"Come Out of Their Midst and Be Separate"

“Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (rf. II Corinthians 6:14-18 MEV)

 

 

            The Apostle Paul here is teaching a principle echoing the words of Jesus in John 15:19 which says, “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, the world therefore hates you.” For both Jesus and Paul the concept of Jesus’ followers being distinctly different is a very important one. In many respects, Jesus’ expectation of us as His people is a radical departure from the present perception among Western Christians, in particular, that we should be as “relevant” and connecting to society and culture as possible, that our commonalities should far outshine and outpace our differences. 

            Paul lived in a time when his surrounding culture was profoundly pagan and wicked by Scriptural standards. The church at Corinth to whom the text above was written was enveloped and oppressed by spiritual darkness. Temples to various Greek and Roman gods dotted the landscape along with the drunken and sexual orgies that accompanied their worship. Cults and other religious sects thrived as did the veneration of the Emperor and the Empire. It was, indeed, a dark backdrop to the work of Christ in that cosmopolitan city.

            Notice that Paul did not encourage making the Gospel “relevant” or to disclose faith in Christ as just another color in the religious “rainbow” of the Gentiles. Rather, Paul is clear that followers of Christ should be distinct from the world around them. As he puts it, “what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial (the Devil), or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols?” Instead of playing along with the culture, Paul’s encouragement to his fellow Christians is to “come out from their midst and be separate”. Why the need for distinction? Only as light is separated from darkness is the difference between the two clearly seen. Those who are spiritually alive must not be acting like corpses; otherwise, how will the spiritually dead know that they are dead if not by the comparison with those who are truly alive in Christ.

            Even today, Western culture is quickly returning to the paganism of old; gods in the past have been exchanged for a plethora of gods in the present. Around us, especially during this time of year, we see clear expressions of spiritual darkness. Evil acts and representations abound with the air of fun and the promise of excitement. It is as if someone truly opened Pandora’s Box and all manner of wickedness now flourishes and is socially acceptable.

            Since the present is becoming more reflective of Paul’s context, it is incumbent upon us as believers in Christ to follow closely Paul’s admonition above. Only when we shine the light of Christ in our lives by being separate, different and distinct from the world around will those trapped in its evil grip know and see that there is a better way of living. We must renew the call to “come out…and be separate”, shining our light brightly for all to see while being committed to not being a part with or supportive of the world around us that relishes in darkness. Only when we do so are we truly fulfilling His call to be His disciples and reflective of His reality in us.

 

The Church's Role in the Future of the Nation

“For I will send pestilence to her and blood to her streets, and the wounded will fall in her midst by the sword upon her on every side; then they will know that I am the Lord. And there will be no more for the house of Israel a prickling brier or a painful thorn from any round about them who scorned them; then they will know that I am the Lord God.” (rf. Ezek. 28:23-24 NASB)

 

“If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.” (II Chron. 7:13-16 NASB)

 

            One of the concepts with which followers of Christ have difficulty is the truth that God allows and even uses suffering, hard circumstances, sickness and death to accomplish His righteous purposes. Admittedly, it is never fun when this allowance by God becomes a reality in our own lives; indeed, when we hurt or are in pain, it’s hard for us to conceive that God in His infinite wisdom is working out something better and more extensive for us and those around us than we could ever imagine. On an individual level, this is the reason it is good for us to remember the promises in Rom. 8:28-39.

            If this truth is hard for us to swallow as children of God, how much more so when these truths are applied to one’s nation. In each of the passages above, God is specifically addressing His people as a whole in reference to their own country. When God’s people strayed away from the Lord and His Word to them (as did the Israelites of the Old Testament), to get their attention, God would bring calamity into the life of the nation. These negative experiences would include war, crime, violence, disease and pestilence, famine, weather disasters, etc. in order to help them recognize their own sinful condition, the need to repent and repudiate those sins, and to drive them back into His waiting arms of love and acceptance. 

            We tend to view our sin as unfortunate mistakes or simply “being human”, imperfect in our going and doings. God views our sin as an affront and offense to His holy character and nature, provoking a dangerous and wrathful response. When His people continue in their sin without suitable repentance, it can be guaranteed that their nation will undoubtedly have a very negative experience as a result. 

