Be not partakers with them means sharing in none of the conduct of the children of disobedience, neither sexual immorality and impurity, nor greed and covetousness, nor filthy, foolish and corrupt speech, for God's wrath comes upon such things and they must not even be named among saints. It means refusing to be drawn in by vain and smooth words and human teachings that excuse wrong, twist Scripture and deceive, by which Satan leads astray. This separation rests on having passed from darkness to light in the Lord, so that as dear children following God believers walk in love as Christ gave Himself in sacrifice, walk as children of light with thanksgiving, bearing goodness and righteousness and truth while testing what pleases the Lord. It requires having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but reproving them by bringing them to the light where they are exposed, to awaken the spiritually sleeping to receive Christ's light. In life and in the work of God this forbids siding with the world, joining misleading plans, or uniting with those who would remove the foundation of faith, because such fellowship pulls down instead of lifting up; instead believers hold together in unity and love to reveal Christ, practicing the Word and loving as brethren.
Context and Command
Be not partakers with them means having no share in the conduct of the children of disobedience. That conduct is fornication and sexual immorality, uncleanness and impurity, covetousness and greed, filthiness, foolish talking, jesting and corrupt speech. Because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the disobedient, and such things must not even be named among saints.
The prohibition also guards against being drawn in by vain, empty and smooth words. Those are human teachings that excuse wrongdoing, distort Scripture and deceive, by which Satan leads people astray. To partake with the disobedient is to be misled by such words and to join in supporting forbidden, misleading plans that set human plans and schemes above the truth.
The command rests on the change from once being darkness to now being light in the Lord. Those who are now light must therefore follow God as dear children and walk as children of light. They must walk in love as Christ gave Himself as an offering and sacrifice to God, with thanksgiving rather than corrupt speech. As children of light they bear the fruit of goodness and righteousness and truth, proving and testing what pleases and is acceptable to the Lord.
Faithful Separation in Practice
To be not partakers means to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but to reprove them instead. Wrongdoing is to be brought into the light where it is exposed, rather than shared in or excused. That light awakens those who are spiritually sleeping, and Christ gives them light. In institutional life this means rejecting fellowship with works of darkness and correcting them rather than fixating on supposed faults in those who are nearer to God.
The command forbids treating sinners as saints and saints as sinners when sinners mistrust and accuse the faithful. It requires the close investigation that has been neglected. There must be a change of mold in which fault-finding against the faithful is replaced by purging uncleanness, unholy conversation, and low sentiments as Jesus would purge them.
In the work of God it means refusing to join or support forbidden, misleading plans. Disregarding the pure principles of God's work makes people servants of the enemy and leads them to value human plans and schemes above the truth. It forbids taking the side of the world instead of Christ. This applies to ministers and church members who fail to practice the Word and indulge selfish habits in eating, drinking, and dressing.
It forbids partaking with those who would move a pin or pillar from the building of the work of the last sixty years. Satan will make every effort to tear up the foundation of faith in the third angel's message, and that foundation must be held firm by reprinting the history of the past. Christians must not associate with the sinful class named in the chapter, because if they cannot lift such persons up those persons will pull them down. Instead Christians must hold together in unity and love to reveal the character of Christ, and knowing the will of God requires practicing His Word and loving one another as brethren rather than joining that company.
Be not partakers with them means sharing in none of the conduct of the children of disobedience, neither sexual immorality and impurity, nor greed and covetousness, nor filthy, foolish and corrupt speech, for God's wrath comes upon such things and they must not even be named among saints. It means refusing to be drawn in by vain and smooth words and human teachings that excuse wrong, twist Scripture and deceive, by which Satan leads astray. This separation rests on having passed from darkness to light in the Lord, so that as dear children following God believers walk in love as Christ gave Himself in sacrifice, walk as children of light with thanksgiving, bearing goodness and righteousness and truth while testing what pleases the Lord. It requires having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but reproving them by bringing them to the light where they are exposed, to awaken the spiritually sleeping to receive Christ's light. In life and in the work of God this forbids siding with the world, joining misleading plans, or uniting with those who would remove the foundation of faith, because such fellowship pulls down instead of lifting up; instead believers hold together in unity and love to reveal Christ, practicing the Word and loving as brethren.
Context and Command
Be not partakers with them means having no share in the conduct of the children of disobedience. That conduct is fornication and sexual immorality, uncleanness and impurity, covetousness and greed, filthiness, foolish talking, jesting and corrupt speech. Because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the disobedient, and such things must not even be named among saints.
The prohibition also guards against being drawn in by vain, empty and smooth words. Those are human teachings that excuse wrongdoing, distort Scripture and deceive, by which Satan leads people astray. To partake with the disobedient is to be misled by such words and to join in supporting forbidden, misleading plans that set human plans and schemes above the truth.
The command rests on the change from once being darkness to now being light in the Lord. Those who are now light must therefore follow God as dear children and walk as children of light. They must walk in love as Christ gave Himself as an offering and sacrifice to God, with thanksgiving rather than corrupt speech. As children of light they bear the fruit of goodness and righteousness and truth, proving and testing what pleases and is acceptable to the Lord.
Faithful Separation in Practice
To be not partakers means to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but to reprove them instead. Wrongdoing is to be brought into the light where it is exposed, rather than shared in or excused. That light awakens those who are spiritually sleeping, and Christ gives them light. In institutional life this means rejecting fellowship with works of darkness and correcting them rather than fixating on supposed faults in those who are nearer to God.
The command forbids treating sinners as saints and saints as sinners when sinners mistrust and accuse the faithful. It requires the close investigation that has been neglected. There must be a change of mold in which fault-finding against the faithful is replaced by purging uncleanness, unholy conversation, and low sentiments as Jesus would purge them.
In the work of God it means refusing to join or support forbidden, misleading plans. Disregarding the pure principles of God's work makes people servants of the enemy and leads them to value human plans and schemes above the truth. It forbids taking the side of the world instead of Christ. This applies to ministers and church members who fail to practice the Word and indulge selfish habits in eating, drinking, and dressing.
It forbids partaking with those who would move a pin or pillar from the building of the work of the last sixty years. Satan will make every effort to tear up the foundation of faith in the third angel's message, and that foundation must be held firm by reprinting the history of the past. Christians must not associate with the sinful class named in the chapter, because if they cannot lift such persons up those persons will pull them down. Instead Christians must hold together in unity and love to reveal the character of Christ, and knowing the will of God requires practicing His Word and loving one another as brethren rather than joining that company.