"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."
The environment we live in is vital, but I suppose it's easier to care for what we physically see, than for the UNSEEN spiritual environment in our churches. Yet still it is by what we see from those churches that reflects on the spiritual, for it is "by their fruits that we shall know them."
The churches of our day have become supremely worldly, and have adopted the world's ways of doing business, and attracting members. The Bible tells Christians to separate from worldly ways and impurities, even down to the smallest fly speck of dirt.
But the attitude of the professing Church today seems to be that if even things with gross impurities have ANY good in them, then they will hold on to all of it, without discrimination. By adopting such practices, they actually end up embracing the direct opposite of what the Bible tells them to do! The scripture tells us to get rid of even the tiniest of impurities, or it will contaminate the whole; but today it's common to think that it's worth keeping the impurities if there's a chance of some good coming from it.
Yet in the book of Job 14:4 we read; "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one." And a strong stance of opposition appears later in Galatians 5:12 which says; "I would they were even cut off which trouble you." In other words, don't mess around with evil impurities! Cut them off altogether! We can see that way back from the book of Haggai, even a scant touch of the unclean upon the holy, will make all of that which was holy impure. Haggai 2:11-14 says;
"Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean. Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean."
Typically, today, there is a rationale based upon scripture to justify the behavior of compromise with the unclean, and we find it quoted from the 2nd half of I Corinthians 9:22, which says; "...I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." Yet by focusing on only one small part of the passage, they write off the entirety of it, and also ignore the testimony of the whole Bible, as well (Matthew 4:4). This is only meant to justify their behavior, rather denying themselves, and crucifying the flesh; it is also well-pleasing to men!
"For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." -I Corinthians 11:31.
"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." -Luke 9:23.
"For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." -Galatians 1:10.
The passage from I Corinthians 9:19-23 gives examples of what it means to be "all things to all men," and the overriding focus of God's Word is that when we are saved we become new creatures in Christ , who must seek to separate from the world as much as possible.
''Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." -2 Corinthians 5:17.
It really couldn't be clearer in the New Testament of the Bible, when it tells us that evil communications are corrupting (I Corinthians 15:33), that we mustn't be yoked together with unbelief (2 Corinthians 6:14-17), and not even to touch that which is unclean. We're also told not to love the things of the world (I John 2:15,16), and if we are the friends of the world, we've become God's enemies.
"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." -James 4:4.
There are numerous examples I could use, but the Lord will give us discernment for each situation through His Spirit, and by applying God's Word. Yet within the Bible itself we find examples to learn from, and in Acts 8:18-20, Simon the sorcerer offered money to Peter in order to get the power of God within himself, and we see that even today some ministers offer God's gifts to the people who will first commit to giving them money.
"For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:" -I Thessalonians 2:5.
But a more serious account is found in I Corinthians 5, and I encourage you to read through it yourself, for it's only 13 verses long. Fornication was happening in this church, and even though it was known to all, it was being accepted without rebuke. Paul's judgment was to "deliver the offender to Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit of the church may be saved."
It is here we are reminded that a little leaven will leaven the entire lump, and the old leaven must be purged out (v.6&7). The chapter ends with the command "to put away from yourselves that wicked person." Have you ever heard of a church doing that? In view of the many "All Welcome" signs, and programs designed to entice the world into churches, the goals of holiness and separation for God's people have taken a distant backseat.
If you've been involved in the clean-up of church property, you can appreciate concern for the outer environment we are subjected to. But the churches need to remain diligent and alert for the inward environmental pollution of men's spirits, which aren't so obvious. And if we do that, and find them, we must be ready for the clean-up God commands us to do (Matthew 18:15-17, Titus 3:10).
Each of us should first begin this clean-up within our own selves, then we'll be outfitted to help our brethren with their cleanliness (Matthew 7:1-5), if we can find the resolve we need to reprove the wrongs we see (Ephesians 5:11). The pollutions must be removed, or the contamination will only grow. Stay close to the Lord, cleave to the truth of His Word, and He will set you on a path that in time you will find to be the very center of God's will.
"But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." -2 Thessalonians 3:13-15.
I also have a YouTube video on this subject at https://youtu.be/SsfBYoovCpk
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