Touch not the unclean thing

2 Corinthians 6:17

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

Perhaps the most wonderful truth in the world is that we are the sons and daughters of Almighty God. We belong to Him. Our inheritance is with Him. Our names are inscribed on His heart. He knows us, loves us, and owns us. He walks among us, and as He said, “I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Now if this is true, there ought to be traits that set us apart as belonging to Him and not to this world. There ought to be definite characteristics that betray who it is that we belong to. Guesswork should not be needed. There should be stark and evident differences between ourselves and the world. Christ and the Devil will have no concord with one another. The Spirit and the flesh will be at war. There can be no agreement between the temple of God and the temple of idols. We must come out from among them and be separate, saith the Lord. And touch not the unclean thing.

Touch not the unclean thing! Come not near it! Detest it! Hate it! Have no desire for the filth and sordid debauchery that this world loves. We must have no such desire. We must yield to and walk in the Spirit that our desires may be diametrically opposite. No doubt, the world will never understand. They will think we are fanatics, radicals, and extremists. But no matter! We have no affinity with them, we have no reason to please them. We are only to be concerned with pleasing the Father. For we are His sons and daughters. Why should we care about the things of this world. He walks with us and is among us. That is of more value than all the world combined. Some may think we possess nothing, but we actually possess all things! We have all and abound, for we have Christ. And with Him are all the riches of the Godhead. May we never long for anything of this world, but only for the things of God. Let us be separate, not only because the world is wicked, but because our Christ is all in all. If we stay pure for purity’s sake, we shall fail. But if we stay pure for the sake of the Master, we shall find every moment worth living, because we are His children, and He is our joy and peace. Let us, this day, be separated unto our Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, for the Lord then will receive us, and we shall behave as His children.

“Father, we desire to be cleansed and purified for Thee. Keep us from any contrary desires, and keep us separated unto Thee, for we belong to Thee. We are your sons and daughters. What a joy and privilege this is! May it be readily seen, and manifestly obvious that we are not of this world, but of God. And keep our minds on the things above. And we pray and ask these things in Jesus’ name, Amen.”