Amen. Alright well we're there in John chapter 17 and I appreciate everybody
being here this this morning and coming out today and I want you to notice there
in John chapter 17 if you look at verse number 9 in John 17 we have the Lord
Jesus Christ you know praying a prayer and a lot of times people will refer to
the Lord's Prayer and we find that that prayer where he teaches where he's
teaching his disciples how to pray and you know I don't have an issue with
people calling it the Lord's Prayer but this chapter here is actually really the
Lord's Prayer this is the Lord Jesus Christ praying the chapter where he says
where he's teaching his disciples to pray that's a pattern prayer where he's
teaching his disciples to pray but here in this chapter it's interesting because
we get to kind of come in and listen in on Jesus while he prays and this is
shortly before his death of course I want you to notice there verse 9 it says
this I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou has given
me for they are mine and he's praying for his disciples and not just his
disciples right then and there but for his future disciples and notice what he
says he says he says I pray not for the world but he said I pray for them that
thou he says for them which thou has given me for they are mine and he's
making he's differentiating between his disciples and the world and in this
prayer of the Lord and we're gonna see more things here in his prayer we see
this concept of how Christians are to be separated or different from the world
and what I want to do this morning I want to preach a sermon on the subject
of living a separated life living a life that is separated from the world
and you know this this this concept of separation today is ignored by most
churches most churches today if you go to the average church in America today
they're going to ignore the teaching the biblical teaching and concept of
separation and not only our churches ignoring this doctrine but because of
the fact that churches are ignoring this doctrine most Christians are ignorant of
the teaching of biblical separation so what I want to do this morning is I want
to teach you and preach to you on the subject of separation now what what I'm
gonna do today since I'm here for two services this is just kind of part one
of a two-part series or of a two-part sermon and what I'm going to do this
morning is I'm going to teach you the doctrine of separation this morning's
sermon is gonna be a very doctrinal sermon and you know sometimes when you
announce those things people kind of just you know they they you know think
oh this is gonna be a boring sermon you know things like that but you know as
Christians we need to learn doctrine we need to understand not only what we
believe but why we believe it and honestly I believe that you know
teaching this doctrine of separation is important because you know sometimes you
might come to a church like Verity Baptist Church you might listen to
preachers like myself or like the men that have came here to preach and they
might preach some difficult things they might preach some things that you haven't
heard before or that you're not familiar with and you might think like oh they're
just mean or they're just weird right or you know I don't know why they said that
and if you don't understand this this doctrine of separation it might it might
mess you up a little bit you know and having a thorough understanding of the
doctrine of separation might help you understand why we preach the way we do
why we take the stands we do why we do what we do so what I want to do today
this morning I'm gonna preach a very doctrinal sermon on the subject of
separation and then this afternoon for the second service it's gonna be more of
a practical sermon in regards to setting up some standards and convictions in
order to live a separated life but I'd like for you to really understand this
doctrine and if you've got a pen I'd love for you to write some notes down in
your bulletin that we handed to you on the back of the bulletin the last page
there's a place there for you to write some notes and I'd love for you to just
kind of write these things down this is a very important doctrine today this
doctrine of separation is one of the main thing that separates us as
independent fundamental Baptist or as fundamentalist Christians it's what
separates us from the contemporary church down the street and even from the
you know old IFB movement which is becoming more and more worldly as the
time goes on so I want to teach you about this doctrine of separation and
honestly you know especially as for a young church it's a very young church
and I'm glad we have a great turnout here this morning I think brother Oliver
you know texted to me that there's 55 people here this morning that's a great
amount of people to be here for a church this this this old you know or this
young I should say and but you know as your church is young what you really
need to learn is doctrine to kind of help you get structured and get settled
and get strengthened in the things of God so I want to teach you this subject
of doctrine this morning number one if you're taking notes I'd like you to you
can write this down or you can write this statement on point number one let's
talk about the philosophy of separation because we're talking about separation
the philosophy of separation when we're talking about separation what do we mean
by that and I want you to understand when we're talking about separation
we're talking about being separated from the world we're talking about being
separated from the world you're there in John 17 notice verse number 15 John 17
in verse 15 notice what Jesus said I pray not that thou shouldest take them
out of the world he says I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the
world now let me just say this when it comes to separation there is a balance
to separation and we're gonna talk about that tonight how we set up proper
convictions how we develop proper convictions and we set up proper
standards to live a separated life but let me say this that there is the
ability of taking separation too far where you basically you know here's an
example of people that have taken separation too far the Amish you know
where they just decided like you know we're supposed to be separated from the
world that means let's just go you know live somewhere away from everybody else
and it's just you know our little group us four and no more you know and it's
just and look that is not what God intended and you know there's a reason
