"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you." (2 Corinthians 6:17)

"Be ye separate." I want to talk to you about personal, Biblical separation. Before I begin, however, let us read the context of the above verse.

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 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. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

The above passage is addressed to believers. It is instruction for "he that believeth" in verse 15, or one who is "the temple of God," according to verse 16.

That is, it is written to people who, having recognized that they were sinners under the condemnation of God, believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting His sacrificial death for our sins according to the scriptures, His burial, and His resurrection the third day according to the scriptures, for their salvation. These are born again, saved people. They know they are going to heaven when they die.

Therefore, this passage is not telling people that they can go to heaven if they will stay away from certain people and things. It is only addressed to people who are ALREADY heaven-bound! This passage is a call to SEPARATION among GOD'S people.

Separation is a missing note in much of today's preaching and teaching. Even among Bible-believing people, separation is an "off-limits" subject. If you believe in separation, you are going to be accused of being a Pharisee, a legalist, or of being "hyper-separated."

These are merely derogatory terms that worldly people use to dismiss your position by ridicule rather than take the time and effort to give it serious consideration. The truth about their accusations is, as someone has said, "A `Pharisee' is anyone who has higher standards than YOU have."

God gives to us, the saved, in this passage, the COMMAND, not a suggestion, the COMMAND, not a request, to "be ye separate." This should not come as any surprise, however, because God is a God of SEPARATION. When we talk about separation, we are talking about a DIVISION. God is a DIVIDER. Yes, He does join things together, but He is a greater DIVIDER than He is a JOINER.

Before God joined anything together in the first chapter of Genesis, He DIVIDED the light from the darkness (Gen. 1:4). He then DIVIDED the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament (Gen. 1:5-6).

When a person trusts Christ as His Savior, he is joined to the Lord Jesus Christ. However, he must first experience a DIVISION in himself, the operation of God, performed by using a supernatural cutting instrument:

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

People are joined by God in marriage. However, before a man CLEAVES (joins) to his wife, he is to LEAVE (be divided from) his father and mother:

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." (Genesis 2:24)

Some people think that the purpose of the Lord's coming was to bring all of the nations together in peace. That is not true. Jesus said that He came to bring DIVISION. Read His own words:

"Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law." (Luke 12:51-53)

God's people should be a SEPARATED, or "peculiar" people. Jesus did not just die to take us to heaven, although that is ONE reason (John 3:16). He also died so that we might be separated from the world:

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:13- 14)

If you will read again the last two verses of our opening scripture passage, you will understand why I call separation "the key to fellowship with God".

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)

It is true that God is the Father of ALL who trust Him, POSITIONAL. The scripture is clear on that:

"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26)

However, according to 2 Corinthians 6:18, God will be A Father UNTO all who OBEY Him, in separation, PRACTICALLY. An illustration of this could be seen in that a son might accuse his father, "You never were a father to me!"

By that he means that he did not show love to the son, that he did not spend time with him, that he did not have communion with him. The man was a father, positionaly, in that he brought him into this world, but not practically, during the son's growth IN the world.

Are you in fellowship with God? You are not in fellowship with Him if you are not separated from the world. If we lose our personal and ecclesiastical (church affiliations and associations) separation, we not only lose our distinction as Christians and as Bible-believing, fundamental, independent Baptists, but we also lose out on having close fellowship with God.

Some prominent preachers, such as Jerry Falwell, Billy Graham, and Jack Van Impe, have set dangerously bad examples for Christians by "yoking up" with charismatics and even with the Roman Catholic Church!

"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4:4)

While the call to separation is needed in our day, I have observed that it is much easier to preach and practice ECCLESIASTICAL separation (separation from spiritual alliances with denominations, cults, and isms) than PERSONAL separation.

I am calling this message, "Personal Separation Å A Balanced View." In issuing a call to separation, I want to emphasize that separation is both positive and negative in its application.

There are certain things FROM which we should be separated, and there are other things TO which we should be separated. Let us begin with a look at the negative aspect of separation before closing with the positive.

