Separation from Believers and Unbelievers

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[2] The title of the sermon: “SEPARATION FROM BELIEVERS AND UNBELIEVERS.”

Today, we’re going to talk about the right and wrong separation from people.
There are many different Scriptures on this exact topic within the Bible.
2 John, 1 Corinthians 5, Romans 16, 2 Corinthians 6, Galatians 1, 2 Timothy 3, Titus 3.
I want to make sure you see the differences in each of these Scriptures.
Don’t assume, and don’t add to the Scriptures. I want you to see what is actually there.

[3] 2 John 9-11 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Verse 10 says, “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house.”
This means that if someone comes to your door preaching different doctrine than the Bible, that you should not receive him into your house.
Neither bid him God speed. Do not bless him. Do not give him good tidings.

For example, if a Jehovah’s Witness comes to my door preaching their false doctrine, I would not invite them in.

Now, does that mean I cannot be kind to them. Do I tell them to get away. “GO AWAY!!!”
No, the Bible doesn’t say this. Does this mean when I go to their door that I can’t give them the Gospel?
No, the Bible doesn’t say that either. I should go to their door and give them the Gospel.

The Bible tells me to not invite them into my home or bless them when they come preaching other doctrines.

Do you see this? We have to listen to the actual words of God and not add anything of our own into this.
We are not partake in the evil deeds of a false preacher who is going around spreading false doctrine.
They are coming to us and brining a false Gospel. This is a very serious evil deed they are doing.
Does this mean we can’t ever be around people who are Jehovah’s Witness?
Does this mean we can’t ever be around Mormons? Is that what this says?

If that’s what this says, then we wouldn’t be able to give them the Gospel. That’s not what this says.

Please don’t believe that the Bible says we can’t ever be around people who have a false religion.
If that were true, we would never have opportunities to win people to Jesus Christ.

Should we never be around an 18-year old Mormon who has been taught lies his entire life?

Should we never be around a person who preaches Judaism as the true religion?
Would we have cursed Paul forever? He persecuted the church of God.
He did it ignorantly in unbelief, and he paid for it.

What about you in your life? Have you always had the correct doctrine?

Have you ever taught something that was wrong according to the Bible?
Who hasn’t? Please understand where people are in their life. Be patient. Have understanding.
But don’t compromise the Scriptures either. But make sure you have them right.

For example, personally, I would think that it’s okay to invite a Mormon into my home in an attempt to show him the truth from the Bible.

But, I don’t know better than God. God says to NOT DO THAT. In that exact situation, I won’t do that.
Why? Because God knows better. I won’t invite them into my house.
I won’t tell them they’re doing good work. I won’t say, “I really appreciate what you all are doing.”
None of that. If I do, I am encouraging them to continue preaching false doctrine. Not good.

But, do I completely and fully separate from these unbelievers? How would I do that?

Would I never talk to them at all? Would I shun them completely?
When I see them walking down the street, do I turn the car around and go the other way?
How and when do I separate from them? I am supposed to be separate from them, but when?
How? What do I do? What is the right and wrong separation from these people?
They are clearly unbelievers. So, how do I separate from them? Let’s keep going with the Scriptures.

[4] 2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

When a Jehovah’s Witness comes to my door, I am not to invite them in.
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with UNBELIEVERS.”
What does this mean? What is yoked together? In what? In the same house?
Let’s say your wife is a Jehovah’s Witness and now you see the truth. What will you do?
Should you divorce her immediately? You need to read the Bible. No, you shouldn’t.

Is unequally yoked together mean that you live in the same city? Or the same state? Or the same country?

Or the same world? Where are you drawing these lines? Do you have your lines drawn correctly?
How about the same event? How about a wedding? Can you go to wedding for someone?
What about church? What if a Mormon shows up here to this church? Did you invite them?
Is it good to invite a Mormon to church? Hopefully you would say YES to that.
Is it good to invite them to a church event? Hopefully you would say YES to that.
Is it good to invite them to a get together at your house? Where are the lines drawn?

Which of these examples would be breaking the commandment to be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers?

How would we find the truth and get this right? We will use the Scriptures.
We must read more in 2 Corinthians Chapter 6. What is this chapter teaching?
Let’s go back earlier in this same chapter.

[5] 2 Corinthians 6:1-3 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) 3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:

We are to be WORKERS together with Jesus Christ.
If we get away from everyone who doesn’t believe in Jesus Christ, how will they be saved?
Jesus wants us to work to get them saved.

