians are supposed to distance themselves from any form of idol worship.

The idea of “separation” became a key doctrine of conservative Christianity in the United States during the 20th century. There was significant emphasis on “coming out and being separate” from the world in various aspects, some of which may not have been supported by Scripture. Many Christians were instructed to distance themselves from activities that resembled what “the world” was doing—such as going to movie theaters, playing cards, and dancing, which were often prohibited.

The biblical instruction in 2 Corinthians 6:17 is not as all-encompassing. Paul urges believers to separate themselves from idol worship in all its manifestations, but he never advocates for a complete isolation from pagan idolaters, whom they should strive to bring to Christ. Paul clarifies the concept of separation in 1 Corinthians 5:9–11: “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.”

Indeed, the Lord desires His people to “come out from among them and be separate.” This implies, firstly, abstaining from participating in sin. Secondly, it involves distancing ourselves from professing believers who are living in sin. Furthermore, Christians are urged not to engage in entangling relationships with unbelievers, which could lead to compromise (and thus being “yoked” with an unbeliever). Alongside this, there is the biblical understanding that we cannot completely disengage from the world of unbelievers, as it would result in losing all influence. In the United States, Christians are called to be a light in the world, sharing the gospel and living out their faith in a way that draws others to Christ.

In the United States, if the 20th century was characterized by believers being so isolated from the world that there was insufficient interaction with it, the 21st century may be defined by Christians being so engaged with the world that distinguishing between the two becomes challenging. In either scenario, evangelism is hindered. Achieving the necessary balance cannot be simply outlined by a list of “dos and don’ts.” Each Christian must determine whether they are impacting the world or if the world is impacting them, and then make decisions accordingly.