Let me also preface these thoughts by saying that separation is also outward and inward in practice. It is a heart matter. It is a lot easier to be separated OUTWARDLY, as were the unregenerate Pharisees of Jesus' day, than to be separated INWARDLY. If a person has a HEART inclined toward separation, then this message will bring an "amen" from his heart, accompanied with a desire to live a separated life for the Lord Jesus Christ.

"O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!" (Deuteronomy 5:29)

The first thing I want to emphasize about separation is this: In order to be in fellowship with God, you will have to:

BE SEPARATE FROM THE WICKED CROWD

"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." (Proverbs 13:20)

Our opening passage, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, commands us to be separate from the wicked crowd. We are to come out from among them and be separate.

Of course, it is impossible to completely avoid the presence of wicked people. As long as we are in this world, we will be around wicked people. However, we do not have to become "yoked" with them. Or, as Proverbs 13:20 warns, we do not have to be "companions" with them.

Looking at Proverbs 13:20, we see that separation from the wicked crowd has two very positive results.

First, separation from the wicked crowd will keep us from being corrupted by their influence:

"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise . . ." (Proverbs 13:20a)

How often has a mother lamented, "He was such a good boy until he started running with the wrong crowd!" Whether or not you admit it or desire it, you will eventually begin to acquire for yourself the attributes of your companions.

Excuse the grammar here, but you are going to be like the crowd you run with. You need to pick your crowd carefully. If you want to be godly, you need to have godly companions.

Your companions need to be Bible-believing, fundamental, independent Baptists. Soul-winners will influence you to be a soul-winner. Prayer warriors will encourage you to pray just by having them as companions. Bible students will motivate you to study your Bible. Separated Christians will stir you up to be separated. Your crowd will make you or break you.

Let me say just a word to you parents about this. If you have any desire at all for your children to live for God, you MUST not allow your children to play with, become friends with, and become companions with the wrong crowd.

If YOU live a holy, separated life, the worst things your child will ever learn, he will learn from the people that YOU allow him to have for companions. A parent will often ask, "Where did my child learn to use that kind of language or to do that kind of behavior?" Well, if he didn't learn it from YOU, he learned it from people you allowed him to have for companions.

We never allow our children to play with the neighborhood children, They would come to the door and ask if my girls could come out and play. My answer was always, "No."

Some of you parents would not allow your children to play with a literal, poisonous snake for a moment, because you understand the deadly power of a snake. Yet, you will allow your child to spend hours in the company of lost buddies or ungodly friends, and their spiritual poison is even more deadly than that of physical snakes.

Sometimes the wrong crowd will include influences that you didn't consider, such as members in your own church, or people in your own family. Of the wicked things I learned as a child, the most wicked were taught me by relatives. Your child's companions (as well as your own) may also include television shows, Internet friends, and radio, tape, and CD musicians. BE CAREFUL!

In the second half of the verse we see that separation from the wicked crowd will keep us from being consumed in their iniquity.

". . . but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." (Proverbs 13:20b)

When I trusted Christ as Savior in 1968, I was 14 years old. Without knowing anything about separation, at that time I began to pull away from some of my school friends, because we were just headed in two different directions.

Around 25 years later, one of my old buddies from my childhood visited our Wednesday night Prayer Meeting service. I asked him, "Where have you been all of these years?" "Well," he answered, "most of the time I was in JAIL."

Many people in jail say that their crime was in being at the wrong place at the wrong time. The truth is, MOST often they were with the wrong PEOPLE. THAT led them to the wrong place at the wrong time.

If you want the same kind of fruit or results that godly people obtain, you should make them your companions. If you don't want the fruits of sin, DON'T YOKE UP WITH THE DEVIL'S GARDENERS!

BE SEPARATE FROM WRONG CONVERSATION

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." (Ephesians 4:29)

In promoting this separation, let me urge you: DON'T RELEASE WRONG CONVERSATION. Don't let it ever happen once. Don't curse once. Don't tell even one filthy joke. The Bible says to let NO corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.

You say, "Well, it's just as wrong to think it as to say it. So I may as well say it if I have thought it." That is not true. Two wrongs do not make a right. If you thought something that you should not have, confess it to God as sin, and forsake it. Don't compound your transgression by verbalizing it.