[6] 2 Corinthians 6:4-7 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

We are to have much patience. If everyone agreed with us, we wouldn’t need to have so much patience.
MUCH PATIENCE. The easy way out is to just give up on people.
“Well, I’m not being around them any more.” This could be the right separation.
Or, this could be the wrong separation. It all depends on the situation.
We need to at least attempt to get them saved. In much labor. By longsuffering. By kindness.
By love unfeigned. By the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.

[7] 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

We will get honor and dishonor from people when we do what God says.
We will get an evil report from some and a good report from others.
Some will say we are deceivers and others will say we are telling the truth.

[8] 2 Corinthians 6:11-13 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. 12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. 13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.

God says to have an enlarged heart for people. Don’t just give up on everyone.
Don’t separate yourselves completely from unbelievers or from people who have a false religion.
So, this chapter is actually teaching the opposite of what you might have thought.
Now, we’re to the verse we wanted to study closely. Listen to this.

[9] 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

This is talking about partaking in their evil deeds.
For example, inviting a false preacher into your home is partaking in their evil deeds.
Blessing a false preacher is partaking in their evil deeds. Worshipping with them is not right.

Going to their church and participating with them is partaking with them.

Doing drugs with them is partaking with them.
Inviting them into your home while they do evil deeds is partaking with them.

What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?

When they are doing unrighteous things, we are not participate in those things.
For example, God doesn’t say that you can’t eat a meal with unbelievers.
If that were a commandment from God, many people would be eating alone most of the time.
When you invite them to an event, are they doing evil while they are there?
If so, they would be removed from the event or get together or party or celebration.
So, what does this mean to not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers?

[10] 2 Corinthians 6:16-18 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. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

We are to be separate from unbelievers but not physically separate at all times.
We do not partake in their evil deeds. If they are worshipping a false god, we don’t participate.
If they are eating meat sacrificed to idols, we don’t eat the meat. Touch not the unclean thing.
If they invite me to their false church, I will not be going.
But, I will give them the true Gospel and invite them to this church.
I will invite them to other events so they can see and hear the truth.

Listen, there are tons of examples in the Bible about what we’re learning today.

In John Chapter 2, Jesus goes to a wedding. Do you think everyone there loved God?
Do you think everyone there was saved? No, they weren’t.
Do you think everyone was wearing the right clothing? No, they weren’t.
Do you think they were all perfect? AND YET, JESUS WENT.

He came into this world even though people are doing wrong. He didn’t reject us. He could have and should have.

Did He participate in evil deeds while He was in this world? No, He didn’t.
He talked with the Samaritan woman at the well when the others wouldn’t.

Let’s talk about Jesus Christ. Is there any better example? Have you ever studied His family?

Did His immediate family believe in Him at all times? They didn’t believe in Him.
They didn’t believe that He was the Son of God. They didn’t have faith all the time in Him.

[11] John 7:5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.

Most likely Jude was his brother. He wrote the book of Jude.
At this time, though, Jude didn’t believe in Jesus Christ.
He was an unbeliever. He came unto His own and His own received Him not.
Did Jesus Christ stop talking to them? Did He separate Himself from them completely?
No, He didn’t. He didn’t partake in their evil deeds. He was separate from them spiritually.
He didn’t sin when they sinned. He didn’t participate in evil things with them.

But, He would go to the passover with them. He went to events with them. He ate with them.

Did He not? So please make sure you don’t make a huge mistake in your life.
Don’t just cut everyone off who isn’t just like you. You have faith in God. They don’t yet.
Jude got faith later. We can see that. What if Jesus separated from him?
He wouldn’t have been saved. But we know Jude was saved. Jesus saved him. Understand that.
He wasn’t always a believer. We don’t give up on people unless we know God has given them up.

[12] Matthew 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

Jesus ate and drank with unbelievers. He didn’t drink alcohol. But He ate with sinners.

[13] Matthew 9:10-12 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

Many publicans and sinners sat down with Him.
Jesus didn’t jump up and yell, “GET AWAY FROM ME SATAN.” No, He’s there to save them.

