In Touch Questions and Answers

Where do you draw the line of separation?

Question:
Regarding purging ourselves…what is the position of a believer in college where there are few Christian friends? Where do you draw the line of separation?

Answer:
Separation, not physically from the person, but on a spiritual plane.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 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. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
In the above verses, an “unequal” yoke is speaking primarily of a bond in spiritual things, in a “temple,” church, etc. Though any yoke of being bound together as partners for a common purpose—such as a marriage or business is also “unequal”! The answer is “no” to the question: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3).
Boaz “spoke friendly” to Ruth, and she said: “though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens” (Ruth 2:13). Being friendly can open the door to tell souls about the Saviour who loves even to die for them.
The Lord called Judas “friend” when he and the mob came to take Him to be crucified: “Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him” (Matthew 26:50). He had said by the Spirit of God through David: “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against Me” (Psalm 41:9).“A man that hath friends must show himself friendly.” But even if we do not have many true friends, let us never forget that “there is a Friend [Jesus] that sticketh closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).