When you have a bad thought, you harm yourself. When you VOICE that bad thought, you corrupt yourself and others. Every time you speak the wrong thing, it defiles you. This was the teaching of our Lord, who said that a man is defiled by what comes out of his mouth:

"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." (Matthew 15:18-20)

Christians should be known for their pure talk. As a fundamental Baptist preacher, I am appalled by the fact that some of my preacher brethren use filthy language. One prominent preacher within a "fellowship" of preachers has enjoyed the respect of many of them and been allowed to preach in many of their pulpits. Yet, this man is known nationwide for his filthy language.

Separation is the key to fellowship with God, according to 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. I don't believe a man with a filthy mouth is in fellowship with God.

It's bad to release bad conversation. However, I also exhort you:

DON'T RECEIVE BAD CONVERSATION. You should not listen to filthy language and jokes, but there are other things as well that are wrong for you to hear. Gossip is one of them. Unbelief is another. Complaining is another.

"And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear . . ." (Mark 4:24a)

"Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge." (Proverbs 19:27)

I realize that we can't expect lost people to have the same opinion about bad conversation as we do, but it doesn't mean that we have to stay around and listen to it.

If you are likely to be faced with the same problem again, such as being asked by a coworker to listen to a "funny" joke (to unsaved and ungodly people, a joke is not funny unless it is dirty), kindly but firmly let him know that as a Christian, you would rather not listen to that kind of joke.

If a CHRISTIAN is trying to fill your ear with doubt, discord, criticism, or gossip, lean over to him, and, in a spirit of love, say, as loudly as you can, "DON'T USE MY EAR FOR YOUR GARBAGE DUMP!!!!"

Don't release bad conversation. Don't receive bad conversation. Also, DON'T REPEAT BAD CONVERSATION. I know some people who will not originate filthy talk, but they have a habit of REPEATING it.

The Bible says to let NO corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. You do NOT repeat everything someone has said, and you do NOT have to tell everything you know.

Third, in order to be in fellowship with God, you must:

BE SEPARATE FROM WORLDLY CLOTHING

This is one of the most controversial aspects of separation. Many Christians believe that it does not matter how one looks, as long as he is right with God on the inside. Although it is true that holiness of the inside is more important than the outside, the Bible is pretty plain in its commands for us to match our outward appearance to our inward position in Christ:

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

Lost people don't glorify the Father because of the inner holiness of Christians. They give Christianity "credit" when they see a change on the OUTSIDE.

"Abstain from all appearance of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:22)

Christians ought to live right. We ALSO ought to LOOK like we are living right. Yes, a hypocrite is someone who changes the outside without changing the inside. However, it is also hypocritical to be a child of God and look like a child of the devil. It is hypocritical for a woman to be a Christian mother and put on a whore's uniform. Notice what the Bible says:

"And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtile of heart." (Proverbs 7:10)

It DOES matter what you wear. The above verse shows that it is possible for a woman to wear "the attire of an harlot."

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:1-2)

God feels so strongly about our appearance that He said those who wear the wrong type of garment are an ABOMINATION to Him.

"The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God." (Deuteronomy 22:5)

An abomination is anything that is vile, loathsome, and disgusting. That's God's evaluation of those who "cross-dress." For more details on this, see my little book, "Why Your Wife and Daughter Should Not Wear Pants."

This includes hair length. According to 1 Corinthians 11, God's plan is for men to wear short hair and for women to wear long hair. I have a little book on that subject called, "Hair: The Long and Short Of it."

Your appearance should reveal your inner godliness. The very verse that the worldlings use to justify their ungodly appearance show the need to LOOK right:

"But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)

Read it carefully, and you will see that the verse does NOT say that God ignores the outside. God told Samuel that he wasn't to expect God's choice for a king to be based upon the beauty of the face or the height of the body. God was going to pick a man whose HEART was right.

Now, look at it. What it says is that God can see the heart, but man cannot. MAN sees the OUTSIDE. That is all he CAN see. That is why God told us to abstain from all appearance of evil. Men look on the outward appearance, because they cannot see our heart.

We are justified before God by what we BELIEVE. We are justified before MAN, however, by how we BEHAVE. Man figures that what you do and how you appear on the OUTSIDE are indications of what you are on the INSIDE.

