God has always
required His people to be distinctive, different, or separate from those
around. But being different has always been a struggle for Gods people. We want
to be like those around us, to imitate their practices and be accepted.
2 Corinthians
6:17,18 – Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch
what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you
shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.
The question we
consider in this study is whether or not God’s people are maintaining our
distinctiveness, or are there patterns and trends that indicate we are losing
our distinctiveness?
The Importance of
Separation
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The Fundamental
Reason God’s People Should Be Different Is That We Belong to God.
==========================================
God’s people
should be separate, not because we are self-righteous or think we deserve
eternal life, but because following God’s teaching will make us different from
those who do not follow it.
Old Testament
************
Leviticus
20:23,24,26 – "You shall not walk in the statutes of the nations which I
am casting out before you ... I am the Lord your God, who has separated you
from the peoples. ... And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and
have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine."
Deuteronomy 7:2-6
– When Israel entered Canaan, God commanded them to make no covenant with
nations there and not to intermarry with them because the people of the land
would lead them to serve other gods. "For you are a holy people to the
Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a
special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth."
Deuteronomy
26:17-19 – "Today ... the Lord has proclaimed you to be His special
people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments, and
that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in
name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to the Lord your God,
just as He has spoken."
1 Kings 8:53 –
"You separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be Your
inheritance, as You spoke by Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers
out of Egypt, O Lord GOD."
God chose Israel
to be His special people. But this required them to avoid being influenced by
other nations to participate in the sins that characterized those nations. Those
who seek to be God’s special people must obey God instead of participating in
the sins of those around them.
[Exodus 19:5,6;
23:24,32,33; Leviticus 19:2; 20:7,8; 22:31-33; Deuteronomy 14:2; 28:1; Ezra
4:3]
New Testament
*************
God’s people
today are His church, those who are redeemed by Jesus’ blood. Being God’s
people still means we must be different from those around us.
Hebrews 7:26 –
"For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless,
undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens."
Jesus Himself set the example by being separate from sinners. His special
people should imitate Him and likewise be separate.
Titus 2:13,14 –
"Jesus Christ ... gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every
lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good
works." We must be pure and avoid lawless deeds because Christ redeemed us
to be His special people.
1 Peter 2:9,10 –
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His
own special people ... who once were not a people but are now the people of
God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."
Revelation 18:4 –
"Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you
receive of her plagues." We must be separate from the world if we seek to
avoid the destiny that worldly people will receive at the judgment.
Those who are
forgiven by the blood of Christ through the gospel become God’s special people.
We are then set apart or separated from the world because we belong to God as
distinguished from those who have not been forgiven by Jesus and do not belong
to God.
[Matthew 7:13,14;
10:34-37; Romans 9:27; 11:2-5; 1 John 2:15-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Corinthians
1:18-25; 3:16,17; Romans 12:2; Matthew 15:13,14; Acts 28:22; Ephesians 5:26,27;
Luke 6:22; John 17:14-17; Philippians 2:15,16; John 17:14-17; 15:18-20]
God’s People Have
Always Struggled with the Temptation to Be Like Those Around Them.
==========================================
Old Testament
************
The history of
Israel involved repeated failures to separate themselves from the sins of the
people around them.
Judges 3:5-8 –
During the period of the Judges Israel repeated a cycle of lost
distinctiveness, followed by punishment, then repentance. They would be
faithful for a while, then would intermingle with the people of the land and
participate in their sins. When God sent punishment, the people would
eventually repent, etc. [2:1-3]
1 Samuel 8:20 –
The people asked to be ruled by kings "that we also may be like all the
nations." God warned them that their basic problems would continue because
the problems were caused by sin, and having a king would just cause additional
problems.
1 Kings 11:1-4 –
"King Solomon loved many foreign women ... from the nations of whom the
Lord had said to the children of Israel, ‘You shall not intermarry with
them...’ his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not
loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David."
Psalms 106:34-40
– "They ... mingled with the Gentiles and learned their works ... Thus
they were defiled by their own works, and played the harlot by their own deeds.
Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against His people..."
Hosea 7:8 –
"Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples."
By failing to
separate themselves from the evil of the nations around them, Israel defiled
their relationship with God. They could no longer continue to be His special
people if they continued to allow themselves to be influenced by the nations
around them to disobey God.
New Testament
*************
Luke 12:51-53 –
"Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at
all, but rather division. For from now on five in one house will be divided:
three against two, and two against three." Our relationship to God is so
special that we must be willing to be separate even from our closest family
members in order to maintain our relationship with God.
