If you believe that associating with homosexuals is just the same as associating with any other type of sinner, I am urging you to consider these verses and warnings about associating with the sexually immoral! The Bible is very clear on this. I have concluded that God would have us to present the truth to an unbeliever and try to persuade them, but if we remain in their presence after the Gospel has been rejected, we are taking the chance of being brought down by them and/or becoming desensitized toward that sin.

I am not saying that we should isolate ourselves from the world. If we are spiritually mature *AND* trained appropriately in how to minister to people with particular sins (this would not children, who are still being trained according to Deuteronomy 6) we should mix with unbelievers in the world to minister to them and help them. But we should not be living or working with the same unbelievers for a long time if they refuse to listen or believe. It is good to mix with unbelievers to love and convert them. If you can convert them, then you can happily yoke together. We should revisit some people even if they don't believe at first, as conversion can take time.

Jesus did the right thing by loving and mixing with sinners and tax collectors for the purpose of converting them. But he did not yoke, work and live with the same people if they did not believe. Jesus and the Apostles moved on if people did not believe, and met other people, trying to convert them. **The fact of the matter is that Jesus did not CONTINUE to spend time with sinners (tax collectors, prostitutes, etc.) if they refused the TRUTH presented to them.**

The following passages refer to the sending forth of Jesus' disciples to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Obviously, Jesus was teaching his disciples that if some people will not listen to the message, their time could be better spent going to someone who will listen. **The Greek/Hebrew direct translation in parenthesis in order to better understand the words literally. **

 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 (NIV): Do not be yoked together [associate; befriend] with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship (associate) can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

Matthew 10:14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 

Acts 13:51-52 So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. 

..... to shake the dust of any city of Israel from off one's clothes or feet was an emblematical action, signifying a renunciation of all further connection with them, and placing them on a level with the cities of the Heathen. (from Adam Clarke's Commentary)

Ephesians 5:11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them (reprehend severely; rebuke; convict).

James 4:4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred (hostility) toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy (hostile) of God.

[Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world] How strange it is that people professing Christianity can suppose that with a worldly spirit, worldly companions, and their lives governed by worldly maxims, they can be in the favour of God, or ever get to the kingdom of heaven! When the world gets into the church, the church becomes a painted sepulcher; its spiritual vitality being extinct. (from Adam Clarke's Commentary)

Regarding associations with perpetual sinners who call themselves believers....

1 Corinthians 5:9-13 "I have written you in my letter not to associate (keep company or be intimate) with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat (directly translated that we are to not eat, "not even in a continue negation"). What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. "Expel (remove) the wicked man from among you.'

It is vitally important to understand that we are not to judge those who are outside the church (non-professing Christians), but we are to remove those who practice homosexuality from our Church body (1 Corinthians 5:9-13). We cannot "police" the homosexuals (that's not our job), but we can remove them from our presence, as stated in the aforementioned verses.

Psalm 1:1 - Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

Psalm 26:4-7 I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, Nor will I go in with hypocrites. I have hated the assembly of evildoers, And will not sit with the wicked. I will wash my hands in innocence; So I will go about Your altar, O LORD, That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And tell of all Your wondrous works.

Proverb 29:27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.

This is crucial........

1 Cor. 15:33 "Do not be deceived (led astray): ‘Bad company (companionship) corrupts good character (habits, customs).'"

There is no difficulty in this saying; he who frequents the company of bad or corrupt men will soon be as they are. He may be sound in the faith, and have the life and power of godliness, and at first frequent their company only for the sake of their pleasing conversation, or their literary accomplishments: and he may think his faith proof against their infidelity; but he will soon find, by means of their glozing speeches, his faith weakened; and when once he gets under the empire of doubt, unbelief will soon prevail; his bad company will corrupt his morals. (from Adam Clarke's Commentary)

May we strive to please Jesus in all we do!

Lisa Metzger