Your appearance should reinforce your inner goals. "Clothes make the man," they say. It is a fact that what you were has an effect upon the way you behave. That is why the military and many schools have uniforms.

Is your goal in life to be a slob? Is it to be a bum? Is it to be a whore? Is it to be a rock star? If not, then you should not look like those kinds of people.

Is your goal in life to be a spirit-filled Christian? Do you want to be a preacher, a Sunday School teacher, a bus worker, a music or youth director? If so, then dress in such way that it will reinforce your inner goals.

Some of you guys need to go to your bedroom and have a revival concerning your apparel. Fellows, get rid of the hair spray, the earrings, the tattoos, the baggy britches.

Ladies, get rid of the pants and shorts. Buy some dresses. You will feel more feminine, and you will look more feminine.

Let's look at one more aspect of personal separation from a negative standpoint. This one may come as a surprise to you.

BE SEPARATE FROM WAYWARD CHRISTIANS

As a believer grows in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, he realizes that he can no longer be companions with lost people and stay in fellowship with God. After that stage, he has little problem in realizing that he needs to be separate from the wrong kind of talk.

It is a big step for him to begin making the physical changes of appearance, in order that he may have a good testimony in the world, but many Christians reach that stage of progress in separation without too much trouble.

This next one, however, is a big step indeed. That is, if a believer is going to be in fellowship with God, there are times in which he is going to have to withdraw his fellowship from disobedient Christians who are living like heathen.

"And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed." (2 Thessalonians 3:14)

Worldly Christians identify you. You will become known by the crowd you choose. I am a Bible-believing, fundamental, independent Baptist. I know my crowd. Maybe not all Bible- believing, fundamental, independent Baptist groups claim me, but I claim them.

I left the Southern Baptist Convention in 1972, never to return. (See my book, "Why I Am Not A Southern Baptist.") By the mid 1980's, I decided that I was not even going to visit Southern Baptist churches at all. I never attend a Southern Baptist Church (or Methodist, Pentecostal, or any other kind than the RIGHT kind) while I'm traveling.

I don't go to a Southern Baptist church even if Aunt Susie and Uncle Fred have been members of it for 250 years and they are trying to get all the kinfolks there for their 105th wedding anniversary! I just don't do it!

I don't attend those SBC (Southern Baptist Convention) churches when they hold revival meetings. I don't care WHO is preaching. Someone says, "You sure miss out on some good preaching by not going to some of those Southern Baptist Churches, Brother O'Neal."

You may be right. I'm sure that I also miss out on some diamond rings, earrings, and other expensive jewelry by not spending a lot of time sifting through septic tanks! Does it make sense to look for a diamond in a septic tank when you have the opportunity to do your shopping in a fine jewelry store?

You say, "preacher, you're calling my church a septic tank!" I'm not. The Southern Baptist Convention is the septic tank. If your church will pull out and become an independent Baptist church, the Lord will cleanse it, and come into it and have fellowship with the people in it.

I don't attend seminars and lectures held by people who are not Bible-believing, fundamental, independent Baptists. Separation is one of the BASIC issues of the Christian life. It is the KEY to being in fellowship with God, according to 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. You can't walk in darkness and be in fellowship with God, for God is LIGHT, and in Him is NO darkness at all!

Birds of a feather flock together. They recognize each other. I have seen rebellious man, woman, or teenager start coming to church and within TWO WEEKS be close buddies with another person who is just as rebellious.

But not only do they identify you, but worldly Christians also influence you. Birds of a feather flock together, and birds who flock together usually end up chirping alike.

If you run with the wrong crowd, they are more likely to send you in a bad direction than you are to send them in a good direction. Not only that, if you endeavor to influence just ONE person, you had better not let your guard down. Have you ever noticed that it is easier to pull someone DOWN than it is to pull someone UP?

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." (Galatians 6:1)

Notice, please the plural pronoun, "ye," in the above verse. The best way to straighten out a disobedient Christian is to get that individual into a group of separated believers. Let a GROUP pull him up.

