For a good portion of my life, I have heard this statement. It has been used for years in alter calls and evangelism, and is even the title of a worship song (if that’s what they call it) or two. But, the problem is, nowhere in the Bible is the “Come just as you are,” statement made. This is a misleading statement, that quite frankly, leaves people in their sins. The continual message of the Lord Jesus Christ was, “Repent (leave your sins behind), for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” And when Jesus uses the word “come” it’s in terms of coming and dying to self, forsaking ALL others and ALL other things, just as we see in Matthew 10 & Luke 14. In order to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, that disciple knows beyond a doubt that it will cost them everything. And they have no problem leaving all else behind, because Christ has called them to a FAR greater life and purpose.
Perhaps, 2 Corinthians is the most telling command to Christians in regards to what God expects of His people.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18, 14 Do not (this is a command) be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
17 Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
THEN I will welcome you,
18 and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”
This passage of Scripture is built on God’s expectations of fruitful, healthy relationships for His people. This includes all forms of relationships, not just (eros) love relationship. Eros is one of the 5 Greek words used in the New Testament for love, and it is the sexual passion type of love. We get our English word erotic from this word. But again, that isn’t the only type of relationship Paul in speaking of here. In breaking down this passage, we will look at the 5 key words, starting with partnership.
Partnership: The Greek word for partnership is metoche, and is defined as: A shared relationship, a joint-activity, or a close or intimate relationship between partners.
Fellowship: The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia, and means: communion, community, contributory help, or spiritual fellowship.
Accord: The Greek word for accord is sumphonesis, and is defined as unity, harmony, or agreement.
Portion: The Greek word for portion is, meris, and means: a common part of, or a share of something with someone.
Agreement: The Greek word for agreement is sugkatathesis, and is pointedly defined as: An alliance, or a putting down together (meaning building a life or marriage together).
As we can see, and if we are honest with ourselves, God makes it abundantly clear that Christians are to have NO close or intimate relationship with non-believers in any type of relationship. Let alone a dating or marriage relationship. Here, the Apostle Paul (led by the Holy Spirit) uses five different words to describe his point, and these five words encompass every single type of human relationship. As I have said a thousand times, the believer’s interaction with the unredeemed world is for the sole purpose of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. If the non-believer is receptive and comes to faith in Christ, a lasting friendship is formed, If the non-believer openly rejects the gospel of Christ, the relationship is to be severed (cut-off).
Also, God’s true call to come is laid out openly in verses 17 & 18. Perhaps Albert Barnes explains it best:
Go out from their mist – That is, from among idolaters and unbelievers; from a frivolous and vicious world. These words are taken, by a slight change, from Isaiah 3:11 & 52:11. Whatever is proud, arrogant, wicked, and opposed to God; and Paul, therefore, applies the words here with great beauty and force to illustrate the duty of Christians in separating themselves from a vain, idolatrous, and wicked world.
And be separate from them – Separate from the world, and all its corrupting influences.
And touch no unclean thing – In Isaiah, “touch no unclean thing;” that is, they were to be pure, and to have no connection with idolatry in any of its forms. So, Christians were to avoid all unholy contact with a vain and polluted world. The sense is, “Have no close connection with an idolater, or an unholy person. Be pure; and feel that you belong to a community that is under its own laws, and that is to be distinguished in moral purity from all the rest of the world.”
THEN I will welcome you – That is, I will receive and recognize you as my own adopted children. This could not be done until they were separated from an idolatrous and wicked world. The fact of their being received by God, and recognized as his children, depended on their coming out from the world.
As we can see, according to Scripture, it is only when we forsake the world and all its influences, then (and only then) are we welcomed by God and adopted as His children. We are called to count the cost for following Christ, and when we can in all honesty say in our hearts, “Christ, and His gospel are better than all the world has to offer,” and then surrender the entirety of our lives to Him, it is then that we can call ourselves Christians.
So then, the call isn’t “come just as you are,” it’s come and die to self, come leaving your former life behind, come on God’s terms, not your own. This is Christ’s true call to come, period. For there really is no benefit or reason to come on your own terms, because in the end you will not be received, nor welcome by God.
By: Daniel C. Rodgers