“Separation” My wife Hollie and I had the pleasure of spending the dawning of another year in Alabama once again this year at the Alabama New Year’s Meeting.  It was a wonderful meeting and the auditorium we met in was very nice.  The first morning we met in the auditorium, brother Ronny Wade, who hosted the meeting, asked me to lead a song. “Sure,” I said, “no problem.”  Well, services started and that is when my anxiety began, as Ronny made some opening announcements he made reference to the fact that the steps leading up to the stage were a little treacherous. You see, I’m a klutz, first class, and those steps turned me completely white-knuckled, dry-mouthed, nervous.  To me those steps represented a very clear and present danger.  I have always admired those preachers among us who become so rapt in their discourse that they hover right out over the edge of the platform, even hanging their toes over the edge as they preach!  The congregation hangs on their every word… but not me.  These guys make me so nervous I can hardly pay attention because I know that if I tried to preach and stand that close to the edge at the same time, I would inevitably end up with serious injuries to myself, and/or others.   The fact that I am a klutz (and can admit it) means that I take certain steps and precautions to keep myself from certain doom.  When encountering a flight of treacherous steps, I slow down and proceed with caution.  When preaching, I make sure to stay back from the edge of the platform, in fact, if at all possible, I prefer to have the podium between myself and the edge of the platform, then I can concentrate on my lesson instead of concentrating on not falling off.  This may seem to be a very simple and common sense way of handling things in order to keep myself away from physical harm.  After all, each of us will try our best to stay away from things that would harm our bodies, in fact we like to put something between ourselves and whatever that danger is, if at all possible.  (i.e. None of us would visit the local zoo if the animals were not in cages, the separation that those cages give between us and the dangerous animals makes all the difference) Why is it then, that when it comes to spiritual dangers we boldly walk right up to the edge?  Why do we make it our goal to see just how close we can get to this old sinful world with out falling in?  Our goal should be just the opposite!  Putting as much distance and everything that we can between us and the world should be the goal of every Christian!  Do you not realize that the careless child, who despite the warnings, chooses to run along the edge of the pool, will eventually fall in and whose fault is it when he drowns?   There is no safety, there is no peace on the edge.  In I Thessalonians 5:2,3 the apostle Paul paints a distressing and frightening picture of how it will be for some when the day of the Lord comes.  “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.  For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman.  And they shall not escape.” You see there is no peace and safety in the world, and if we put our energy into seeing how close to the world we can get, how can we be sure that God will distinguish us from the world when the travail Paul speaks of comes our way?  True peace and safety only comes from true separation from the world.  That means coming out of the world and staying away from worldliness thereafter.  “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” Paul warns in II Corinthians 6:14,15 & 17.  “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?… Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate,’ says the Lord.  Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” How do we separate ourselves?  In Matthew 4:5-7 we read of one of the ways in which the Devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness after Jesus had fasted for 40 days and nights.  “Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down.  For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’’ Jesus said to him, ‘It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’’” For true peace and safety we must use the word of God as a shield and enshroud our hearts and minds with it as we move through this world.  Once we are truly separated from the world, then and only then can we do anything to help the lost.  It will not help a lost soul one bit if we’re in the same boat they’re in. I. Peace and Safety A. I Thessalonians 5:2,3 1. Notice that Paul switches from saying “us” and “we” to “they” and “them.” He is talking about those outside of the church. 2. The world has many places to turn to find a false sense of peace and safety.  Whether it be to anti-creation theories or worldly, watered-down denominational preaching or any other worldly distraction, these are all false and hold no real peace or safety.  It is upon these that the sudden destruction shall come. 3. Paul uses the image of a pregnant woman to help us visualize this destruction.  We don’t know exactly when it will happen, but we know that eventually labor pains WILL come to a pregnant woman, just like the world may feel safe now, but their destruction WILL come. We do not want to be in that number.  