why those people are as weird as they are you know because in you know you're
there in breading and they're having all sorts of weird things and Jesus never
intended for that he said I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the
world he said look Jesus said my intention is not that they would come
out of the world you know and look if you ever get connected with a church and
they're talking about hey let's move the entire church to this compound you know
in Guyana and you know and I've got a fresh batch of kool-aid or whatever you
know just realize that that is not God's plan he says I pray not that thou should
take them out of the world notice besides but that thou shouldest keep
them from the evil so please understand separation is not a literal physical we
can't be around you know the world's people but the doctrine of separation
the philosophy of separation is that while we're in the world he would keep
us from the evil of the world while we're in the world we would not be like
the world notice verse 16 they are not of the world even as I am not of the
world so when we're talking about the philosophy of separation we need to
understand that we are to be separated from the world and what that means is
that we are in the world but we are not of the world we are in the world but
we're not like the world we are in the world but we're not to be patterned
after the world now keep your place there in John chapter 17 we're gonna
come back to John during the sermon but go to the book of Hebrews if you start
at the end of the New Testament the book of Revelation and you head backwards
you're gonna go past the book of Jude past the books of 3rd 2nd and 1st John
2nd and 1st Peter James and into the book of Hebrews Hebrews chapter number
11 and I want you to notice this passage in Hebrews chapter 11 now when you get
to Hebrews do me a favor and put a ribbon or a bookmark or your bulletin
you've got a bulletin now so it always serves well as a as a bookmark put
something there in Hebrews 11 because we're gonna leave Hebrews and we're
gonna come back to it and those two passages John and Hebrews are gonna be
used throughout the sermon to be able to get you to where I need you to go
Hebrews chapter 11 notice verse number 13 Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 13 says
this these all died in faith of course this is the famous you know Hall of
Faith chapter where you got all those great believers that lived in faith and
here he says these all died in faith not having received the promises but having
seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embrace them notice notice
what they were persuaded by notice what they embrace because here's what I
understand today especially when you've got you know newer Christians and when
you've got younger Christians and what I mean by younger Christians is I'm
talking about these kids and these teenagers and I'll praise the Lord for
the kids and teenagers in this church here in Boise and I thank God for the
kids and teenagers in our church in Sacramento but when you go to many
churches today you know you have the young people that are resisting the
doctrine of separation they don't want to embrace it and I think the reason for
that is because they've been given a lot of rules they've been given a lot of
standards they've been told a lot of you're not allowed to do this you're not
allowed to do that you're not allowed to go there but they've never been taught
separation and they've that those doctors have never been connected to the
Word of God they've never been taught a principle they've never had a mom or a
dad sit down and say here's what the Bible teaches and here's the conviction
we pull out of there and that's why we have this standard and again I'm getting
ahead of myself that's tonight's sermon but I want you to notice what these
people were doing they were persuaded of them and embraced them and notice what
it says confessed that they were notice these words strangers and pilgrims on
the earth now the word stranger there is not the same as a way we use the word
strange when we use the word strange you know we're talking about someone who we
think is weird right or someone who we think is odd like the Amish right but
the word stranger here in the Bible it's the same word that you and I would use
as the word foreigner here's what these people embrace they embrace that they
were foreigners and pilgrims what's a pilgrim a pilgrim is a traveler someone
on a journey and here's what these people were embracing they were
embracing the fact that they were not of this world when I was a kid we used to
sing this song this world is not my home I'm just a passing through you know and
as Christians we need to realize that we are in the world but we are not of the
world we are in the world but this world is not my home this is not where I'm
staying I'm just kind of on a journey I'm just passing through I'm just a
stranger and a pilgrim now keep your place there in Hebrews if you kept your
place in John go me in the book of Romans if you're in John you're gonna go
past acts into the book of Romans continue to keep your place in John and
in Hebrews let me say this not only do we need to realize that we are in the
world but not of the world we need to realize that we are not to be conformed
to this world Romans chapter 12 and verse 1 says this I beseech you
therefore brethren Romans chapter 12 and verse 1 I beseech you therefore
brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice
notice this word holy holy is a holy or holiness is a is a byproduct or as a
result it is a I shouldn't say byproduct it is the product of separation holy
acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service how do we become
acceptable unto God by being holy how do we become holy by not being like the
world knows verse 2 and be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and
perfect will of God here we are told that we are not to be conformed to the
world the word conform means to be similar or similar or in form or in type
the word conform means to be patterned after and here's what we're talking
about this morning we're talking about the fact that as Christians as believers
we are not to pattern our lives to the world so look when it comes to being a
Christian everything is up for questioning when it comes to look as a
Christian especially as a new Christian you ought to go into Christianity just
questioning everything that you've ever been taught I mean everything that you