2 Corinthians
6:16-18 – The city of Corinth was known for immorality and idolatry. The
Christians, who had been converted from that background, struggled with the
temptation to be like those around them. They tolerated a man who was guilty of
extreme adultery (1 Corinthians 5). Some ate animal sacrifices in idols’
temples (chapter 8). Some turned the Lord’s Supper into a gluttonous banquet
like those that characterized idol worship (chapter 11).
God’s warning:
"For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell
in them and walk among them. I will be their god, and they shall be my people.’
Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not
touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.’ ‘I will be a Father to you, and
you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’"
James 4:4 –
"Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the
world is enmity with God? Whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes
himself an enemy of God."
As those who
claim to be God’s people today, we must ask whether we have maintained our
distinctiveness from the people of the world around us. Have we separated
ourselves from the influence and sinful practices of those who are not God’s
people, or have we compromised, lowered our standards, and toned down our
opposition to error?
[1 Samuel 15:24;
Ezra 9:1,2; Nehemiah 13:23-27; 6:17-19; Proverbs 17:15; 1 John 2:15-17]
The Requirements
of Separation
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Consider what is
required in order to be truly separate and distinct as God’s special people.
Separate from
Sinful Conduct.
==================
Being God’s
special people requires that we do not practice sin, and that we do not
fellowship, defend, or justify those who do practice it.
Old Testament
************
Nehemiah 10:28,29
– "... all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the
lands ... entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God's Law, which was
given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments
of the Lord our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes..."
Proverbs 1:10-15
– "... if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, ‘Come with us,
let us lie in wait to shed blood; ... We shall fill our houses with spoil; cast
in your lot among us, let us all have one purse’ – My son, do not walk in the
way with them, keep your foot from their path."
Proverbs 4:14.15
– "Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of
evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on."
To be God’s
special people, Israel had to recognize error and refuse to imitate sinful
people. They should stay completely away from those circumstances in which
people were practicing sin.
New Testament
*************
Titus 2:11-14 –
God’s special people must deny ungodliness. We must live soberly, righteously,
and godly, purifying ourselves from every lawless deed, zealous for good works.
2 Corinthians
6:14-16 – "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what
fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light
with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a
believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with
idols?"
God’s people must
refuse to have any fellowship with sin; we must not participate in it, defend
it, or encourage it. We must come out from among them and be separate and not
touch what is unclean. We must cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the
flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (7:1).
So, have we
maintained our distinctiveness from the people of the world around us? Have we
encouraged, defended, or otherwise fellowshiped sins of others? Or have we
separated ourselves from the sinful practices of those who are not God’s
people?
[Genesis 6:6-9;
39:7-12; Exodus 19:5,6; Exodus 23:7,24,32,33; Exodus 34:12-16; Leviticus
18:3,24,30; Leviticus 19:2; 20:7,8; 20:23,24,26; 22:31-33; Joshua 23:6-8; Ezra 9:12,14;
Psalms 106:34-40; 119:115; 141:4; Proverbs 22:3,5,10; Isaiah 8:11; 52:11;
Jeremiah 51:45; Romans 1:32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 10:21; Ephesians 5:6-11;
5:26,27; 1 Timothy 5:22; 2 Timothy 2:22; 3:5; Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 1:15,16;
2:9-12; 4:1-4]
Separate from
False Teaching.
===================
Being God’s
special people also requires separating ourselves from false teaching. Not only
must we refuse to accept false teaching, but we must actively oppose and speak
against it.
Old Testament
************
Deuteronomy
12:30,31 – "Take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them
... saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’
You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way..."
Psalms 1:1,2 –
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor
stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his
delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and
night."
So we must not
worship or serve God according to the way of false teaching. We must not walk
in ungodly counsel but must meditate on God’s word and delight in it.
New Testament
*************
Matthew 15:13,14
– "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.
Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the
blind, both will fall into a ditch."
People who teach
doctrines different from what God has taught (verse 9) are planting plants that
God has not planted. Those who do so are blind leaders. If we blindly follow
them, we will receive the same reward that they do. So Jesus said to let them
alone: separate from them.
John 7:7 –
"The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that
its works are evil." Jesus not only refused to participate in practices
that displeased God, but He openly taught against such works. This separated
Him from those who taught such practices.
2 John 9-11 –
People who do not abide in the doctrine of Christ do not have God. To have the
Father and the Son, we must abide in the doctrine of Christ. We must not
support or encourage those who do not bring this doctrine, else we share in
their evil deeds.
False teaching
promotes false practices. And false practices promote false teaching. To be
God’s special people, we must separate ourselves from both the practices and
the teachings that lead to the practices. We must not defend or justify them
but must actively oppose them.