For Christians, the end will still be unexpected, but we do not have to be unprepared, we must separate ourselves from the world, or else face the destruction Paul warns of. II. Safely Separated A. Ephesians 5:6-12 1. Paul implores us to walk as children of light, Peter tells us that God called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 peter 2:9)… Paul again admonishes in Philippians 2:15 to “become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”  The apostle John records in John 8:12 “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’" 2. Contrast of darkness and light is often used as an analogy for sin and righteousness.  We can easily see the difference between darkness and light in the world, none of us would choose to live in darkness. 3. Verse 9 and verse 11 contrast the fruits of the spirit with the unfruitful works of darkness.   During the day, men make an honest living, at night, the thieves and murderers of the world come out to do their work. 4. Not only should we avoid the darkness of the world, we should turn on the lights.  Verse 11 tells us to expose the works of darkness which are shameful for us to even speak of. B. II Corinthians 6:14-17 1. Unequally yoked – from heteros – “another of a different sort” & Zugos – “a yoke”, serving to couple two things together, used metaphorically of submission or bondage.  We should not be in bondage or submission to someone who is not a Christian.  This means a non-christian Spouse, the military, etc. 2. Fellowship with darkness and communion with lawlessness are the same in God’s sight as serving idols or being “unclean” were under the law of Moses. We must keep ourselves separate from the world to be received by God. C. I Corinthians 15:33 1. Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." a. Fellowship with the world and its deeds will take its toll eventually, we must separate ourselves from such things in order to remain pure. D. I Thessalonians 5:22 1. Abstain from every form of evil. a. Evil takes many forms, including preachers, friends, relatives, etc.  We must test all things to see if they’re evil and abstain from these people or things no matter how hard it may be. We can see that complete separation from the world is demanded by God, just as complete as the separation between light and darkness. How do we build this barrier and how do we keep it in place? III. Separation Safeguards A. Humility James 4:1-10 1. In verse 4 James uses the term “adulterers” The church is Christ’s bride. A Christian involved in worldliness commits spiritual adultery against Jesus, a disgusting and shameful allegation. 2. A Worldly Christian incites the same feelings from God as a man or woman would have towards an unfaithful spouse.   3. Verses 6-10 Whatever our worldly tendencies may be, God has a sufficient supply of Grace to overcome.   Humility, repentance, and submission to God and his will is the cure for worldliness. B.  Faith I John 5:3,4       1. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith. C. Sanctification  John 17:13-20 1. To be set apart from the world we must be sanctified by the word! D. Transformation  Romans 12:1,2 1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And 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. 2. We must be completely transformed from our former worldly selves, we cannot conform to the world on any level.  We put away the old man of sin in baptism and rise a new creature… Why would the butterfly go back to its cocoon and why would one who has tasted of God’s blessings turn back to the world? 3. Mutations   a. The world wants feminism – Today, the majority of denominations conform by placing women in unscriptural offices b. The world wants to advance homosexuality – The Roman Catholic Church, the Episcopal church , and other worldly institutions, conform and place such men and women in leadership roles and even offer protection for the sinful consequences. c. The world wants to de-emphasize the family and the home as the place where children are taught, nurtured, instilled with morals, etc – therefore many churches conform with church sponsored daycare, Sunday school, youth groups, etc. E. Knowledge of God’s will 1. Matthew 4:5-7  Each time Satan tempted Jesus, He simply used the word of God to separate himself from these temptations. All of these things come through the word.  Very simply, to be separate from the world we must have a working knowledge of the word, we must study it, we must know it, we must love it and we must live it! IV. The Power of God unto… Separation! A. Hebrews 4:12  Cut a narrow path through the world!  Make a clean separation!  Don’t physically carry your bible with you like some foolish talisman, you must internalize it by diligent study! B. 2 Timothy 2:15  Study to show yourself approved of God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing God’s word.  Once you know the word you have a powerful weapon against the Devil and a powerful tool for saving the lost… C. Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Conclusion:   There is certainly no safety in the world today.  The edge that many try to walk between Christianity and worldliness is a dangerous place, we must make a clear and significant separation.  To do this we must separate ourselves through the word of Goad and submission to his will.  We simply cannot help others while down in the much and mire with them.  Only If we separate ourselves can we reach out a helping hand and pull them up by the power of the Word! Are you a Christian today?  Why not become one?  It takes belief, repentance, confession, and submission in baptism, just as God’s word directs. Questions? Comments?  Contact the author of this sermon justinmurdock@thegospelfortoday.com