Do Not Be Partakers

“Therefore do not be partakers with them.”  Ephesians 5:7

 

So what happens when one finally comes to the realization of what being a Christian is really about and strives to follow Jesus wholeheartedly?  Suddenly nearly every church is wrong in many things, your neighbors, family, friends, acquaintances are also not doing what God commanded, they are not followers of Christ, they are lost, the unsaved.  What happens when you realize that you seem to be all alone?

 

A Christian is a disciple of Christ, we are to imitate His life, we follow Him.

 

“Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children.”  Ephesians 5:1

 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  2nd Corinthians 5:17

 

“…You follow Me.”  John 21:22b

 

We should not look at what another Christian is doing, but we ourselves follow after Jesus, we do what He commands us to do.  One of those things we are commanded to do is to be separated from the world.

 

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.  For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?  And what communion has light with darkness?  And what agreement has Christ with Belial?  Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?  For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  Therefore, Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.”  2nd Corinthians 6:14-17

 

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”  Ephesians 5:11

 

“They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”  John 17:16

 

We are to be holy and pure, we are to walk undefiled in the current world, knowing that our citizenship is in Heaven.  We are God’s people, we are set aside in Christ, to be redeemed by Him.

 

“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also become holy in all conduct, because it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.”  1st Peter 1:13-16

 

“For I am Jehovah your God. You shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy.”  Leviticus 11:44a

 

“And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”  1st John 3:3

 

“For our citizenship is in Heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subject all things to Himself.”  Philippians 3:20-21

 

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10

 

“And I give them eternal life, and they shall never ever perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”  John 10:28

 

The world is against us, they are used by the devil to try and drag us away from doing the work of the Most High.  Even those who call themselves Christians, and some indeed are, try to water down what Jesus says and how a Believer ought to live.

 

A Believer should strive to wear the armor of God at all times, to walk in the Spirit, to be ready to give a defense, to do what Jesus has commanded and work towards the Great Commission.  A Believer also needs to stand firm to God’s Word and be unmovable, no matter what the odds may be.  We do not want to be partakers with those who are doing evil, rather we want to hear “well done good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23) from our King and Lord Jesus Christ.  This ought to be the earnest for what each soul seeks to do and desires to fulfill.

 

“Put on all the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies.  Therefore take up all the armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand firm therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints;”… Ephesians 6:10-18

 

“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:16

 

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they speak against you as evildoers, those who falsely accuse your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.”  1st Peter 3:15-16

 

“Go therefore and instruct all the nations, immersing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.  Amen.”  Matthew 28:19-20

 

“And if it seems evil to you to serve Jehovah, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers have served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.  But as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah.”  Joshua 24:15

 

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.  This is the first commandment.”  Mark 12:30

 

“And you shall love Jehovah your God with all your heart, with all your soul, exceedingly in every way.”  Deuteronomy 6:5

 

The odds only appear to be against us. While the realities of the condition of men are indeed sorrowful, it is deserving.  Remember that all men are Created in His image (Genesis 1:27) and God has given men everywhere the way to Salvation.  We are responsible for doing His work for it is no longer what we desire, but what He desires.

 

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

 

“Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 6:11

 

Do not be discouraged about the condition of this world, but continue on with diligence until our Lord and Savior comes to take us Home.

 

“For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shouted command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first.   Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together at the same time with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”  1st Thessalonians 4:16-17

 

“After these things I looked, and behold, a door having been opened in Heaven.”  Revelation 4:1a

 

“Because you have kept the Word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”  Revelation 3:10

 

Finally remember…

 

“Yet I have left in Israel seven thousand, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”  1st Kings 19:18

 

“Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”  Romans 11:5

 

Amen!