Be Ye 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, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:17-18
In the
beginning of the Church Age, Christians were separate. They were
outcasts of society. Persecuted, reviled, with no social,
economic, or political power. They were little more than a
radical cult, cast out of Judaism, yet spreading across the
Empire. The adherents of this cult spoke of another Kingdom, of a
different King, and strangely they were willing to go meekly to
their deaths for these strange beliefs. But there was something
new and powerful in their fellowship. Rumors of healings, the
blind receiving sight, the lame walking, everywhere they met.
Their leaders, though meek and soft spoken, spoke with an
authority even to be envied by Caesar himself.
This new power could not be contained. Soon the empires of this
world crumbled and the Kings of this world bowed to the leaders
of the Church. Christianity grew into a world power. The Church
into an Empire of its own. The Church had risen to total
dominance in the lives of people all over the world. The Church
had won the victory... or had it? Had the Church become a world
power, or had the world power become the Church? Many believed
that there was no difference. Christianity was destined to
dominate the world. They were conquering the world for Jesus.
They were setting up the earthly Kingdom of GOD. But somewhere
along the way they forgot about that Kingdom, not of this world,
and that King, that men once died for in meekness and grace. In
forgetting, they lost the power of those first days, they lost
their first love.
The Church has become an institution, much like the Temple and
the Priests of Jesus' day. Sure, there has been reformation after
reformation, division after division, schism after schism, and
there have been revivals, but these have been shortlived and
quickly turn to new sects of a growing, segmented Church. The
"one body" all but forgotten, except as a battle cry of
reformers.
The Church Age has come to an end. New reforms will not repair it, another great revival will not save it. The Church is more in the world than of the Spirit. It has become a power, a principality, and there is Spiritual wickedness in high places. The Church is more dead than alive, it is apostate, fallen. As the children of Israel, it has gone whoring with the gods of this world, money, power, position. But the True Church remains. The Church within the Church. The One Body, One Spirit, children of the One GOD. They are a chosen remnant, called apart to GOD. They Stand within the sanctuaries of the dying church, often ridiculed. They are persecuted, reviled, with no social, economic, or political power within the congregation.
Come out from among them !
(2 Cor 6:14-18 KJV) 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.
We are in the world but not of it, we are walking in the darkness, yet shining a light. We have no fellowship with those that are in the world, " Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3 KJV). Christ has called us to stand, in these last days, as the Children of Obedience, His Remnant in the world. We can not stand as His witness to a dying world if no one can tell the Saints from the Sinners. If we are walking in the flesh, striving after the same things fallen men seek, then how are they to see the Light.
The
power of the first century Church to touch hearts and change
lives came from their seperateness. They showed a new WAY unlike
any other way known to men. They walked among men shining the
Light of Christ and living the Love of GOD. They offered a New
Life, not to better the old life. We can not prop up that which
is dead and call it life. We can not offer a doctrine, a
religion, a psychology, that will help people "get
more" out of their fallen life. We offer a radical cure....
death. But with it we offer LIFE ETERNAL.
That which is fallen can not be redeemed. You can not put a new
patch on an old garment. We need the new WAY that is our Lord
Jesus Christ. We die to ourselves and we Live through HIM. WE
can't do it, WE can't be Holy. Strive as we may to achieve some
type of righteousness, some good work, some renewing of the mind,
our works remain as filthy rags, good only for the fire. It is by
Grace we are saved, and by Grace we live.
(Rom 6:1-7 KJV) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.
We are no longer bound by the chains of sin and death, but stand in Grace. Yet, as the children of obedience, we follow our Master and we do as He would do. For it is not us that lives, but Christ in us, and it is not us that works to righteousness, but Christ that works in us and through us. No longer are we bound by our own limits, the limits of the flesh, but are set free in Christ. So how can we hold on to our chains, cling to our prison bars. The door is burst open the chains losed. Step forth into Life.
(Col 2:8-10 KJV) Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Follow Christ, hear the call of the Good Shepherd, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Do not follow after men. There is no perscription for your salvation, no guidelines for your walk with Him. JUST WALK. Do as He does; Go where He goes. You are walking by Grace, not under a Law. The Way of Christ is Freedom. We are willing slaves to our Lord, bond servants to our beloved. We serve not out of obligation (we are in grace), but in Love. We seek righteousnes not that we might be worthy of redemption (we are already redeemed), but because we wish to be like that which we Love. We manifest Christ outwardly, because we are filled with His Spirit inwardly.