As a young Christian, I once asked an old pastor to explain the doctrine of separation from the world. The old man pondered for a minute and said, “You will never understand it while you are in the world, and if you get out of the world you won’t need anyone to explain it.” His words were true. There are some things that are difficult to understand until you back away and take an objective look.
You won’t read very far in the New Testament without becoming aware of some very pointed warnings to God’s children concerning the danger from the world around them.
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord.”
I Corinthians 6:17
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
I John 2:15-17
“. . .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
Until recently, most Christians took these passages of Scripture very seriously. They also remembered and considered the sad words of Paul concerning Demas:
“…Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world.”
II Timothy 4:10
Why is Christian Separation Such an Important Doctrine?
Over the years many just assumed that preachers who brought messages on Biblical separation were legalist who just didn’t want people to have any fun. I am sure on occasion that assessment may have been true; however, the real reasons go far deeper. Faithful preachers were concerned about your maturing relationship with God.
Separating from the World is the Only Way to Really Know Christ.
This world is an evil place, and our Lord taught us the closer you are to this darkened world, the further you will be from His glorious light. On the night before his crucifixion, at the Last Supper, Jesus told his disciples,
“Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more, but ye see me.”
John 14:19
What an astounding statement for Jesus to make. He was certainly not just speaking about His resurrection appearances. He was also telling them the deeper they were in the world the less they would experience His manifestation in their life. Paul would offer a similar statement to the Corinthian believers regarding God’s clear manifestation as a Father to separated believers.
“. . . be ye separate, saith the Lord
. . . and I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters. . .”
I Corinthians 6:17-18
Years ago, separation from the world was a defining characteristic of the true church. But in this modern era there seems to be very little distinction between the church and the world, and Jesus will not reveal Himself to the world. He will not reveal Himself through the world’s music, message, entertainment, or through the world’s styles or standards. God has set His people apart for His kingdom purposes, to be instruments of change. We are here to make a difference in the world.
Instead, a lot of churches seek to entangle and mimic the world. As a result, a lot of Christians have allowed themselves to conform to the world’s values and character. In my opinion, many young people have never attended a church service that was not heavily influenced by the world.
So, when those without Christ face a crisis and look for something different from the trappings of an empty world, they find no source of hope in the church. We were meant to embody the difference they seek. But today the lost and hurting see our lives as no different from their own. Our marriages, finances, and families are just as messed up as theirs.
Worldly Christians Will Never Influence The World For Christ.
When we become like the world, we lose all our power to influence the world. Our God is a God of distinguishing separations. It seems important to God that we see the clear divisions between certain things. God makes such divisions throughout the Bible. At the Creation, He separated light from darkness and day from night. He separated Israel from all other nations. In the New Testament, He commands his church, “Come out from among them and be ye separate.” At the last day there will be a separation of the wheat from the tares, the saved from the lost, and the sheep from the goats. Throughout His Word, God is constantly drawing lines of distinction saying, “Do not be confused, this is one thing and this is another.” This is a vitally needed message if we are to influence the world.
Worldly Christians Will Have Few Personal Convictions.
Worldly Christians will have few personal convictions in their life. Their standards of modesty, their preference of music, their favorite movies, and even the jokes they find amusing will often mimic the world. There was a time when restaurants could always distinguish the “church crowd” during Sunday lunch by the way they were dressed. Today, those differences are more difficult to see. I am not saying that casual attire is wrong; I am just stating there was a time when Christians wanted to look different. Putting on our “Sunday best” was just as much a part of our worship as singing a hymn or picking up our Bible. Simply put, you will always have fewer absolutes in your life as you sink deeper into the world. Worldly Christians have few real convictions, and the few they have will evaporate as time passes.
“O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away”
Hosea 6:4
In these words God said He did not know what to do with Israel because their good convictions did not last long, but they quickly disappeared like the morning dew.
Consider the children of Israel. When they were led through the Red Sea, they sang praises to the Lord. Yet, in just three short days, they forgot His works and began to murmur and complain. Lot’s wife may have left Sodom, but something yearning in her heart was drawing her to look back. Abraham obeyed God by leaving his home in Ur, but he later found the appeal of worldly Egypt hard to resist.
Why Do Their Convictions Fade?
That brings us back to our original point. Since worldly Christians don’t see a clear manifestation of the real Christ, they do not dwell on the riches of His grace. Therefore, they may be more impressed with a new car than with Christ. They may be more overwhelmed if they get to meet a movie star than they are in spending time with the God of the universe. Only seeing the uniqueness of Christ can draw you to Him. As you begin to see the glory, beauty, and love of Christ, you will never want to go back to the world. That is what the old preacher was trying to tell me!
Furthermore, the worldly Christian does not have a real hatred for sin. The convictions they had were only about the generalities of sin, but not the filthiness of it. They lose sight of what nailed Christ to the cross. They didn’t really see anything wrong with some of their old sins. They had no change of heart. The Holy Spirit is not in control of their lives. Therefore, their convictions soon fade away like a morning cloud. In times of temptation, their convictions easily disappear.
So, Why is There So Little Separation Today?
Why is there so little separation from the world by the church today? One reason is there’s very little call for separation. When a pastor preaches holiness, he’s seen as old school, negative, and legalistic.
But perhaps the deeper reason is that most people “just don’t get it.” The message will go over the head of worldly Christians. The Holy Spirit will have to bring deep conviction, and they will have to be receptive to His message. Again, I remind you that you will not see a clear manifestation of Christ if you are entangled by the world. However, as you separate from the world you will begin to truly behold God’s glory; and once you behold His glory, you will gladly separate yourself from anything less. Since worldly Christians know very little about God’s glory, the world can be very appealing.
So, why should you separate yourself from the world? There may be many reasons to flee from the kingdom of darkness and the god of this world, but perhaps the best reason is that Jesus said: “The world won’t see me, but you will.” The deeper you are entangled with the world the less manifestation of Christ you will be privileged to see.
Let me warn you today, if you are careless in your separation from the world, you will become more and more worldly. You will have fewer and fewer convictions. You will have less knowledge of Christ. You will have less manifestations of His peace. You will have less and less of an impact for the Kingdom. You will steadily grow less holy in your day to day life, and your moral compass will become less accurate the longer you sojourn in the world.
Remember, we were called to be different.
Dr. Worthington has been in the ministry forty years and serves as President of Pathway Ministries.