The phrase “come out from among them” originates from the Bible and refers to separating oneself from the ungodly influences of the world. It is based on several passages in Scripture that instruct believers to be set apart and avoid closely associating with those who do not share Christian values and beliefs.
One of the clearest statements is found in 2 Corinthians 6:17 (ESV): “Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you.” Here, the apostle Paul is quoting from the Old Testament prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel to emphasize that God’s people must be holy, distinct from the sinful ways of the world.
Some key points about what it means to “come out from among them”:
- It does not imply total isolation from unbelievers. Jesus interacted with and ministered to nonbelievers, so separation does not mean having no contact at all.
- It mainly applies to avoiding close associations and relationships with those who do not share Christian values, such as marriage. See 2 Corinthians 6:14.
- The aim is to avoid being negatively influenced by sinful lifestyles, teachings, philosophies, and priorities of unbelievers.
- It means withdrawing from organizations, institutions, or churches that promote unbiblical doctrine or compromise biblical truth.
- It may require giving up activities, entertainment, or relationships that pull a believer away from God’s holiness.
- The focus is being set apart and consecrated to God, separated from the immorality of the world. See Romans 12:2.
Some other relevant verses on this concept include:
Revelation 18:4 (ESV) – “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues.” This refers to separating from Babylon, symbolic of the worldly systems opposed to God.
Ephesians 5:11 (ESV) – “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” Believers should have no fellowship with wickedness or fruitless deeds.
James 4:4 (ESV) – “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” Close friendship with unbelievers can turn our hearts from God.
1 John 2:15 (ESV) – “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Loving worldly values pollutes love for God.
James 1:27 (ESV) – “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” Being unpolluted means staying away from sin.
John 15:19 (ESV) – “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” Jesus sets apart believers.
The principle of separation from the world has several implications for Christians:
- Morally and ethically – Making choices based on biblical standards, not what society accepts.
- Relationally – Exercising wisdom when befriending nonbelievers; prioritizing fellowship with other Christians.
- Philosophically – Rejecting worldviews opposed to biblical truth; being renewed in mind and thought. See Romans 12:2.
- Ministerially – Finding balance between isolation and integration; being “in but not of” the world. See John 17:14-18.
- Ecclesiastically – Withdrawing from churches/groups that tolerate sin and do not uphold sound doctrine. See Revelation 18:4.
- Recreationally – Avoiding entertainment that promotes immorality and ungodly values.
- Organizationally – Potentially discontinuing membership in certain organizations if they conflict with biblical principles.
In summary, the call to “come out from among them” is a repeated scriptural theme of separating from worldly influences to follow Christ with undivided loyalty and holiness. It requires spiritually discerning when to maintain proximity to unbelievers for evangelism, and when to avoid compromising associations for the sake of obedience to God’s Word. Practicing biblical separation requires continuing dependence on the Holy Spirit for guidance, wisdom, and strength to navigate pressures to conform to the world.
The doctrine of separation must be balanced with other biblical concepts such as grace, kindness, compassion, and avoiding self-righteousness or hypocrisy. Jesus strongly denounced sin yet drew sinners to Himself in love. The aims are protection from moral compromise, loyal devotion to Christ, and living as a counter-cultural witness for the glory of God.
Ultimately, coming out from among unbelievers starts with repenting of personal patterns of being conformed to the world, receiving cleansing through Christ, and pursuing deeper intimacy with Him through prayer and obedience to Scripture. It is a lifelong journey of seeking to respond to Paul’s instruction:
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2 ESV).
As believers come out from among worldly influences, they must continue showing Christlike compassion to unbelievers, remembering they too were once lost in sin before receiving salvation and new life by grace through faith. Biblical separation protects against spiritual decline and moral failure, while Christian witness and evangelism call for tactful engagement with unbelievers still needing to hear the gospel.
With discretion and Spirit-led discernment, believers can strike a careful balance – avoiding contaminated associations that would compromise faith, while still reaching out with the love and message of Christ to touch broken lives. This fulfills the dual biblical imperatives of holiness and evangelism.
By coming out from among them, Christians follow the Lord’s call to be shining lights in a dark world. Though believers are to keep from being polluted by sinful influences, the ultimate purpose is to draw others out of the kingdom of darkness and into God’s kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy.
The doctrine of separation derives from God’s character and desire for His chosen ones to avoid idolatry and reflect His purity. As 2 Corinthians 6:16 (ESV) states: “What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God.”
May all who profess faith in Jesus heed His plea in Revelation 18:4 (ESV) to come out of this world’sBabylon-like system, take no part in her sins, receive no share in her plagues,and live as faithful members of God’s alternative kingdom on earth by His grace and for His glory.
