Be Ye Separate

In western culture and its influence upon all the rest of mankind, depicting Christians from the rest of the world is most difficult today. The only differences we see come from diverse groups who outwardly show differences in their dress and chosen culture. Outward differences among all others are almost completely unnoticeable. When around a crowd, it is difficult to discern mannerisms which outwardly show a distinct difference between righteous and unrighteous persons.

This should not be. Jesus told the disciples to be different. These differences came from a direct teaching from God upon his chosen children, Israel. At Mount Sinai, God gave an order to stay away from certain things deemed unclean–to depict a difference between clean and unclean things as well as the difference between good and evil.

Christians have been commanded to Abstain from all appearance of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:22.

The teachings of old, (a shadow of things to come; a schoolmaster to the Christian) was all about learning right from wrong; good behavior and bad behavior. It seems too many people do not know the difference anymore.

Let us remind ourselves of these teachings depicting what is clean and what is unclean. First we must admit we are to be pleasing unto God for salvation. This means we are to become holy. Lev. 20:7. 7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God. To become sanctified is to set yourself apart for the purpose which God commands. In this case, to become holy. Peter emphasizes this same directive. 1 Peter 1:15-16. 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. Be holy in all things.

Christians are to be separate. Notice the teaching from old: Lev. 20:23. 23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. From the earliest laws given unto a young nation, Israel, God’s rule was not to walk as the heathen did. God wants his children to be noticeably different in all manner of conversation; written, oral, and actions. We are to walk circumspectly.

Verses 25-26 continues: 25 Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. 26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. God is teaching through the clean and unclean animals the truth about righteousness and unrighteousness. Clean is good; unclean is bad, unacceptable.

Let us notice other passages similar:

Mt. 5:20. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Our righteousness is to be better than those professing Christianity and not living it.

2 Cor. 6:15-18. 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 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. 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

We cannot live righteously on Sunday and live like the world the rest of the week.

We cannot straddle the fence and try to live in both worlds.

God has commanded we be separate from the world. This means we are to:

Act different

Speak different

Dress different

Let us look at these and find the commands given by God.

Act Differently:

Micah 6:8. 8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

We have been called to righteousness, therefore do the acts of righteousness at all times.

Romans 8:1-5. 8 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.