"Separation doesn't mean Isolation"

"Separation doesn't mean Isolation"

2 Cor 6:14-18  Be ye not unequally yoked (not to be bound together) together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? {15} And what CONCORD (agreement) hath Christ with Belial (worthlessness)? or what PART hath he that believeth with an infidel (unbeliever)? {16} 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.

(7:1)  Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us CLEANSE ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting (fine tune, make something completely free from faults or defects, or as close to such a condition) holiness in the fear of God.

It's not a welcomed message.  But…

      We need Separation
      To obey God and
      To be God's people with a testimony.

A child of God and an unbeliever cannot unite in a common purpose.  When we are not separated it will hinder us in our fellowship and worship.

The separation we are talking about doesn't mean isolation…..seperation starts.......with our relationship with God.

Will we obey Him?
(1 Pet 1:16)  …Be ye holy; for I am holy.
      "Be ye".  God commands us…
        To live a separated life
        To stand for what is right.

(Phil 2:5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.  God deserves…
         Our attention, Our devotion, Our love, Our will.

Our worship is a separation.
As Christians we want… Our lives…
To be on the altar of worship unto Him.
We want…To please God  & To serve God .
To please God - in how we live and act
To follow His plan for our lives.

2 Thess. 3:6 tells us of some believers walking "disorderly".  It's a military term - they don't keep order, they march out of line, out of step, out of place.  They neglect their duty and obligations.

It is the opposite of SUBMISSION (Eph 5:21) Submitting to one another .....
As believers we are called to bow to
God and His Word, to His authority.

Our relationship with God also impacts on…
  our relationship with the world.
The god of this world,satan, has blinded the minds of them which believe not (2 Cor. 4:4).
Separated from the world, but we aren't isolated from it.
We must reach out to the lost help them to be saved.  We love the sinner but hate the sin.

Real Christians are IN the world but not OF the world.

Jesus says, (Jn 15:19) ...ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

We are urged to… (1 John 2:15)  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.

We are not to conform (comply) to this world (Rom. 12:1-2).

Beware of compromise… it can happen in stages…
 Friendship with the world (James 4:4) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity (hatred) with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
 Loving the world - pleasure of sin for a season      
 Being conformed to the world - Going right along
 with it.