Where do God’s
people stand today? Have we compromised the truth and failed to stand where we
should regarding the errors of the world around us, or have we fulfilled our
responsibility as God’s special people to reject and oppose false teaching?
[Numbers
14:2,6-9; Deuteronomy 13:6-11; Nehemiah 6:2-4; Job 21:16; Psalms 26:4,5; 50:18;
Proverbs 1:10-15; Proverbs 14:7; Jeremiah 10:2,3; Ezekiel 22:26; 44:23; Hosea
4:9; John 17:14-17; Galatians 5:7-9; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; Philippians
2:15,16; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:17,18]
Separate from
Harmful Influence and Companions.
===============================
Separation from
sinful acts requires us to separate from people, places, and circumstances
where people are involved in sinful practices.
This is taught
both in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
*****************************************************
Exodus 34:12-16 –
Israel was forbidden to make covenants or form close relationships with people
of the land because those people were idol worshipers and would lead God’s
people to sin.
1 Kings 11:1-4 –
Solomon’s heart was turned after other gods because of the influence of foreign
women whom he married. But if this can happen to Solomon, the son of a man
after God’s own heart, why should we think such things cannot happen to us?
Proverbs 13:20 –
"He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will
be destroyed."
Romans 12:2 –
"...do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect
will of God."
Like Israel, we
often want to enjoy the things people around us enjoy without having to tell
them their practices are wrong. The solution is to remember that we are God’s
people, so we must follow God’s will. We must avoid such influences and learn
to think differently.
1 Corinthians
15:33 – "Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’"
This does not
mean we should refuse all association with people around us. When Jesus was
criticized for associating with sinners, He explained His purpose was to teach
those people to repent, like a physician helps those who are sick. Apostles
often went into Jewish synagogues, not to participate in sin, but to teach the
people there the truth.
So we must
realize that people who do not serve God may become a bad influence on us. We
must limit our relationship with them to whatever extent is needed for us to
remain pure. The question is: Who is influencing whom? Are we diligently
teaching them the truth? Are they receptive to God’s word or are they resisting
it and seeking to lead us away from God?
[Genesis 39:7-12;
49:6; Exodus 23:2; Leviticus 18:3,24,30; 20:23,24,26; Numbers 33:51-56;
Deuteronomy 7:2-6; 12:30,31; 1 Kings 21:25; Ezra 6:21; 10:11; Nehemiah 2:20;
Psalms 6:8; 26:4,5; 50:18; 101:7; 106:34-40; 119:63,115; Proverbs 1:10-15;
4:14.15; 5:8; 6:27,28; 12:26; 20:19; 22:24,25; 23:20; 24:1; Jeremiah 15:17;
51:45; Matthew 6:13; 10:34-37; Luke 6:22; 12:51-53; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1;
Galatians 5:7-9]
We must
especially separate from error among God’s people.
**************************************************
Not only must we
separate from those who are not God’s people, but at times an even greater
separation is required when sin enters in among God’s people.
1 Corinthians
5:6-11 – "Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly
are unleavened. ... But now I have written to you not to keep company with
anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater,
or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner – not even to eat with such a
person."
Our separation
from erring children of God is even more pronounced than it is with people of
he world. To completely separate from people of the world, we would have to
leave the world. But we must purge out the leaven of sin among God’s people.
Hebrews 12:14,15
– "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will
see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God;
lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become
defiled."
[Numbers
14:2,6-9; 16:24-26; Deuteronomy 13:6-11; Joshua 7:11-13; 1 Kings 21:25; 18:21;
2 Kings 8:18; Jeremiah 9:2; Matthew 18:17; Romans 16:17; 2 Thessalonians
3:6,14,15; Titus 3:10]
Conclusion
=======
The Bible uses
other words, which we have not emphasized in this study, but mean that God’s
people must be separate, set apart, and distinct from the world. Two of these
words are "elect" and "holy." God’s people must be holy
because He is holy, and because He has chosen us to be His. We have attempted
in this study to learn what it means to be holy as God’s chosen people.
Holiness and
election require us to be separate. This does not mean we are different just
for the sake of being different or that we are self-righteous as though we have
earned eternal life. But it does mean that God’s people must separate ourselves
from all sinful conduct and false teaching. And we must guard against those
influences that would tend to lead us into sin.
Compromise with
the world has always been a very real problem among God’s people. Each of us
must ask whether we are compromising are we separating ourselves as we should?
Are we truly God’s special, chosen people? Are we truly holy as He requires His
people to be holy?
