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Christian Separation
by Tom Stewart
January 29, 2000
There is such a thing as Christian separation. Just read Paul's
epistle to the Romans. "Paul, a servant
of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God" (Romans 1:1). Unfortunately for many, the very idea of Christian separation
evokes the image of a Pharisee with a "holier
than thou" (Isaiah 65:5) attitude; but, whenever a stand
is taken for the LORD, something must be stood "for", while something must
be stood "against". "He that
is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad" (Matthew 12:30). As much as we desire to live peaceably "with all men" (Hebrews 12:14), we
will inevitably find ourselves standing apart from the world-- and, from the professedly
religious. "Now we command you, brethren,
in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother
that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us" (2Thessalonians 3:6).
The difficulty with the lack of practicing Christian separation, is that Professed
Christianity has not been grounded with a Scriptural concept of being set apart unto
God from the world. "But know that the
LORD hath set apart him that is Godly for Himself" (Psalm
4:3). Our election by God has separated us from the sinfulness of the world. "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate,
saith the LORD, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (2Corinthians 6:17). Even as the LORD Jesus is "separate
from sinners" (Hebrews 7:26)-- hating the sin, but loving
the sinner-- we ought to conduct ourselves as those who "love
not the world" (1John 2:15). "15 Love not the world, neither the
things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is
not in him. 16 For all
that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride
of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world" (2:15-16).
As Pilgrims in this world, we ought to walk in the understanding that we are "not of the world" (John
17:14), though we still live in it. "Dearly
beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which
war against the soul" (1Peter 2:11). The world and the
worldly are only becoming increasingly worse. "Evil
men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived" (2Timothy 3:13). While the Saints do all possible to pull the Lost "out of the fire" (Jude
23), the Christian must be careful to "keep
himself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27). The only
means by which the Christian can maintain his separation unto the LORD from the world
is by his abiding in the Word of God. "Now
ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you... Sanctify them through
Thy truth: Thy Word is truth" (John 15:3; 17:17).
In Christian separation, the problem arises with the necessity to separate, even
from other Professed Christians, when they prove to walk disorderly, i.e., in open
and known sin. "And if any man obey not
our Word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may
be ashamed" (2Thessalonians 3:14). But, it is with the
intention of loving restoration of the backslider, that we are to separate from them,
i.e., "Brethren, if a man be overtaken
in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness;
considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Galatians
6:1). If we would only let the Spirit of God remind us that our "ministry of reconciliation" (2Corinthians
5:18) includes our dealing with the backslidden, then we would be more willing to
employ Christian separation from them. "1 It is reported commonly that there
is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the
Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that
he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you... 5
To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction
of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the Day of the LORD Jesus" (1Corinthians 5:1-2, 5). The result of the Corinthian Christians' separation
from this erring brother was his repentance-- and their necessity and opportunity
to restore fellowship with him. "So that
contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a
one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow" (2Corinthians
2:7).
If we would remember that our fellowship and companionship is with those who walk
in loving obedience to the LORD Jesus, Christian separation would be entirely "un-burdensome".
"I am a companion of all them that fear
Thee, and of them that keep Thy precepts" (Psalm 119:63).
The Spirit of God must guide our fellowship and direct our separation. "Thou shalt guide me with Thy Counsel, and afterward
receive me to glory" (Psalm 73:24). Far better that we
would separate from sinful and disobedient man than to lose the fellowship of God.
"And Enoch walked with God: and he was
not; for God took him... By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death;
and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he
had this testimony, that he pleased God" (Genesis 5:24,
Hebrews 11:5).
May we, like Enoch, please God by our faithful walk with Him, and like Paul, by our
separation "unto the Gospel of God" (Romans 1:1).
Maranatha!
.
Related Topic:
How to Deal With
Backsliders ---New Window
by Tom Stewart
God has a plan of action that you may follow with Promise
to restore the backslider.
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