What does it mean to 'come out from among them' (2 Corinthians 6:17)?

TL;DR:

God calls us to avoid participation with sin and unrighteousness. Believers are called to be separate from that which is against God.

Second Corinthians 6:17 says, "Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you" (CSB). This call to "come out from among them" appears to quote Isaiah 52:11. Though in different contexts, similar wording is used in Jeremiah 51:45 and Revelation 18:4. Corinth was a wealthy city known for its immorality. In 2 Corinthians, Paul was calling the believers in Corinth to come out from the sexual immorality, idol worship, and other worldly living of society. Believers live in the world, but are not of it. We are called to live for righteousness, not the passing and sinful values of the worldly system (1 John 2:15–17). In living as God would have us live, we will be a light to the world, reflecting who God is (Matthew 5:14–16).

from the old testament

God told the Israelites returning from exile, in part: "Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. Depart, depart, go out from there; touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her; purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the LORD. For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard" (Isaiah 52:9–12). God was rescuing the Israelites and warning them not to bring the idolatrous practices of the heathen land of their exile with them. Isaiah 52:11 urges God's people to separate from unclean influences, commanding them to leave behind impurity and embrace holiness. It calls those who serve God to live distinctly, reflecting their commitment to purity in their actions and associations.

from the new testament

Paul's reference to the call to "come out from among them" follows a section in which he has discussed the truth of the gospel. Paul writes, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Paul makes an appeal to the Corinthians to not join with evil. He writes, "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols?" (2 Corinthians 6:14–16). The rhetorical answers, of course, are "none." The things of God are diametrically opposed to the things of the evil world system.
Paul furthers his argument by writing, "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. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty’" (2 Corinthians 6:16–18). Paul is referring back to Old Testament Scriptures to demonstrate how God has called His people to be separate from sin.

implications for today

Believers are to be "in the world but not of the world." We are to "come out from among them" in the sense that we should be separate from the sins of the world and the false values of the world. We should not mix the evil worldly system with our new nature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Rather, we live as new men and women who are being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1–2), putting to death our sinful ways and living instead in the ways of Christ. Some have taught that "come out from among them" means believers should be completely separated from the world system. Some teachers have decried things such as going to movie theaters, playing cards, and dancing. Paul's point is not to completely remove oneself from the world, something he had earlier clarified in 1 Corinthians 5:9–13.

In Jesus' High Priestly Prayer, He prayed, in part, "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" (John 17:15–18). Clearly God's call is not for us to avoid all participation with the world. We are His ambassadors in the world, meant to spread the truth of the gospel (Matthew 5:13–16; 28:18–20; 1 Peter 3:15–16). We cannot do that if we avoid all contact with the world. However, God does call us to avoid participation with sin and unrighteousness. We are to be separate from that which is against God.

understand

Believers are called to separate from sin, worldly passions, and sinful practices.
Believers are called to reflect God's holiness by living distinctly from the world.
Believers represent Christ by not conforming to worldly values.

reflect

What areas of your life might God be calling you to separate from sin and worldly influences?
How can you better reflect God's holiness in your daily actions and choices?
How can you be a light in your community by staying true to your faith?

engage

Coming out from among them does not mean feeling superior about ourselves for our morality. It does not mean shielding ourselves from the world and not interacting with anyone in the world. It means living differently, in God’s holiness, and not following the ways of the world.
How can believers balance engaging with the world without conforming to its sinful values?
How does living a distinct, holy life serve as a testimony to others about who God is?