Some key Bible passages on separation from the world and its influence:
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (ESV) – Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?…Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord.
1 John 2:15-17 (ESV) – Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
James 4:4 (ESV) – Friendship with the world is enmity with God. Whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Romans 12:2 (ESV) – Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
1 Peter 2:11-12 (ESV) – Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable.
John 15:18-19 (ESV) – If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
John 17:14-18 (ESV) – I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
James 1:27 (ESV) – Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
Ephesians 5:11-12 (ESV) – Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.
2 Timothy 2:4 (ESV) – No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.
Proverbs 4:14-15 (ESV) – Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.
2 Corinthians 7:1 (ESV) – Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
Colossians 3:1-2 (ESV) – If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Titus 2:11-14 (ESV) – For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.
James 4:7-10 (ESV) – Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Romans 6:12-14 (ESV) – Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life.
Galatians 6:14 (ESV) – But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
1 Peter 5:8-9 (ESV) – Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith.
Hebrews 11:13-16 (ESV) – These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland…But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
The call to separate from the sinful world is fundamentally rooted in living for the eternal kingdom of God rather than the temporary kingdoms of this world. Scripture consistently emphasizes that believers are strangers, exiles, aliens, and temporary residents during our earthly lives. Our citizenship and loyalty is first and foremost to the righteous kingdom of heaven.
Hebrews 11 commends the faithful saints of old who confessed they were strangers on earth and desired “a better country – a heavenly one” (vs. 13-16). 1 Peter 2:11 instructs believers to live honorably as “foreigners and exiles” during our time on this fallen planet.
This perspective fuels separation from the present world system – one that is under the power and influence of the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). If our minds and hearts are captive to heaven, we will think, speak, and act differently than those still enthralled by earthly kingdoms.
The doctrine of separation both protects our citizenship in heaven from worldly contamination, as well as serves as a prophetic signpost pointing others to the eternal kingdom that alone satisfies our deepest longings. It provides a countercultural demonstration that life under Christ’s reign is qualitatively superior.
Of course, the command to separate from worldliness is not a call to isolation or monastic retreat from society. Jesus sends us into the world to be His witnesses (John 17:18). It does mean avoiding intimate association with worldly institutions and immoral people when they would draw us away from God.
This principle is especially emphasized in Scripture regarding marriage, which is to provide a pure spiritual union illustrating Christ’s relationship with the church (Ephesians 5:22-33). For this reason, 2 Corinthians 6:14 forcefully warns against being “unequally yoked with unbelievers” in the nearest of earthly relationships.
So although the body of Christ engages the world for evangelism, we must guard our hearts against idolatry. Our Master is a jealous God who wants no rivals for the throne of our minds, wills, and emotions. May we separate from all that competes with His rightful reign over every area of our lives.
The doctrine of separation from the world has been interpreted and applied in different ways throughout church history. On one extreme are those who avoid all contact with unbelievers and withdraw into closed communes. At the other extreme are those who see zero distinction between Christians and non-Christians in conduct, entertainment, priorities, and relationships.
A balanced, biblical view avoids either compromise with the world or excessive isolation from it. Charles Spurgeon captured it well in saying: “In our dealings with men it is our duty to tolerate all kinds of religious belief, but never countenance religious indifference. Walk in Christ’s love towards all mankind, but take heed of the sin of those who think there are many roads to heaven…The truth of God must always be spoken in love.”
Separation fundamentally deals with aligning our affections with the heavenly kingdom rather than earthly pleasures. The reformers distinguished between what we do “in the world” versus what we do “of the world.” The things we do in the world – our vocations, civic duties, social interactions – should aim to serve and bless unbelievers. But we must avoid doing things of the world, namely activities and pleasures that indulge sinful nature.
So separation primarily relates to avoiding pollution from compromised institutions, immoral relationships, and unedifying entertainment. It deals with moral contagion more than physical proximity. Scripture nowhere condones monastic escape from the world. But it strongly cautions against intimate association with worldly influences that erode loyalty to Christ.
The doctrine is ultimately aimed at protecting intimacy with God, which gets forfeited when His people grow complacent toward sinful culture. As James 4:4 (ESV) warns: “Whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” Our affections and affiliations reveal who we truly worship.
For the flourishing of the church and the glory of Christ, believers must thoughtfully engage the culture with discerning caution and compassionate conviction. Separation is not about avoiding unbelievers, but avoiding the contagion of sin that subtly captures hearts and impairs our Christian witness. With the caution of Romans 12:2 balanced by the kindness of Jude 1:22-23, the people of God can make disciples of all nations for the honor of their heavenly King.