IT'S NOT WORTH IT: BE SEPARATE part one

Dearly beloved, I welcome you to an awesome month of February. May you abound in the grace and wisdom of God in Jesus name. This month, I will be sharing with you on what I titled ‘Be Separate.’

“Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” – 2nd Corinthians 6:17. Firstly, I will like to make you see that this letter was written by Paul to Christians (2nd Corinthians 1:1). Though it was addressed to the Corinthian church. Jesus, through His word is speaking to us still. If Jesus through Apostle Paul is telling the Corinthian Church to separate themselves, then He requires same from us today.

The message is quite clear. It needs no translation. Frankly, this is a passage of scripture that speaks for itself. However, there are Christians who do not understand the importance of this scripture nor do they feel that this scripture needs to be taken literally or seriously for that matter. They take the Holy Scripture and water it down and bring down the edges to soften the meaning, reshape it and are left with a scripture that has been melted and molded to mean what they want it to mean. They are only deceiving themselves; “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” – Galatians 6:7. Some Christians might create their own definition for what a separate life means and bend it until it fits perfectly in line with their comfortable life style. They can try to convince themselves that they are walking in the right direction, but as long as they are striving to be popular and to fit in as normal in this world, their hearts are not right with God. Those who choose to dip their toes in the mire and play with fire are walking a dangerous path.

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 place but you can’t. The Bible tells us Christians to separate ourselves 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 a lost friend. You still talk to your old friends after you get saved, you just change the topic of your conversations. You can still hangout with your old friends but 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 to your level, don’t let them bring you down to theirs.

As Christians, we are to stay clear of anything that goes against biblical standards. If the Bible said it was a sin 2000 years ago, then its still a sin today. The bible does not change to fit the changing culture. Avoid any association that will hinder your spiritual life; 2nd Corinthians 6:14 says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? 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 that, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Beloved, be not unequally yoked together with an unbeliever, because if you do, you will be heading in the same direction. May that not be your portion in Jesus name.

If you are not living a life separate from the world, then how does the world know you are different? If you can still go out and commit the same sin as before you were saved, then I hate to tell you, you didn’t get saved. I am not saying a Christian is never going to sin; who says that they never sin is calling God a liar according to 1st John 1:10, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” But I am not talking about slip-ups, I am talking about when we intentionally and habitually sin. Ephesians 4:30 tells us that we are sealed unto the day of redemption, meaning that God saved you once and then you are saved forever, but there are some who wants this verse to excuse their sinful lifestyle. They think they 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.

God bless you. Continue next month.