There is that great appeal: ‘I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues.’ The people of God, the church, are called out of worldliness. There are places where there is great prosperity, and churches and Christian people are sucked into extreme worldliness, and spirituality leaves their assemblies and their churches almost entirely.
Are there those in the churches who are partakers of the sins of the fallen culture of the world? You must have, must have, must have possessions: those very expensive things. Your home must reflect your status, your accomplishments, your position. There must be something to make you feel good, something better than other people generally have. Why? Because really, you are saying to God, ‘You’re not enough for me, Lord.’ I may have many good things to enjoy of a material character, but they're not the very best, and the most gratifying, and they don't point me out as special so I am not content with them. But they should be more than enough for me, because I have Christ, the pearl of greatest price, the greatest possible treasure. ‘No,’ you're saying, ‘he's not enough, I must have this world also.’ Why don’t you say that to Christ? Why don't you say directly to him, ‘Lord, you’re not enough. I don't think that much of you, I must have the world as well. I must go to the lascivious movie which has a lot of wickedness in it. I need these things. I love these things.’ ‘Be not partaker of her sins’, not in any way. We believe in the separation of the godly heart from this world and its fallen culture. It's very sad that there are many people who profess Christ, and many of them must be true Christians, and their being hoodwinked by the seductress. She's got a special message for them, and she's whispering in their ears, ‘Get involved with the culture, and then you will be acceptable to people for your witness.’ ‘Be culturally relevant’ is the term that some churches are using. Involve yourself in this fallen culture.
Are we willing to throw away those pre-conversion CDs and DVDs – or whatever the new media is – and stand for the Lord? Will I clear out of my life all that the devil could use to draw me back into the old life? My priorities must be for him, so that he is glorified, and so that I can rescue as many as possible from the world.
Can a Christian receive he punishments and her plagues? Surely a Christian who’s saved can't receive the plagues and punishments of the unsaved. Well you can in a sense, because though you might be saved – though as by fire in the end; the Lord may save you and restore you and keep you in spite of certain sin – you will lose so many things: peace, fellowship with God and with Christ, the joys of the Christian life, godliness and instrumentality.