Christian Cooperation and Separation - John R Rice

Christian Cooperation and Separation
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 [the word
thing is in italics in our Bible which means it is not really in
the Greek text here. It is not things God is talking about, but
touch not the unclean person, people, but come out and be
separate]; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto
you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord
Almighty.
We are not to have fellowship with people who are not
Christians. Now how far does that go? Well, we ought not have
them in the church as Christians. Can I buy groceries from an
unsaved man? Yes. On the grocery business you and he may be
equal. But with any relation to God, Heaven, Hell, the Gospel,
and the Bible, you have no heart unity.
Could a lawyer be a member of a Bar Association with
unconverted lawyers? Yes. As before the law, one man has the
same rights as another. All are after the same thing if they are
good men.
Could a Christian be a member of a Parent-Teacher
Association with some other parents who are not saved? Yes.
You both have children in the same school; you both try to
improve the teaching and want to help the schools. You are for
citizenship. On that basis you have an equality; you have
things in common, and you can work together.
But to call a man Christian who is not, and have spiritual
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