            Our problem today is that we are blaming everything around us for the issues that presently face our nation. We hold politicians of the opposing side especially accountable for the violence and wars our country faces abroad while crime runs rampant on our city streets. We charge “man-made climate change” for the acceleration in number and intensity of weather disasters while conveniently forgetting or choosing not to remember who exactly controls the forces of nature (i.e. the Lord—see Matt. 8:27). We deplore the ongoing degradation of social norms and morals while allowing sexual and relational sins of all sorts within the Church. We are simply sinning ourselves into oblivion as His people, specifically, knowing full well what will be the ramifications of such for our country.

            In the above texts, God has given His people sufficient warning of what is coming when we sin without repentance and cleansing. He has also provided the remedy for these things. We must first recognize that our sin is repugnant to Him, turning away from that sin completely. We must then ask His forgiveness for ourselves and for our nation in a most sincere fashion. There is also clear indication above that the Lord desires such prayers to flow from “His house”, His place of worship. He, therefore, expects His people to be in attendance to offer these prayers for forgiveness personally. Finally, we must commit ourselves not to get on this path of sin again; instead, we will submit ourselves totally to Him and to the fulfillment of His Word so that the Church can be restored to power in His Spirit and our nation to the peace with God that He desires. 

            The question is: are we willing to face the reality of our own sin and repent of it? Are we willing to seek Him for this forgiveness and watch as He brings healing “to our land”? It all begins with us as His people. We must take the first step if there is to be widespread positive change that pleases and glorifies Him.

Getting Our Nation Right With God

 

“For I will send pestilence to her and blood to her streets, and the wounded will fall in her midst by the sword upon her on every side; then they will know that I am the Lord. And there will be no more for the house of Israel a prickling brier or a painful thorn from any round about them who scorned them; then they will know that I am the Lord God.” (rf. Ezek. 28:23-24 NASB)

 

“If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.” (II Chron. 7:13-16 NASB)

 

            One of the concepts with which followers of Christ have difficulty is the truth that God allows and even uses suffering, hard circumstances, sickness and death to accomplish His righteous purposes. Admittedly, it is never fun when this allowance by God becomes a reality in our own lives; indeed, when we hurt or are in pain, it’s hard for us to conceive that God in His infinite wisdom is working out something better and more extensive for us and those around us than we could ever imagine. On an individual level, this is the reason it is good for us to remember the promises in Rom. 8:28-39.

            If this truth is hard for us to swallow as children of God, how much more so when these truths are applied to one’s nation. In each of the passages above, God is specifically addressing His people as a whole in reference to their own country. When God’s people strayed away from the Lord and His Word to them (as did the Israelites of the Old Testament), to get their attention, God would bring calamity into the life of the nation. These negative experiences would include war, crime, violence, disease and pestilence, famine, weather disasters, etc. in order to help them recognize their own sinful condition, the need to repent and repudiate those sins, and to drive them back into His waiting arms of love and acceptance. 

            We tend to view our sin as unfortunate mistakes or simply “being human”, imperfect in our going and doings. God views our sin as an affront and offense to His holy character and nature, provoking a dangerous and wrathful response. When His people continue in their sin without suitable repentance, it can be guaranteed that their nation will undoubtedly have a very negative experience as a result. 

            Our problem today is that we are blaming everything around us for the issues that presently face our nation. We hold politicians of the opposing side especially accountable for the violence and wars our country faces abroad while crime runs rampant on our city streets. We charge “man-made climate change” for the acceleration in number and intensity of weather disasters while conveniently forgetting or choosing not to remember who exactly controls the forces of nature (i.e. the Lord—see Matt. 8:27). We deplore the ongoing degradation of social norms and morals while allowing sexual and relational sins of all sorts within the Church. We are simply sinning ourselves into oblivion as His people, specifically, knowing full well what will be the ramifications of such for our country.