[14] Luke 15:1-2 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

Do you want to be like the “righteous” Pharisees? I sure don’t. “This man receiveth sinners.”
“This man gives the Gospel to sinners. This man has events with sinners.”
“This man eats with sinners.” Who would I eat with if I didn’t eat with sinners?
I couldn’t even eat alone. Physically, we are all sinners. Spiritually, we are not.
So, we don’t participate in the sin. But eating with unbelievers is not wrong. Jesus says so.

[15] Luke 19:5-7 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. 6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

Jesus even went to be a guest with a man that is a sinner. If not, Jesus would have came to earth.

[16] Luke 19:8-10 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. 9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Who should we invite? Who should we be with? Should we only be with believers at all times?
This is not what the Bible means when God tells us to BE YE SEPARATE.
We cannot 100% be separate at all times from unbelievers. How would we do that?
We’ve been talking about unbelievers. What about believers? Are we to never separate from them?
No. The Bible says we should separate from them at times. Let’s look closely at this.

[17] 1 Corinthians 5:1-2 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

This is happening IN THE CORINTHIAN church. Not from some unbeliever outside of the church.
Again, this is not talking about fornicators outside of the church who are not believers.
Let’s say someone came into this church, saved or unsaved, and is a fornicator.
They start attending regularly. I give them time. I make sure they are saved.
I show them the Scriptures about fornication. Did I immediately kick them out the first visit?
No, I didn’t, and I won’t. I’m going to have a little patience and give them some time to learn.

If they continue in fornication, after I’ve given them some time, then I will kick them out.

You can’t continue in fornication in this church. God says, “NO.” But we give them some time.
Why? Jesus gave you time. Jesus gave me time. He didn’t destroy us.
We didn’t think those things were so bad in the past, but now we understand.
We have faith in the Scriptures. And now we do what God says in this church.
This Scripture is talking about a saved man within the Corinthian church.
Don’t try to take this and apply the Scripture to a totally different situation.

[18] 1 Corinthians 5:3-5 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

The church seemed to not care about this wicked fornication within the church.
This is a believer who is doing these things. Let’s continue.

[19] 1 Corinthians 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

This leaven within the church from a saved man can leaven the entire church.

[20] 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Get this leaven out of the church. This man knows better. Sometimes we will have leaven.
We need to get it out. If someone is warned and they continue, they need to be removed.
Church is a gathering of believers, but we know that not everyone who comes here will be a believer.
We give them time. We have patience. Unbelievers get more time. Believers don’t.

Now to the very important part of this chapter for this sermon topic.

What is the right separation from believers?
Let’s see what God says about believers who fornicate in the church. And that would be in this church.
If someone doesn’t regularly attend here and I don’t know them, I won’t know if they are fornicating.
So, we can’t be perfect and pure all the time because we aren’t God. We won’t be perfect.
We can try our best to be perfect, but we will not be perfect.

[21] 1 Corinthians 5:9-10 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

NOT TO COMPANY WITH FORNICATORS. If that was the statement, then we wouldn’t any fornicator.
But you have to read all the Scriptures. “Yet NOT altogether with the fornicators of this world.”
Understand this. “Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters.”
“For then must ye needs go out of this world.”

If we were not to company with ANY fornicators, then we would have to be taken out of this world.

Why? Because the world is filled with fornicators. Do you understand this? Do you just reject all of them?
No, you don’t. You reject the saved believers who know they are doing wrong until they correct it.
You reject the saved believers who have the Holy Spirit within then UNTIL they correct it.
God didn’t destroy this world. He’s left the fornicators here with us to dwell with us.
Why? Because they need to be saved. They need to believe on Jesus Christ.

[22] John 17:14-16 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

We are not to follow the ways of this world. We are to be separate from the world.
BUT WE LIVE IN THIS WORLD. Jesus prays, “Don’t take them out of this world.”
“But keep them from the evil.” We are separate from the world because we don’t participate in the evil.
I don’t approve of fornication. I don’t commit fornication. I am married to my wife.
So I avoid fornication. It’s easy to fix this. Just get married. Don’t take your father’s wife.

This isn’t difficult. We can’t separate from all the fornication and idolatry. What will you do?

You won’t talk to anyone else? You won’t eat with anyone else?
Do you really think that’s what God wants? How will people be saved without a preacher?
How will they hear if you don’t tell them?

[23] Matthew 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

He says to let your light shine so people can see the light. He doesn’t say to go away and hide the light.
This church is in this world. That is our location. We are to preach the Gospel to all.
We are to teach all things to all people who want to hear it. We are to shine the light of Jesus Christ.
Do we want to hide the light from unbelievers, idolaters, fornicators?
They will never stop if we hide the light from them.

