II Corinthians 6:14 …Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you, 18 And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

INTRODUCTION:

A. THERE IS A DANGER FROM THE INFLUENCE OF UNBELIEVERS ON OUR LIVES!

1 Corinthians 5:6 …Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

1 Corinthians 15:33 …Do not be deceived:"Evil company corrupts good habits."

B. WE CANNOT GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT TO EVIL PRACTICES OF ANY KIND!

II John 9 …Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting: 11 for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works.

C. WHEN YOU GIVE APPROVAL OR CONSENT TO ANY SIN OR EVIL, IT MAKES YOU JUST AS GUILTY OF THAT WRONG!

Romans 1:28 …And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful: 32 who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practice them.

I. WHAT FELLOWSHIP HAS RIGHTEOUSNESS WITH INIQUITY?

A. THE CHRISTIAN HAS NO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS!

Ephesians 5:6 …Let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them; 8 For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord; 11 and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them; 12 for the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of. 13 But all things when they are reproved are made manifest by the light: for everything that is made manifest is light.

B. EVERY INDIVIDUAL MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN THE HABITUAL PRACTICE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS OR THE HABITUAL PRACTICE OF SIN!

Romans 1:16 …For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.

I John 3:4 …Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him. 7 My little children, let no man lead you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous: 8 he that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

II. WHAT COMMUNION HAS LIGHT WITH DARKNESS?

A. THE PURPOSE OF THE GOSPEL IS TO DELIVER US FROM DARKNESS!

Acts 26:17 …delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, 18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.

Colossians 1:12 …giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; 13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; 14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins:

B. WE MUST WALK IN THE LIGHT AS CHILDREN OF THE DAY!

I Thessalonians 5:4 …But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief: 5 for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep, sleep in the night: and they that are drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

I John 1:5 …And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

C. CHRISTIANS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT!

Matthew 5:14 …Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. 16 Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

I Peter 2:9 …But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: 10 who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

III. WHAT CONCORD HAS CHRIST WITH BELIAL?

Note: concord: (Gk. Sumphonesis) together + sound; hence, to agree.
Note: Belial: without profit, worthlessness, wickedness

A. THE CHRISTIAN HAS NO UNITY WITH THE GOD OF THIS WORLD!

John 8:43 …Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. 45 But because I say the truth, ye believe me not. 46 Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God heareth the words of God: for this cause ye hear them not, because ye are not of God.

B. WE CAN FALL INTO TEMPTATION AND THEREFORE ENDANGER OUR FAITH!

I Corinthians 10:1 …For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and did all eat the same spiritual food; 4 and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ. 5 Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

IV. WHAT PORTION HATH A BELIEVER WITH AN UNBELIEVER?

A. THE CHRISTIAN HAS NOTHING IN COMMON – NO COMMON SPIRITUAL GOALS – WITH THE HEATHEN AND PROFANE!

Titus 1:15 …To the pure all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16 They profess that they know God; but by their works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

B. THE CHRISTIAN AND THE UNBELIVER ARE GOVERNED BY DIFFERENT PRINCIPLES, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT AFFECTIONS, THEY ARE LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT REWARDS, AND THEY ARE TENDING TOWARD DIFFERENT DESTINIES.

I John 5:10 …He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that God hath borne concerning his Son. 11 And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life. 13 These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God.

V. WHAT AGREEMENT HAS A TEMPLE OF GOD WITH IDOLS?

A. THE CHRISTIAN CAN HAVE NO ACCORD WITH THE POLLUTIONS OF FALSE GODS!

Acts 17:16, 22-23, 29-30 …Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols. 22 And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that ye are very religious. 23 For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you. 29 Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man. 30 The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent:

I Corinthians 10:14, 20-22) …Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have communion with demons. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

B. “FOR WE ARE A TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD…”!

I Corinthians 3:16 …Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.

I Corinthians 6:19 …Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; 20 for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.

Ephesians 2:19 …So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, 20 being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone; 21 in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.

CONCLUSION:

A. “WHEREFORE COME YE OUT FROM AMONG THEM, AND BE YE SEPARATE, SAITH THE LORD, AND TOUCH NO UNCLEAN THING…”!

B. “AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU AND WILL BE TO YOU A FATHER AND YE SHALL BE TO ME SONS AND DAUGHTERS SAITH THE LORD ALMIGHTY”!

Romans 8:10 …And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: 13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.