            In the above texts, God has given His people sufficient warning of what is coming when we sin without repentance and cleansing. He has also provided the remedy for these things. We must first recognize that our sin is repugnant to Him, turning away from that sin completely. We must then ask His forgiveness for ourselves and for our nation in a most sincere fashion. There is also clear indication above that the Lord desires such prayers to flow from “His house”, His place of worship. He, therefore, expects His people to be in attendance to offer these prayers for forgiveness personally. Finally, we must commit ourselves not to get on this path of sin again; instead, we will submit ourselves totally to Him and to the fulfillment of His Word so that the Church can be restored to power in His Spirit and our nation to the peace with God that He desires. 

            The question is: are we willing to face the reality of our own sin and repent of it? Are we willing to seek Him for this forgiveness and watch as He brings healing “to our land”? It all begins with us as His people. We must take the first step if there is to be widespread positive change that pleases and glorifies Him.

  

Our Language as a Reflection of Our Hearts

“…the tongue is a little part of the body and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles. The tongue is a fire, a world of evil. The tongue is among the parts of the body, defiling the whole body, and setting the course of nature on fire, and it is set on fire by hell.

…With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” (rf. James 3:5–6, 9-10 MEV)

 

            We live in a day when all manner of profanity and the use of it has become popular. It used to be in the bygone years of my youth when certain words were taboo, definitely not socially acceptable, words you assuredly would not use in the presence of the fairer sex. Now all such perceived boundaries have disappeared as any conceivable “bad word” is bandied about in every form of media. 

            What amazes me even more is the use of these profane words by professed Christians. There seems to be, especially among those of the younger generations, virtually no inhibitions about dropping the “f-bomb” in casual conversation. Such terminology in days past would have not only been offensive to those within hearing, but also would have been perceived as a terrible tribute to low levels of understanding and the general lack of education in formal social graces  relating to the speaker.

            It is easy to recognize the overall downward slide of our culture and society. Such a plunge into the polluted language abyss is expected. However, for the Christian community to follow suit is unimaginable, especially with so many passages in Scripture that speak to how Christians are to address and to act toward others. Here are but a few to consider:

 

“You shall not defile My holy name (as in using God’s Name wrongly, profanely and in ways that dishonor Him), but I will be sanctified among the children of Israel: I am the Lord who sanctifies you” (rf. Lev. 22:32).

 

“And do not let sexual immorality, or any impurity (which is not only action but language as well), or greed be named among you, as these are not proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse joking, (giving examples of what “impurity” in language is like, using profane words, jokes, etc.) which are not fitting. Instead, give thanks. For this you know, that no sexually immoral or impure person, or one who is greedy, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (rf. Eph. 5:3-5).

 

            Our use of words is powerful as the initial text from James specifies. We can either build up or tear down with our words. If we are “in Christ” as the Apostle Paul terms being saved, we should be using our mouths to cultivate the good of others and God’s glory as a testimony of His reality in our lives. It is by our use of language that shows that we are different from the rest of the world. If we use words and attitudes that please the Lord, exhibiting His love to others, then we will by nature be “separate” as Paul admonishes us to be:

 

“As God has said: ‘I will live in them and walk in them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ Therefore, ‘Come out from among them and be separate’, says the Lord  (rf. II Corinthians 6:16-17a).

            My encouragement to us all as followers of Jesus is to watch closely what we say and how we say it. Let us not fall prey to using the language of the world and society just because it is popular. It is a much more powerful witness to be different than to endeavor to “fit in”. Nothing good can come from compromising our values and the truth of God’s Word. Let our words be a fitting compliment to the faith that we hold so dearly.

Come Out and Be Separate

 

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, and there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (rf. Gal. 3:28 MEV)

 

            Much ink has been spilled and words used in news coverage over the past few years to spotlight the perceived and real divisions within our nation. Where we used to view ourselves as “One nation under God, indivisible”, we now are told that we are nothing but a collection of individuals, each with our own cause to raise, our own interests to protect. We can magnify the differences if they will enhance our own respectability and capacity to influence others to take the same path. It is now an “us vs. them”, “they are the enemy”, an angry people bent on mutual destruction. We have become a land of extremes with no real place for moderation and civil discourse.

            For far too long, American Christians have looked to the government to solve these issues, a perspective which, in fact, has resulted in our presently strained election process and policies that bringing us no closer to resolution. Rather, the situation has only been made worse by the rabid politicizing of every issue and action. The question then is begged: Is there any hope for our future?