We can’t control people. I will never tell you that you can’t be with your father, mother, son, or daughter because they are sinners.

We are sinners too. If they don’t believe on Jesus Christ, they need you.
But we don’t participate in their worship of a false god. THAT COMMAND IS IN THE BIBLE DIRECTLY.
But the command to not eat with unbelievers is not in the Bible.
Let’s continue in 1 Corinthians Chapter 5 verse 11 where we left off.

[24] 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

This is talking directly to the church in Corinth. This is talking to all churches who believe in Jesus Christ.
Do not keep company with a man that is called a brother and is a fornicator, covetous, idolater, railer, drunkard, extortioner.
Do not even eat with these people. Who are these people that we are not to keep company with?
Who do you call a saved person? This would be a brother or a sister in Jesus Christ.
This is not your physical brother or sister. This is a saved person, a child of God, a son of God.

This is talking about the man in this chapter who was in the Corinthian church as is called a brother.

This is a saved man, a part of the Corinthian church, who is committing fornication.
It’s not talking about someone outside of this church. It’s not talking about an unbeliever.
This is very clear in this chapter. And there’s more words within the Scriptures that tell you this.
Take a close look. Verse 12 says, “Do not ye judge them that are within?” Is the person saved?
Have they been coming to this church, being taught good doctrine, and have had the chance to change?
If so, the Bible says: “Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”
They are doing wicked acts, and the church will not continue with that person in the church.

Does that mean you can’t talk to that person and tell them they need to get things right? No.

Can you not try to convince them to now do things according to God’s words? Of course you can.
They just can’t continue coming to church until they get things right.
Stop doing this wickedness, admit you were doing wrong, ask forgiveness from God.
And then come back to church.

We will participate in many things all throughout our life with unbelievers, sinners, fornicators, and idolaters.

Some of them will come into this church. I can’t stop all of them from coming here.
Some will even be like Judas Iscariot. We can’t have a perfect church with all perfect people.
Doesn’t exist anywhere except in heaven and spiritually.
This is why we teach our children the right things. But I can’t control everyone.
God doesn’t control everyone. I can’t control what people will wear. God doesn’t.
We will teach them the right things in truth and in love. But we can’t make them do it.

What examples could you think of in which we participate with unbelievers, fornicators, and idolaters?

Our jobs. We go out into the world, and we work in this world. Who doesn’t?
Think about your own job. Can you control what everyone is wearing?
Can you control what everyone is doing?
When you go to the beach, can you control what everyone is wearing?

When you go to the pool, can you control what everyone is wearing? I don’t know what someone else will wear.

You can choose to stay away from all of these places. Will you stay away from work too?
Because there are some very wicked people out in the work places.
Will you not go to the grocery store? Because you’ll see all of those things there too.
You will see things that you shouldn’t want to see. What are you going to do?

Will you take yourself out of this whole world? God doesn’t want that. You can handle it.

You can deal with it. You don’t have to say, “You know what? I’m going to wear that too.”
You don’t start participating in those things. Nakedness is a shame. Why walk around naked?

It’s a shame for a man to have long hair. The Bible says so. Do I start rejecting every man that has long hair?

Do I say, “That man has long hair so I will not give him the Gospel.”
“I will not invite that man to church because he has long hair.” Do not give the man a chance?
I am not yoked together with that man in his shamefulness.
I don’t grow long hair so he feels better at church.

I am not yoked together with someone in their evil deeds if I invite them to something.

I hope you understand what I am saying. If we have an event, it’s good to invite people.
Why? Because they’re going to hear the Gospel. Will they believe the Gospel?
Will they now want to learn what they should be doing?
What if we never gave them the Gospel? What if we never talked to them?
What if we just got rid of them out of our life?

Here’s an example for you. I’m not going to be around drugs.

If someone invites me into their home, I go in, and then I find out they have drugs in their home, I will not be there any more.
If they smoke them in the other room while I am there, I will never go there again.
If they get angry at me for this, that’s their problem. It’s not my problem.
I will not go into a house again with people (no matter who they are) who think it’s okay to have illegal drugs there with my wife and children there.

If someone wants to come into my house with illegal drugs, they will be gone very quickly.

