January 18, 2001
SEPARATION,
DOCTRINE
OF DERISION
Our piece on the unholy alliance in a previous update brought much
response, both positive and negative, some even requesting removal from our mailing list.
In other words, it provoked some to SEPARATION. From us, that is.
Some who feel we should never judge any organization that claims to be the body of
Christ, regardless of doctrine or historic reputation, have separated from us because they
disagree with our observations. If we are going to carry a gospel message to those who
will be building on what we teach them, it may be well if we talk about separation from a
biblical perspective.
WHAT IS SEPARATION?
It is something that has been important to God since the fall of man.
There have been things God approved or disapproved since the offerings of Cain and Abel.
He did not accept every offering that was made. He was discriminating, as he expects his
people to be.
Separation does not signify bigotry or snobbery or hatred, or even indifference. It is
a matter of placing value on what God values, and recognizing the danger, or at least the
vanity of those things, companies and doctrines that are discordant with God's Word.
The Corinthian church seems to parallel American Christianity at the present time. It
was plagued with carnality, i.e.: sectarianism, fornication, lawsuits, divorce, abuse of
spiritual gifts, doctrinal error, idolatry, and a general pursuit of worldliness. The
apostle Paul's letters to them were remedial, addressing all of these problems.
Paul's remarks (IICor.6: 11,12) indicate that the Corinthians thought Paul's doctrine
was too restrictive. They desired to be broader than the narrow way to which the church is
called. His response to them was (paraphrased) II Cor.6: 12-18.
"You are not restricted by us. Your feeling of restriction comes from where your
heart is set. I want you to be enlarged. Here's how.
"Don't be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Why? The reason is because
righteousness and unrighteousness do not have fellowship. Light and darkness do not have
communion. Christ and the devil don't walk together. Believers and unbelievers do not have
a participatory relationship. The temple of God has no agreement with idols; and if you
are in Christ, you are the temple of the living God. God said, 'I'm going to dwell in
them, and walk in them. I will be their God, and they shall be my people.'
"Therefore, 'Come out from among them and be separate. Touch not the unclean thing
and I will receive you. I will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and
daughters.' Says the Lord Almighty."
Discrimination is a dirty word today, even to some believers. It was not always so. To
be discriminating meant to draw a clear distinction, as between clean and unclean; good
and evil; etc. That is what the sons of God did not do in the days before the flood. As a
consequence the sin tide rose above their heads and God's judgment took them away.
Jesus warned us that as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days prior to
Jesus' return. Today we are proving Jesus' prophecy as many who are sons of God are
sympathizing with, defending, and even embracing this world's philosophies, customs and
religious teachings.
Noah, on the other hand, in a time of total moral decadence, was described as a
preacher of righteousness. By the time his sons were born he had been building the ark for
twenty years. In the face of a demoralized society, he remained separate from their
corrupted traditions. And he taught his sons to discriminate between the seeming normalcy
of conditions that had prevailed for generations, and the righteousness that God
prescribed and Noah proclaimed.
The compromises of men known as sons of God (probably those of Enos lineage who had
called upon the name of the Lord) doomed the population. The steadfast separation of Noah
and his family prepared the way of salvation.
Later in history the children of Israel were called to be a Holy people (Holy meaning
set apart). Their demise came when they embraced the seemingly harmless traditions of the
world around them. They began to view the religions and traditions of their neighbors as
merely different than their own, rather than as an offense to Jehovah. Soon they were an
offense as well. But whole generations grew up thinking their sin and religious idolatry
was acceptable. Finally, by God's decree, they were destroyed and consigned to captivity.
Now the church is called to holiness. God said, "Be ye holy for I am holy."
The church is not the author of God's Word or the way of salvation. It is not authorized
to incorporate Jesus into its own agenda, but to discern the truth of God, and
discriminate against that which is contrary to it, or a caricature of it.
We are warned that in the last days there would be a great falling away. And the
indication is that it will come through false prophets (Mat.24:5,11,24), false teachers
(IIPet.2:1,2), abounding iniquity (Mat.24:12), and a spirit of deception (IIThes.2:9-11).
These warnings cover the subtle dangers that permeate religion, education, moral changes,
and prevailing philosophies.
It does not matter that they come in the name of Jesus Christ or if they have a long
religious tradition, If they revise or oppose the fundamentals of God's plan they are
enemies of the truth, not simply a different version of it.
Unity of the Spirit is not a denominational matter. There is no organization of which
we can say their members are Christians by virtue of belonging, we need not evangelize
them. Organizational unity is achieved through compromise. Spiritual unity is the result
of "Christ in you" (Col.1:27). In God's view, there are only two kinds of people
in this world: those who have Christ, and those who do not (I John 5:12). Among those who
are not in Christ, religious or otherwise, there are many opposing causes. Enemies make
alliances with one another to defeat common enemies. Many of those causes seem right and
good. Believers, however, are not to be disarmed by enemies whose causes seem parallel to
their own, or have a few religious beliefs that sound similar to theirs.
GOD HAS INSTRUCTED US
In the course of standing for national integrity, or morality in
education, or the sanctity of life, or any number of just causes, one may cross the path
of wonderful people who share his concerns. However, it is folly to endorse their
religion, embrace their organization or defend their denomination just because they are in
it. God instructed us in this matter. Read, for example, the story of Jehoshaphat, King of
Judah, and the results of his lack of discrimination (IIChron.17-23).
Four generations earlier Israel, the Northern Kingdom had turned to idolatry and became
an enemy of Judah. Now God was honoring Jehoshaphat as he strengthened Judah against
Israel, and sent men throughout the land to teach the law of the Lord, and reinforce
righteousness.
But 15 years into his rule for some reason he signed a pact with Ahab, king of Israel
and joined hands with him in a cause. Perhaps thinking,'Those of the Northern Kingdom are
children of Israel just as we are.' He was wrong.
God sent a prophet to say, "Shouldst thou help the ungodly, and love them that
hate the LORD? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord."
Through that union, the error and idolatry of the Northern Kingdom flowed into the
nation of Judah, and in one generation after Jehoshaphat's death they were filled with
corruption and the judgment of God befell them. This Old Testament history is recorded for
our admonition. We are to understand the principles of separation, and the serious results
of ignoring them.
Jesus did not identify with religious error, even though he mingled with sinners to
evangelize them because it was they he came to seek and save. Even in his mingling,
however, it was recorded that he was holy, harmless and separate from sinners. Holy,
harmless, and separate is what he has called us to be also. We are in the world, but not
of it. We are not bigots or snobs, but we are a distinct and discriminating people, which
is what God has called us to be.