            As believers in Christ, we have become too easily distracted by the actions and interests of our culture, government and society. We have failed to realize that we have an important responsibility to fulfill for God and for our country. We have been called by Christ Himself to be “the salt of the earth…the light of the world” (rf. Matt. 5:13-14). We have been appointed His ambassadors (rf. II Cor. 5) to show by our lives, actions and words the example of Jesus to a world that needs to hear and see that message.

            Now, having covered that overall responsibility, let’s look at it in further detail through the words of the Apostle Paul in the above passage. Specifically, Paul is telling his fellow Christians in Galatia that the former social and racial distinctions no longer apply now that Jesus has brought us all together into His one Body, the Church. Implicitly, Paul is sharing with believers in all time periods that these distinctions are part of our past lives; these differences in race, gender, origin, etc. have no bearing as to our being a part of His kingdom. 

            The Bible does teach the value of differences between us because God has made us with these dissimilarities according to His purposes for His glory. Scripture only recognizes Jew and Gentile in terms of race and male and female in terms of gender. The laundry list of designations as proposed by our present society have absolutely no basis in God’s Word. None! 

            Rather, what God wants His people to do is to exhibit in His Church what it means to be of one mind and heart, regardless of the differences. He desires for us to mirror the unity that He has within the Persons of the Trinity (rf. Jn. 17:11b). It is our responsibility to show the world that we can worship, serve and minister in His name as one Body. We can relish in the value of our dissimilarities while working side-by-side and walking hand-in-hand to accomplish His will. 

            As Jesus-followers, we need to search our hearts and make sure that we are not allowing ourselves to be negatively influenced by the present society of division. Instead, let us commit ourselves to seeing past our distinctive traits in being “Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female” to fulfill Christ’s own prayer that His people be “one as(He, the Father, and the Holy Spirit) are one”. As with light to darkness so may we be the counterpoint to the divisiveness that is so prevalent now; may we be His agents of love, mercy and unity.

Change is Inevitable...And is a Matter of Obedience

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

(rf. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 MEV)

 

            When we initially read this text, we tend to view it in terms of a “reality check”, that things we don’t like (such as death, destruction, sadness, losing, hatred and war) are as much a part of the fabric of life as the good things, like the birth of a child, joy, dancing and love. This is very true and a reminder we all need from time to time. However, as with much of Scripture, there is more here in this text than meets the eye.

            There is an equally valid reality that we often need to recall and, yet, when we do, it makes us feel quite uncomfortable, especially for those temperaments that greatly enjoy the status quo. This reality as expressed by Solomon is the endless actuality of change. We know that change will undoubtedly come in our earthy experience. How we welcome it and adjust ourselves to it is at the heart of what Solomon is trying to convey. He is sharing with us that not only is change a part of life, it is also to be expected and, when it comes, whether it represents blessing or pain, it should viewed as God’s hand at work within us to bring about His will in our lives.

            For historical churches, such as St. John’s, this can be a very difficult pill for us to swallow. Parishioners in historical churches tend to relish and live in the past, make decisions as based on past experiences, and desire to chart a path that leads the church “back to the good ole days”. Churches that do this are failing to recognize that Christ’s Church was never designed to live in the glory of experiences of old. Rather, we as His people are to hold on to the truths of the past that are timeless while moving forward, always seeking the Lord as to His direction. 

In reference to this, all we have to do is review how the Israelites responded to the Lord as Moses lead them through the Wilderness into the Promised Land. For more times than we would care to count, the Israelites wanted to return to bondage in Egypt whenever they were faced with difficulty or change. Not wanting to remember that God was leading them on to a place of freedom in their own land, they chose over and over again a return to the past, believing it would be better “back there” instead of gaining God’s best for them. Moses even lost his privilege to enter into the Promised Land himself because he was so angry with this backward-looking crowd (rf. Num. 20:1-13). This desire for the past in the face of God’s moving us toward the future has been around for a very long time. If we choose wrongly, we face serious consequences for disobeying the Lord.