They should know better. They should know, around me, not to bring that trash into my house.
That’s called being different and separate. I will not participate in those things at all.
If someone wants to fornicate in my house, they should know better.
Don’t come into my house and attempt to do those things. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

Now, would I eat a meal with a fornicator who isn’t in this church who doesn’t believe? YES, I WOULD.

Would I eat a meal with one of you who starts fornicating and knows better? NO, I WOULDN’T.
I call all of your brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. If you do those things, this is wickedness.
You will not be yoked together in this church as long as you keep doing those things.
And if you get angry at me for this, you have the problem. You caused the problem. I didn’t.

[25] Romans 16:17-18 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

These are people who should know the truth, but they teach contrary to the truth.
He says to avoid them. These people are just like Judas Iscariot. AVOID THEM.
They were placed there by their father the devil. They are reprobates. They are rejects.
They teach false doctrine. AVOID THEM.

Have we ever had someone attempt to teach a different Gospel at any event that we’ve had?

No, not that I know of. If they did attempt to teach false doctrine, I will rebuke them immediately.
You can do the same thing. And then you can come and tell me that they tried.
We will mark them and avoid them. But most people are deceived.
“And by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”
So be careful who you are marking to avoid.

When we have events, I don’t invite false preachers to give a false gospel to all of you.

I hate false doctrine and false teaching. I won’t have it around here.
I can somewhat stop someone from teaching a false doctrine here at events we have.
But I can’t stop everything. You are needed too.
If someone comes with another gospel, let him be accursed.

[26] 2 Timothy 3:2-5 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Let me say it again: “From such, turn away.” So, let’s summarize what we’ve learned today:

There’s specific instructions from God within the Bible, and we need to make we don’t go too far.
If there’s someone we could have helped to save but didn’t because we went too far, this is very serious.
We want to make sure we get this right. We don’t want ANY to perish.

[27] Jude 21-23 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Don’t separate yourselves from everyone. No one does everything right. This is the wrong separation.
Who must we separate ourselves from? What is the right separation?

NUMBER ONE: We must separate from false teachers.

If a false preacher comes to you preaching another Gospel, let him be accursed.
Don’t participate with him. Don’t invite him into your house. Don’t go to his church.
Don’t bless him. SEPARATE YOURSELVES FROM THEM. This is the right separation from false preachers.
They will never teach here. They are not welcome here.
We do not join together with them to preach their false gospel. Joining with them would be approval.
We can join together to preach the Gospel with people who preach the right Gospel.

If a preacher says that God doesn’t cast people into hell, they will never preach here.

False doctrine will not be taught here by a false preacher.
I will never be yoked together with him in this church unless he changes his mind about God’s words.
Will I talk to him outside of church? Yes, I will. I will give him the gospel.
I would go to a wedding when he is there too. He doesn’t stop me from going places and doing things.
If we’re in the same car, I am not yoked together with him.

If I’m on the same flight and realize he’s on the flight in the middle of the flight, I don’t jump out of the plane.

If he invites me to a Catholic church service, I don’t go.
If I did, I would be participating in the worship of a false god.
If I am invited to a baptism in a false church, I don’t go because I would be approving of a false church.
Not going to happen. We separate ourselves from the worship of false gods. We don’t participate.
So, false preachers and false churches? We stay away from them. We don’t approve of them.

Will I talk to them outside of their false church? Yes, I will. I will be kind to them. Why? Here’s an example:

Let’s say there’s one person in a family like this, the husband, the Dad, and the leader.
Do we reject all the children in the family too? No, we can’t do that. The children have a choice too.
The children in the family aren’t rejects. They aren’t reprobates. So do we stay away from them too?
Do we let them burn in the fire because of one man? What do you think God would want?

What will you do? If someone actually thinks they love Jesus Christ but are deceived, will you give up on them?

Do we stay away from them? They are deceived.
They aren’t trying to evangelize the world with their false gospel.
They didn’t come to you teaching false doctrine. What will you do? Give it a shot. Put some effort forth.

I will not separate completely from these deceived people. Not going to happen.

Will I separate from their worship of a false god? Yes, I will.
But talking to them doesn’t mean I approve of their worship of a false god.
If I invite them to something, this doesn’t mean they are my best friend and I approve of their false god.
That doesn’t mean I am yoked together with them. Let me give you an example.
And remember God doesn’t contradict Himself.
One time He tells us to be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. But watch this:

[28] 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: 11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

There is no valid reason for divorce except fornication.
But, let’s say there is a believer and an unbeliever who are married.
I am using this example so you understand what it means to not be unequally yoked together with someone.
Listen to the next verses.

