A Separate Church

by Micky Galloway

In II Corinthians 6:17 Paul commanded, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord." God has always required that His people be a separate people. In every dispensation of time, God has required separation, and holiness of his people. In the patriarchal age, there was a family religion. The father of each family was the priest to that family, thus a separate family. In the Jewish dispensation, there was a national religion and so the nation of Israel was to maintain its separation from all other nations of the earth. In the Christian age, God also demands that we be a separate people or church.

What is the church? It is the "called out" (Greek "Ekklesia") of God (I Corinthians 1:2; Colossians 1:13-14; I Peter 2:9). We are called out of the world by the gospel (II Thessalonians 2:14). The church is identified in the Scriptures as a "royal priesthood" (I Peter 2:5), a "holy nation" (II Timothy 1:9), a "peculiar people" (Titus 2:14). These terms designate the church as different from the world. Israel of old was punished when she lost her peculiarity and became like the other nations.

God's people today are to be separate in what ways? We are to be separate in speech (Cf. Psalms 12:6; I Peter 4:11; Titus 2:8). The scriptures teach that we are to speak as the "oracles of God." From this came the plea, "Let us speak where the Bible speaks, be silent where the Bible is silent, call Bible things by Bible names and do Bible things in Bible ways." In O.T. history the people disobeyed the commands of God to be separate and intermarried with the nations around them. Their children did not even know the Hebrew tongue and spoke the language of Ashdod. Today the demand of God to be different is often ignored and men use the language of Ashdod. We use denominational terminology to describe practices foreign to the teaching of God. We speak of "marriage enrichment seminars," "ladies night out," "fellowship halls," etc. How long will it be before we identify our preachers as "Pastors" or "Reverend" as we continue our march toward denominationalism?

We are to be separate in doctrine. Paul commanded Timothy, "Hold the pattern of sound words which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus" (II Timothy 1:13). Paul identified something as a "pattern." Yet many today become upset when you suggest that a "pattern of sound words" actually does exist. Paul told Titus, "but speak thou the things which befit the sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1). Yes, soundness in doctrine is essential. The nation of Israel was considered by other nations as very peculiar as long as she complied with the commandments of God. The church today must "contend for the faith" (Jude 3) if it is to maintain its distinctiveness as a separate people. There is only one plan of salvation and there is no respect of persons with God (Romans 2:11; cf. Acts 10:34-35). God saves us exactly the same way. There is only one church or body of which he is the savior (Ephesians 5:23). There is one baptism into the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:5; I Corinthians 12:12-13). Many would agree on these points and then conclude that it really doesn't matter what one believes or practices about other issues such as the work of the church or moral issues such as marriage, divorce and remarriage. However, John taught, "Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching ("doctrine" KJV) of Christ hath not God …" (II John 9). Evidently, what Jesus taught either directly or by inspired men, was essential on any issue to maintain fellowship with God. Doctrine is important.

We are to be separate in worship. It is possible for our worship to be "in vain" (Matthew 15:8-9). Like it was with Israel of old, there is the same tendency today toward modern idolatry; to pattern after the denominations of men. In each instance of Israel worshiping like the nations around them there were terrible consequences. God has always been particular regarding worship. He will not accept just anything. Consider Cain (Genesis 4) and Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-3). King Saul brought back the best of the Amalekites to offer a sacrifice to God, but was rejected because of his disobedience to God's commandment (I Samuel 15). God commands us to worship "in spirit and truth" (John 4:24). We must maintain distinctive New Testament worship to be pleasing to God.

We must be separate in life. Paul taught that though we live in the world, we must not be like the world (cf. Romans 12:1-2). James taught that friendship of the world is enmity with God, "Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God" (James 4:4). We are commanded, "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" (I John 2:15ff). If there is going to be no difference between the life of a Christian and one who is not, then how is the Christian ever to become "the light of the world" and "the salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13-16)?

Some have just enough religion to make themselves miserable. They have too much religion to go all the way with the world; yet have so much of the world in them that they cannot be wholly consecrated to the Lord. Sooner or later however, a decision must be made. The line must be drawn; we are on one side or the other. There is no middle ground in the kingdom of our Lord. The Lord said, "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth" (Matthew 12:30; cf. Matthew 6:24). Our lives show which side we are on.

May we endeavor to let our lights shine forth into the world that we may truly be "the light of the world" and "the salt of the earth." May the world see a difference. Only in so doing can we be a separate people. "Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord."