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Biblical Separation


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I think the question isn't should we be separated, but the question is: what does that mean? The Bible tells us to be holy (separated from something and to something; consecrated). What must we be separated from and to?

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, - Romans 1:1

One small comment on this passage: One thing many people miss is that biblical separation is always separation unto something. The reason for separation from something is to be joined to something else. Be sure you have in mind what you are separating for as well as what you are separating from. The reason this is important is because it's like leaving one house to go to another. It's not very possible to be in two houses at the same time.

For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; - Hebrews 7:26

This verse is talking about Jesus being separate from sinners. Now, Jesus was in the midst of sinners 24/7. How was He then separate from them? By not partaking in their sin and rebuking sin. In the same way, we are not to separate by living in our own secluded little village without contact with sinners. We are to be holy in their very midst. That is biblical separation.

I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. - 1 Corinthians 5:9-11

This passage is the only one that tells us to completely dissociate with any kind of people. Those who claim to know the truth, yet despise and reject if with their lives.

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No, we don't miss what it means, it means separate from the lost, from false teachers, that we should not have anything in common with such people.

Sad to say, some that claim to be saved, the only people they have anything in common with is unrighteousness, with darkness, with Belial, or with infidels. That is the only people they hang out with.

An example, a young man visited me about this, he had surrendered to preach, and his pastor never used him, finally one day he asked his pastor why he never used him. His pastor told him, the only people you associate with is your cousins and their friends. Your constantly with them, and everyone within 6 counties of us knows what they do. They constantly drink, use drugs, they break every law in the stated, and think nothing of it. You say you don't do those things, yet when your not at work, and or at church, your constantly with them. Your seen in stores around town with them, eating out with them. I have spoke to you about all of this, yet, you keep running with them. You never hang out with Christians, many times when we have a special eveny here at church you chose to hang out with them instead of attending the event here at church. And no, I will not use you until you have separated from them, I cannot put you behind the pulpit

I told the young man, I would not let you behind the pulpit either, and I fail to see how you can hang out with them when they are always drinking, doing drugs, and getting in trouble. I think he came to me hoping I would see things different than his pastor. The truth is I probably knew much more about his family and friends than his pastor did. The Bible is quite clear about the qualification for the man behind the pulpit of one of Jesus' New Testament Churches, he did not meet them.

Few there be that take seperation seriously. To me it seems to state that they know better than God what is good for them.

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

And it even says, "Come out from among them; and I will receive you."

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I wasn't addressing anyone in particular, Jerry. I agree that someone who only hangs out with people who openly deny the truth, consciously love sin, and are unwilling to repent probably does not care and loves the same thing as they do. Yet, to completely separate from all sinners who perhaps don't know the truth yet and are open to listening (even if they reject it initially) is an extreme in the other direction. You must use discernment. My oldest brother and sister practice adultery, drink, smoke, and all the rest of that stuff, and I just don't have much in common with them so I naturally can't hang around them much. But when they do ask me for help, prayer, or advice, I will try to help where I can in hope of them seeing the truth through my actions. I will rebuke them at times as well, though they hate it. But they respect me because I am honest and stand by my principles, and they would like to be around me, but can't very often for the same reason I can't be around them often. We just have something very different in our cores which is incompatible, so the separation is natural rather than me staying away from them because I am afraid of people associating me with them. I could care less what most people think about me if God's word doesn't agree with them.

Edit: Sorry if I sound preachy or whatever. I respect all of you guys and none of my comments are aimed towards anyone personally. I just want to state my honest opinion for the sake of discussion and for perhaps another perspective that can be helpful to people who have questions about the topic. Most of the other people answering here are older than I am and have more experience, so I am fully aware of the fact that I might be wrong. What matters is that the Bible is right and we need to understand it correctly.

Edited by anime4christ
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I wasn't addressing anyone in particular, Jerry. I agree that someone who only hangs out with people who openly deny the truth, consciously love sin, and are unwilling to repent probably does not care and loves the same thing as they do. Yet, to completely separate from all sinners who perhaps don't know the truth yet and are open to listening (even if they reject it initially) is an extreme in the other direction. You must use discernment. My oldest brother and sister practice adultery, drink, smoke, and all the rest of that stuff, and I just don't have much in common with them so I naturally can't hang around them much. But when they do ask me for help, prayer, or advice, I will try to help where I can in hope of them seeing the truth through my actions. I will rebuke them at times as well, though they hate it. But they respect me because I am honest and stand by my principles, and they would like to be around me, but can't very often for the same reason I can't be around them often. We just have something very different in our cores which is incompatible, so the separation is natural rather than me staying away from them because I am afraid of people associating me with them. I could care less what most people think about me if God's word doesn't agree with them.

Edit: Sorry if I sound preachy or whatever. I respect all of you guys and none of my comments are aimed towards anyone personally. I just want to state my honest opinion for the sake of discussion and for perhaps another perspective that can be helpful to people who have questions about the topic. Most of the other people answering here are older than I am and have more experience, so I am fully aware of the fact that I might be wrong. What matters is that the Bible is right and we need to understand it correctly.

Whether it comes naturally or needs some "force", we are commanded to practice separation. Separation doesn't mean we never come into contact with them or that we have nothing to do with them, separation means that there is a distance between us; we don't become "too familiar", we don't make best friends of them, they aren't the ones we spend most of our time with, etc.

In some cases, separation can come naturally, as with the situation with your family. I'm familiar with that sort of separation myself as most of my family is lost. I love them and am there for them when needed, but there is a "distance" between us because we have so little in common with them being in the dark and my walking in the light.

I've also had times in my life when I've went to school with or worked with some lost folks that I got along with really well. They weren't "really bad" (in worldly terms), which brought about the temptation to get closer with them and spend more time with them than I should. In such situations I had to force myself to create and keep a measure of separation there. Likely as not they were unaware of this as I never made it a public issue. I was friendly with as always and we got along great at school or work, but I kept it at that.

At one place I worked I got along well with just about everyone and often on a Friday after work many would gather at a local bar for an hour or two (for some it would be longer) and I received many invitations to join them. That was a line of separation I wasn't going to cross. They didn't know it had anything to do with that, but eventually they realized I wasn't going to be joining them so they stopped bothering to ask, but that didn't change how we all got along at work.

Separation doesn't mean "no contact", it means limited, restrained, controlled contact. Our friends, especially our best friends, as well as our spouses and those we do things with should not come from among the unsaved or from the ranks of wayward Christians.
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What about Ecclesiastical separation?

1Ti 6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
1Ti 6:2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
1Ti 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
1Ti 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

also this one:

Tit 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

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What about Ecclesiastical separation?

1Ti 6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
1Ti 6:2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
1Ti 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
1Ti 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

also this one:

Tit 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

It's clear we are to separate from churches and preachers who fail to preach, teach and live by the Bible. Most are unwilling to do this, demanding their own way in staying with a church for reasons of tradition, convenience, because their friends or family are there, or the old excuse of "maybe it will get better if I stay".
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Whether it comes naturally or needs some "force", we are commanded to practice separation. Separation doesn't mean we never come into contact with them or that we have nothing to do with them, separation means that there is a distance between us; we don't become "too familiar", we don't make best friends of them, they aren't the ones we spend most of our time with, etc.

In some cases, separation can come naturally, as with the situation with your family. I'm familiar with that sort of separation myself as most of my family is lost. I love them and am there for them when needed, but there is a "distance" between us because we have so little in common with them being in the dark and my walking in the light.

I've also had times in my life when I've went to school with or worked with some lost folks that I got along with really well. They weren't "really bad" (in worldly terms), which brought about the temptation to get closer with them and spend more time with them than I should. In such situations I had to force myself to create and keep a measure of separation there. Likely as not they were unaware of this as I never made it a public issue. I was friendly with as always and we got along great at school or work, but I kept it at that.

At one place I worked I got along well with just about everyone and often on a Friday after work many would gather at a local bar for an hour or two (for some it would be longer) and I received many invitations to join them. That was a line of separation I wasn't going to cross. They didn't know it had anything to do with that, but eventually they realized I wasn't going to be joining them so they stopped bothering to ask, but that didn't change how we all got along at work.

Separation doesn't mean "no contact", it means limited, restrained, controlled contact. Our friends, especially our best friends, as well as our spouses and those we do things with should not come from among the unsaved or from the ranks of wayward Christians.


:goodpost:
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1Co 1:10 ¶ Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

or

Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

If there is a endeavoring to keep the unity of peace what is worth separating over? Are the following verses the main things worth separating over?

Eph 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.



Also on the other side of separation; I started witnessing to some of my old internet friends; The first one was very nice to me; but, didn't accept the Jesus his savior as far as I know of. Should I keep talking to him building up for another good opportunity to witness? Because I don't want to become unequally yoked

2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Though I think I would able to stay separate I did enjoy talking with him; but, I need to take heed lest I fall



1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Or does (2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;) say i should continue to try?


If i am to keep witnessing to him, when should one Follow (Mt 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.)
I was thinking if I was to keep witnessing to the first friend of old; (Mt 10:14) would come more under the 2nd person I witnessed too. Who turned out to be a A-theist.. Well, I think Matthew 5:11 can be applied to the end of that conversation..

Mt 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Hopefully you all can add some insight on the matter! I like to use this verse when ending letters, emails, etc;

Eph 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. Written from Rome unto the Ephesians by Tychicus.




Jesus left us a model of biblical separation !!!
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