In reading through the Old Testament, a Bible reader will find that God had some very specific laws to which He expected His people to adhere. At first reading, some may appear to be superfluous or extreme or just plain unnecessary. It is possible that some Jews may have thought, “That’s no big deal. I can handle that. This doesn’t apply to me.”
In Deuteronomy 22:9-11, God gave some laws that dealt with some specific matters of separation. “You shall not sow your vineyard with different kinds of seed.” There was to be separation! Can you imagine a well-meaning Jew saying, “Well, the average cultivator couldn’t handle two different seeds planted next to each other, but that’s no problem for me. I can handle it. This doesn’t apply to me”?
“You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.” There was to be a separation! Can you imagine a well-meaning Jews saying, “Well, the average farmer couldn’t handle two different beasts in the same yoke, but that’s no problem for me. I can handle it. This doesn’t apply to me”?
God drew lines of separation, forbidding the mixing of various kinds together. Even if these things could go together, the overriding responsibility was to obey God. Consider some New Testament applications for us, where God has drawn some lines of separation that He expects to be maintained.
“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Cor. 6:14). “Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” (1 Pet. 2:11). “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (Eph. 5:11). “Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Rom. 13:14). “Friendship with the world is enmity with God” (Jas. 4:4). “Evil company corrupts good habits” (1 Cor. 15:33). “Do not love the world or the things in the world” (1 John 2:15).
Can you imagine a well-meaning Christian saying, “Well, the average Christian probably couldn’t handle yokes, fellowship and friendships with the world, but seriously, that’s no problem for me! I can handle it just fine! I know my own strengths and weaknesses! I know where my line is! This doesn’t apply to me”?
It is no wonder that we find the same direct exhortation in several passages where God is calling for our separation from the ways of the world—“Do not be deceived!” (1 Cor. 6:9; 15:33; Gal. 6:7; Jas. 1:16). God drew lines of separation, forbidding us to cross them, and then pleading with us not to be deceived into thinking, “It’s no big deal. I can handle it.”
God has called upon us to “come out from among them and be separate” (2 Cor. 6:17). Our overriding responsibility is to obey God and respect His lines of separation!