BE YE SEPARATE
2 Corinthians 6:17
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,
As Christians we are told by the bible to live holy lives that reflect the nature of God. We are to separate ourselves from actions, influences, or people that will hinder our service to God.
Do you understand that as a Christian you are to live differently from those in the world? Sounds simple, but there are a lot of people who think they can get saved and still hang out with the same crowd, they think they can still go to the same places, but you can’t.
The bible tells Christians to be separate from the world. That means when you get saved you change your life, you change your friends, and you change your hangouts. But, that doesn’t mean you abandon your lost friends. You still talk to your old friends after you get saved, you just change the topic of your conversations. You can still hang out with your old friends, you just change the location. Instead of going out with them, bring them to church with you.
My point is, you don’t abandon sinners, but you don’t join them either. As a Christian, you are to bring them up to your level, not let them bring you down to theirs.
A Christian is directed by God’s word to apply the biblical principles of separation and avoid a few things:
1) We are to steer clear of anything that goes against biblical standards.
If the bible said it was a sin 2000 years ago, then it’s still a sin today, the bible does not change to fit the changing culture.
2) Avoid any association that will hinder your spiritual life:
Teenagers, that means if your boyfriend or girlfriend won’t come to church with you, then find you a new one, one that will. Not only boyfriends and girlfriends, but any of your friends.
2 Corinthians 6:14, 16
14) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?
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.
3) Avoid any situation that you are unsure of:
There are some sins that are plainly spelled out in the bible, and then there are sins that are your own personal convictions. If you have your doubts as to whether or not something is a sin, then for you it is a sin. Because God’s word says in Romans 14:23 that... for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. In other words if you aren’t sure if it’s a sin, then for you it is a sin.
4) Just do the right thing:
James 4:17 says
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
When you know it’s the right thing to do, then do it. If not then it’s a sin
If you are not living a life separate from the world, then how does the world know you’re different? If you can still go out and commit the same sins as before you were saved, then I hate to tell you, you didn’t get saved.
I’m not saying a Christian is never gonna sin, God saved my soul, but I still live in the flesh, anyone who says that they never sin is calling God a liar, according 1 John 1:10 -
10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
But I’m not talking about the slip-ups, I’m talking about when we intentionally sin.
Ephesians 4:30 tells us that we are sealed unto the day of redemption, meaning that God saves you once and then you’re saved forever, but there are some who want to twist this verse to excuse their sinful lifestyle. They think they can go to the altar and say a little prayer, and go out and live any way they want to and still go to heaven, well folks, if that’s how you are living, then you need to come and really get saved.
Paul says in Romans 6:15 that Christians are under grace and no longer under the law, so does that give you the freedom to sin at will? Paul said
God Forbid. Even though Christians are no longer in danger of God’s condemnation, we will still answer to Him for the sins we commit.
Romans 6:12 says we are not to let sin reign in our bodies, there is a big difference in an intentional sin and the daily struggles of the flesh. Paul says in Romans chapter 7, There is none of us who are perfect, and we never will be as long as we’re on this Earth. Even though we aren’t perfect,
We are to strive to be perfect. If you think you can have it both ways, you’re wrong.
In Romans 6:16, Paul said that to whom ye yield yourselves to obey, his servants ye are. If you are allowing your life to be controlled by habitual sin, then sin is your master. And Jesus Christ himself said that you can’t serve two masters, you’ll love one and hate the other. Once you accept Christ as your Savior, you’re life will change, you’ll want to separate yourself from the old life you had. Will you completely change right away?
Of course not, but you will change, the Holy Ghost will guide you and when you sin you’ll feel convicted in your heart immediately, and you’ll know you need to repent. But if you can get up from the altar and go right back to the same sinful lifestyle, then you’d better get back to that altar and get right with God.
You may ask, I know I’m saved but I still have a problem with sin in my life, how do I avoid those sins? As a Christian, when you sin, it’s not the spirit that sins but the flesh and Paul said in Galatians 5:16 - 17
16) ..Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Some of the lusts of the flesh are
1) Adultery - any sexual contact outside of the bonds of Holy Marriage is a sin. - PERIOD - there’s been alot said to these teenagers about their conduct, about keeping their hands off of each other, well, the same goes for the adults. If you are not married to them, keep your hands off of them.
2) Fornication - any sexual perversions inside of marriage
3) Idolatry - any thing that comes between you and your worship of God is an idol - your job, your family, your favorite football team, ANYTHING
4) Witchcraft - Harry Potter
5) Jealousy
6) Wrath
7) Envy
8) Murder - abortion
9) Hatred - racism
9) Drunkenness
And they which do these things shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven.
How do you avoid the lusts of the flesh, by walking in the Spirit. Any sin you commit gives the devil the ammo he needs to shoot your spiritual life down, and the one way to avoid this is to apply the words of Galatians 5:25
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Can you walk in the Spirit and the world too? Not a chance, that’s why we are to be separated from this sinful world. Remember, you can’t serve two masters. Is Jesus your master, or are you a slave to this world and its master? You can’t have it both ways, get off the fence and choose today which master you will serve. Remember the words of Joshua chapter 24, choose ye this day whom ye will serve, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.
