Principles of Separation pt 2
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
We are picking up on the second half of our series on the principles of separation which we are developing by looking at the passages that tell us to separate from christians, movements and even churches that are violating these principles. While Christ’s desire that his church is unity as we see in John 17:20–23 “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” There is also a place for separation to protect that unity and as we have seen there are times when we are commanded to separate.
Last week we covered separating from unrepentant sin, unbiblical practices and the unnecessarily divisive brother in Christ. Tonight, we are going to look at the last four principles of separation.
Separation from Those Who Deny Essential Doctrine
Separation from Those Who Deny Essential Doctrine
2 John 11 “for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”
The book of second John was written by the Apostle john to the elect lady. While there is some debate about who this woman was, I believe she was a real woman who hosted a house church in her home.
The motivation for separation in this text is the truth. 2 John 2 “for the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.”
the enemies of the truth- 2 John 7 “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” These false teachers deny the humanity of Jesus Christ. On Wednesday nights we have been going through the doctrine of Christ. In that study we have looked at the fact that Jesus is 100% God and 100% man. A denial of the essential humanity of Christ is a denial of Jesus. Just in case you are tempted to think this doctrine is unimportant, consider the fact that among other reasons Jesus had to have a human body to die for our sins according to Hebrews 10:5–10 “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
These false teachers are considered to not be saved. 2 John 9 “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.”
The church’s response is to stop receiving him and don’t help him along his way. 2 John 10 “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:” The word receive in this passage is literally stop receiving. The implication is that this woman had been receiving false teachers into her home; hence, John’s letter of exhortation.
The reason we should not receive them is because we become partakers of their evil deeds. Ill of aiding and abetting a murder. 2 John 11 “for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”
Separation from False Teachers
Separation from False Teachers
1 Timothy 6:3–5 “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.”
In the last point, the false teacher is declared to be unsaved; however, in this passage, Paul does not say that these men are unbelievers, yet they are false teachers.
Context- back in vs 1-2 Paul has challenged Timothy to exhort servants to respect their masters. This is faithfully living according to the gospel. What we believe is intended to impact the way we live. Verse 2 ends with a command to teach and exhort these things: godly living.
The false teachers- vs 3 introduces the false teachers because they are teaching men to live differently and not consent to wholesome words. These are defined in the rest of the verse as the doctrine which is according to godliness.
The description of the false teachers- they are proud, ignorant, consumed with debatable questions, they have bad attitudes, supposing that gain is godliness (speaks of the health and wealth gospel) because they are consumed with greed.
The church’s response- from such withdraw thyself
So from this passage we see that the gospel isn’t the only thing that we separate over. This is an issue of holy living. Those who promote ignoring what the bible says about the way we live, those who promote living in sin are to be rejected. These men promote antinomianism, or a license to sin.
Separation from Legalists
Separation from Legalists
2 Timothy 3:5 “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
In this passage, Paul warns about the last days and how there will be perilous times for believers. Men will be a list of things including lovers of self, lovers of money, lovers of pleasure. But there will also be according to vs 5, men who have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof. They look good on the outside because of their legalistic religious externalism, but whats on the inside is rotten. Central to Paul’s teaching and that of Jesus Himself, is that holiness comes from the inside out not the other way around. These men do not possess the power of God to transform a life. They bring a message focused on the outside and not the heart and the end of the verse tells us to turn away from these men. The following verses describe them:
consumed with lust vs 6
False humility manifested by never able to know anything. vs 7
Reject the truth vs 8
Back in 1 Timothy 4:1–4 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:” We are given another glimpse of these types of false teachers.
Notice where their doctrine comes from: seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. The result of their unbelief is a seared conscience. But I want us to notice the message of these false teachers:
forbidding to marry- asceticism
abstaining from meats-
I believe that legalistic churches contrary to what they believe actually promote ungodliness because the limit godliness to a small set of rules and they divorce the conscience from the work of the Holy Spirit. By giving you a list of x,y,z’s to follow; I have kept you from having to be led by the Spirit in doing what is right. Now clearly, the bible has its things to obey and avoid; but the legalist goes beyond what scriptures say. The end result is a seared conscience because you have that list. Thats all that matters.
I have met many who look good on the outside from legalistic churches. They wear the clothes that everyone expects them to wear, they listen to the right music, they only watch the right movies and yet over and over again it comes out that they were into evil things behind the scenes. One pastor I knew personally who was a legalist was raping women across state lines, got caught and hung himself. But everyone applauded this pastor as something special because he had a large church. He had a form of godliness, but his personal walk with the Lord was non-existent.
It is harder to determine who a legalist is because you can’t just look on the outside and conclude they are a legalist because they are more strict than you. Legalism is a matter of the heart. But it will come out just like it came out in the Pharisees.
It will come out in their message
It will come out in their judgment of others
It will come out in their hypocrisy
It will come out in the self-seeking pride in their lives, their church, their movement. They insist on titles and recognition just like the Pharisees wanted to be called Rabbi and Father.
Separation from the Unbelievers
Separation from the Unbelievers
2 Corinthians 6:14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”
This category deals with close partnerships of any kind with the lost.
context Paul is saying our hearts are enlarged towards you. We love you, but you have not loved us. Because we love you, please don’t allow yourselves to be drawn into close relationships with unbelievers. That phrase be ye also enlarged means to widen your hearts to us. Let you love for believers grow. The implication is that when we allow our hearts to grow close to the lost in this way it draws us away from loving believers. The reason for this is because our values begin to change. 1 Corinthians 15:33 “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”
Analogy
righteousness/unrighteousness
light/ dark
Christ/ Satan
believer/ infidel
The text does not actually tell us what context this principle is to be applied to because Paul is giving us a general principle. In the book of 2 Corinthians, Paul is asking why the church has begun to love false apostles and reject him. As Paul had opened his heart to them, they ought to open their heart to him. but they are unequally joined to these false brethren. The bible often speaks in principles which we are to take and apply them to the circumstances of our lives. This principle deals with being yoked together with unbelievers in any relationship of our lives. I will give you three applications.
business relationships-
friendships
marriage
This isn’t saying that Christians should not have relationships at all with the lost, but our closest relationships ought to be with those whose love and priorities in life align with ours. The bible says can two walk together accept they be agreed. If there is so much different between a Christian and a non christian, we should wonder why our closest relationships are with the lost. This principle ties into our connections in the church. Do we join with unsaved people for evangelism? Can we host a feed the homeless drive with unsaved men and hope to also give them the gospel? The church and the world cannot join together for any of these spiritual purposes and close fellowship.
Conclusion
Conclusion
I hope this series has helped you to know what the bible actually says about separation. It is an important issue because God’s desire is unity, but sometimes that unity requires separation. But it must be for the right reasons. Hopefully this series will help you to make principled decisions about when to separate and when not to separate. Next week we will ask what is worth separating over.