[29] 1 Corinthians 7:12-13 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. 13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

God didn’t contradict Himself. If anything would be unequally yoked together, it would be in marriage.
YET, listen to this, the Holy Spirit says to not separate from the unbelieving wife or husband.
Why is that? Well, you’ll see why it’s so important and this is exactly what I’ve been teaching today.
Can someone be UNEQUALLY YOKED together in marriage? Yes, but understand what this means.

[30] 1 Corinthians 7:14-16 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. 15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. 16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

Hey, the believing husband can save the unbelieving wife.
The believing wife can save the unbelieving husband. This shows you the truth I am teaching today.
Would you divorce your husband or wife because they don’t believe? No. You can save them.

NUMBER TWO: We, as a church, separate from believers (saved people) who are fornicating.

If someone is called a brother, we do not even eat with them. Are they in this church?
Have they been coming here for a while?
Do they know and understand the truth about fornication? If so, then we separate from them.
They are already saved. If we separate from them, they’re still going to heaven.
If we separate from unbelievers when they are trying to get things right, this is dumb. VERY DUMB.
If we separate from believers who have fallen away and are now trying to get things right, this is dumb.

We are to get people saved and to teach them all things. If we separate from them, how would we do that?

Why would we separate from them when they don’t fully understand?
They are trying now. Let’s help them. Longsuffering. Patient.
We don’t disappear when they need our help. This number two includes other things besides fornication.
There are many other things listed. IDOLATRY is one of them.
If a saved believer, such as king Solomon, starts worshipping false gods, we would separate from him.
“We can’t eat with you any more Solomon. You can’t attend church here, Solomon.”
But, if he repents of this sin, then he can come back. We separate from sin.
If we separated from all sinners at all times, we would have to leave the world and go to heaven.

NUMBER THREE: Being unequally yoked together equals participating in sin. We separate from sin.

Being married to an unbeliever is not unequally yoked together unless the believer participates in the sin.
If a believer begins to worship a false god, such as Solomon did with his wives, this would be unequally yoked together.
If I go to a restaurant to eat there and there are people getting drunk at the bar, I am not unequally yoked together with them.
If I went to the bar or ordered alcohol from the bar and got drunk along with them, then I would be unequally yoked together with them.
What fellowship does light have with darkness? We do not participate in the sin. This is yoked together.
Inviting someone to church or a church event who is fornicating is not unequally yoked together with them.

So, with that said, we will be around 1) unbelievers, 2) unbelievers who are false preachers, 3) believers who have fallen away and need help to get back, and 4) believers who are in grievous sin.

We separate according to God’s words. We do our best to get people saved.
We do not participate in the sin. We watch our children closely at all times.
We don’t allow the sin to enter and to leaven this church. So, we all watch.
But we don’t separate from everyone like a cult.

For example, some Baptist churches will teach that they can’t be friends with people like us.

Why? Because we aren’t Baptist. Because we don’t believe in dispensationalism.
Because I have facial hair. Because I will wear shorts. Because I believe Jesus died for the whole world.
Because my beard, eyebrows, nose hairs, and ear hairs aren’t perfectly trimmed.
Some people won’t congregate with us because my car wasn’t clean for the past 8 months.
My shoes had dirt on them. We are good enough for them. And more.

[31] Matthew 15:17-20 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Let’s not be cult like and make up rules that aren’t in the Bible.
We’re going to be around people who aren’t like us because God put us in this world. He wants us here.
Parents, we must watch out for things. If something is happening that shouldn’t be, alert all of us.
We are yoked together in this church. We are the body of Christ. We work together.
We will not partake in sin, participate in that sin, and approve of that sin.
Being around most people and not participating in the sin does not equal approving of sin.

We will make sure leaven doesn’t get us even when we are around unbelievers.

And even when we are around fornicators. And even when we are around idolaters.
But we have to be careful. We have to watch and pray and read and study.
We must teach our children to be strong in the Lord and to not go the wrong way.
We will not be able to prevent our children from seeing all of these things. I SAW THEM.
I STILL SEE THEM. We live in this world, and it is impossible not to see them.
We just can’t approve and participate in the actual sin. Please understand this.

Let’s pray.

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