Worldly Christians identify you, they influence you, and finally, they are inspired by you to be worldly, if you don't separate from them. The purpose of withdrawing fellowship from him is to shame him into recognizing his sin:

"And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed." (2 Thessalonians 3:14)

Your approval, by your company with them, encourages them to believe that they can live like the devil and still be in fellowship with God's people. If you want to help the cause of Christ, if you want to help the backsliden, rebellious believer, then "have no company with him, that he may be ashamed" (2 Thess. 3:14b).

Now, this book is a BALANCED view of the doctrine of personal separation. By that I mean that a Christian should be separated FROM some things and that he should be separated TO some things. So let's look at the positive characteristics of separation.

In order to be in fellowship with God, you must:

BE SEPARATE UNTO THE WORD OF CHRIST

"Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge." (Proverbs 19:27)

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." (Psalms 1:1-2)

The blessed man of Psalm 1 is a man who is separated both negatively and positively. He doesn't walk in the counsel of the ungodly (negative); he doesn't stand in the way of sinners (negative); and he doesn't sit in the seat of the scornful (negative).

On the other hand, however, his delight is in the law of the Lord (positive) and in his law he meditates day and night (positive).

Set aside time for the word of God. Read it through from cover to cover. When I surrendered to preach in 1972, I made it a practice to read my Bible through at least once a year. By December 29, 2000, I had read my Bible through 53 times.

I have encouraged many people over the years to begin reading their Bibles through. It is so important to me that I wrote a little book, "Read Your Bible Through," which includes a Bible reading chart and guide.

Meditate on the word of God. Think about it. Memorize it. Hide it in your heart, that you might not sin against God (Psalms 119:11). Study it, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). Pray over it. Live by it (Luke 4:4). Teach it to others.

Sit under the ministry of those who believe the word of God, who teach the word of God, and who live by the word of God. The blessed man, according to Psalm 1, does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly.

I believe that too many independent Baptists are sitting at the feet of the compromisers, heretics, and worldlings in an effort to learn how to build churches, have emotional stability, and solve personal problems!

I believe it is absolutely necessary, if you are going to be in fellowship with God, that you:

BE SEPARATE UNTO THE WORK OF THE CHURCH

"As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." (Acts 13:2)

You should bring your family into the church. Parents should endeavor to lead their children to Christ early. Once they are saved, they should be baptized immediately. Your children should be members of YOUR church, a Bible-believing, fundamental, independent Baptist church, not a Southern Baptist church or something even worse.

It is also a positive aspect of separation to build your family around the church. Our girls were brought up to be in EVERY service. They didn't miss a thing. While our girls were living in our home, they didn't miss five services (including sickness) between the two of them in 20 years.

Let your children see your love for God's church. Pray that they will love it. If they fall in love with God, they will also fall in love with the Lord's church. At present, each of my family members has more than one job in our church.

Finally, in order to be in fellowship with God, you should:

BE SEPARATE UNTO THE WITNESS OF CALVARY

"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God." (Romans 1:1)

Notice Paul's POSITIVE separation in the above verse. He was separated UNTO the gospel of God. Although you are not going to be an apostle, you also should be separated unto the work of soul-winning.

In order to do that, you will have to PREPARE for it. Put it in your schedule and on your "to-do" list. Set goals. You can't determine the results, but you can determine the amount of effort you put forth, the amount of time you spend, and the number of homes you contact. Pray ahead of time. Keep the proper tools on hand: a New Testament, gospel tracts, follow-up materials, and a note pad and pen.

If you are going to be separated to soul-winning, you need to PARTICIPATE in it. Do this privately and publicly. If your church has an organized soul-winning visitation program, get in it! If you aren't satisfied with it, or you want to devote more energy to soul-winning, get you a partner and do some additional soul- winning as well as participating in the church's program!

You will never win anyone to Christ if you don't get the opportunity to present the gospel. As a general rule, you aren't going to win them through a screen door. Ask God to open hearts before you go. Ask people to let you come in and talk with them.

Then, to be separated to soul-winning, PERSIST in it. Don't give up! Keep witnessing! Don't just go soul-winning for a season Do it for a lifetime!

CONCLUSION

Separation is both negative and positive. Let's emphasize both aspects in our own lives. Let's emphasize both in our influence upon others. It is the KEY to being in fellowship with God! †