Because of the recent pandemic, His Church has been forced to reckon with a new, exciting, and, yet, challenging future. Things that were taken for granted are now relics of the past and, in fact, should stay there. God has placed His people in the unique position of being able to repackage the timeless message of His Word and His Gospel, using technology as a viable means in much better and more efficient ways that we have before. He wants to use His Church to reach generations who are now living in a purely secular, humanistic world with the eternal truths of His Holy Word. He wants His people to create a new future on the foundations of our history and to go upward and onward in our quest to build His Church so that “all the powers of hell will not conquer it” (rf. Matt. 16:18 NLT).

In order to fulfill God’s will for His Church, we, especially as fellowships with a long and appreciated history, must move our perspective from the past to the future if we are to continue and be fruitful for the Lord. We need to view our facilities as means to reach others while making sure the sanctity of God’s house remains. We must view technology as a friend to accomplish these efforts and not with fear because it can be so easily abused. We must desist from viewing ourselves as a long-standing social club where few are allowed into the group. Rather, we must be welcoming to all who are in our immediate community and to those who enter our doors, sharing with them the same love of Christ that we ourselves have experienced. We must be proactive and creative in our formation of new and exciting ministries to reach these very people who need desperately to hear Christ’s promise of salvation. We need to see others through eyes of Jesus whose own heart is “moved with compassion for them, because they…(are) scattered, like sheep without a shepherd” (rf. Matt. 9:36 MEV). He desires for His people to be “(His) laborers (sent to gather)…His harvest” (rf. Matt. 9:38 MEV).

The choice then for us as historical churches will be one of the following: (1) Will we live in the past and hold to our treasured perspectives and actions that seemingly worked to build our church then, but will only result in an assured death now? (2) Or will we view our past as a secure foundation and look to other avenues in which to build bridges of understanding and communication with present generations so that they can know Jesus and His Word, thus ensuring that our church will continue for many years to come? As Solomon stated, there is a “time to break down and a time to build up” (3:3). God wants His people to grow, build and prosper, leading us to new lands and opportunities. Will we choose to follow Him or to remain as we are presently, longing for our past? 

Who Truly is in Control?

“Look among the nations, and watch—wonder and be amazed! For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe, though it were told you.” (rf. Hab. 1:5 MEV)

 

“This is what the Lord has done; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (rf. Ps. 118:23-24 MEV)

 

 

            It is hard to fathom that we have now endured for over a year a worldwide pandemic. For many that reality has still yet to sink in fully. There are those who from the start denied the existence, extent and devastation caused by the Covid-19 virus. A great number joined with various leaders of different persuasions to deny the evidence and led others into conspiracy-laden scenarios. 

            I am not here to argue or debate the nature or extent of this pandemic. I honestly believe that part of our unwillingness to accept this new reality is because it has challenged us on very deep, personal levels by revealing a long-known truth—that we are not in control of anything and that our lives and destinies lie in someone else’s hands. This is shocking to many. However, I dare say that those who have died or have been seriously affected by this new and ever-adapting disease would readily declare that this virus changes all whom it touches. It has also made us all adapt in ways that we never dreamed possible.

            Though, I admit, that the two Scripture passages above in each of their individual contexts have to do primarily with things not connected with Covid, the truths expressed, however, are very valid for our consideration. 

            If we look at our present reality through spiritual glasses, we will see an all-powerful, merciful yet just God, operating behind the scenes of this pandemic. We will see that He has purpose in the pain this virus is causing. He has allowed this contagion to wreak havoc on our lives, economies, future plans, normalcy, etc. We also realize that He has a very good reason for making it so. He is truly doing a “new thing”, especially within His Church, bringing us closer to Him than we may have been before.

            As a result, He wants us to “wonder and be amazed”, to declare His work as “marvelous in our eyes”. He asks us to trust Him completely, knowing that He will accomplish truly astounding things if we will only keep our eyes focused on Him, watching Him work.

            We do not know how this pandemic will eventually play out. We do know, however, that He is very much in control of the whole situation and simply desires for His people to follow, love and obey Him. When the pandemic is in our past and far behind us, we will join with the prophet and psalmist in declaring the wonders of His work and His will.