were taught about having children everything that you were taught about
raising children everything you did or were taught about dating about marriage
about you know finances about working about jobs about where you live and how
you live and where you go everything needs to be questioned and you need to
ask yourself am I doing that simply because that's what the world does
because as Christians the Bible says that we're to not be conformed to this
world we're not to be patterned after this world when I read that verse I
think of you know my wife does some sewing and she'll often she'll sew
skirts for the for my girls or show us do you know little things are here
there for for for the kids and she goes and she buys a pattern and then she
takes that pattern and she uses that pattern to be able to cut out what she
needs to be able to sew whatever it is that she's doing a sling or whatever it
might be and the Bible says that we are not to take the world's pattern and then
apply it to our lives we are not to be conformed to this world in fact that's
why we are commanded to come out of the world you're there in Romans go to 2nd
Corinthians you're if you're in Romans the next book over is 1st Corinthians
the next book after that 2nd Corinthians now 2nd Corinthians chapter
6 this is probably the key passage in regards to separation this chapter 6 in
verse 14 be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers I want you to notice
again just even in that phrase we learn of separation God says I don't want you
to be yoked together with unbelievers the word yoke there the idea is that
we're not to be partnered with or come into partnership with unbelievers a yoke
is a tool that they would use during the time you know even you know farming
times or the times of Paul here where they would be able to put two animals
that were plowing you know like two ox you know that were plowing together they
would yoke them they would connect them by the neck they would partner them up
so that they would work together as they plowed the field and they would be able
to accomplish more in in a less amount of time but God says I don't want you
yoking yourself up with an unbeliever and look we often apply this to marriage
you know don't be marrying an unbeliever but I believe that this applies more to
just marriage you know and when it comes to your business life and your social
life be careful about who you yoke yourself up with he says be not
unequally yoked together with unbelievers you say why here's why for
what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath
light with darkness and what Concord that means what agreement hath Christ
with Belial and Belial is Satan or what part hath he that believeth with an
infidel notice verse 16 and what agreement hath the temple of God with
idols for ye are the temple of living God as God had said I will dwell in them
and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people verse 17 he
says wherefore now when you see the word wherefore he's saying because of
this reason because of what reason because of everything he just said that
there's no fellowship with righteousness and right unrighteousness no communion
with light and darkness no Concord with Christ and Belial there's no part that a
believer should have with an infidel because of the fact that God himself
have you ever thought about this when you got saved the Holy Spirit of God
came to live inside of you and when God came to live inside of you here he says
you know he are the temple of the living God I mean the the God that
created the universe the God that spoke the earth into existence the Bible says
that the living God he says I will dwell in them and walk in them God says where
you go I go because I'm in you because the Holy Spirit in you where what you
see I see where you take me I you know where you end up being and what you end
up doing you know you include me in all those things he says he says and walk in
them he says I will be their God they shall be my people he says because of
that because of the fact that the Holy Spirit lives inside of you he says
wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch
not the unclean thing so we notice as we begin this idea of separation the
philosophy of separation what does that mean here's what it means we're to be
separated from the world we are to come out of the world we are in the world but
we're not of the world but please understand this there's more to
separation than just that you're there in 2nd Corinthians you've got your
place in John that's great go to the book of 1st Peter if you kept your place
in Hebrews if you kept your place in Hebrews I need you to go backwards from
Hebrews you're gonna go if you go back you're gonna go past the book of James
into the book of 1st Peter oftentimes when we talk about separation we apply
it as we should to being separated from the world we emphasize the fact that we
are to come out from the world that we are not to be like the world and that's
definitely part of separation and and and that's a great application but I
want you to understand there's more to separation than that it's not that God
simply wants us to be separated from the world separation has two aspects we are
separated from the world but we are separated unto God 1st Peter chapter 1
look at verse 16 notice what the Bible says 1st Peter 1 16 says this because it
is written be holy for I am holy here we are commanded to live a holy separated
life in fact the word holy means to be set apart that's what the word holy
means it literally means to be separated look at chapter 2 and verse 9 same book
there 1st Peter chapter 2 and verse 9 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 9 but ye are a
chosen generation a royal priesthood knows what he says and holy nation a set
apart nation a separated nation a peculiar people the word peculiar means
not usual not normal not average now it doesn't mean weird it just means we're
not like the average people and look please understand this the average
people in this world are a mess their lives are a mess their children are a
mess their marriages are a mess their finances are a mess God says I called
you to be different but he said not just to be different for the sake of
being different not just to be different from the world but to be separated not
just from the world but unto God he says a holy nation of peculiar people why
that ye should show forth the praises of him who have called you out of darkness
into his marvelous light you have to turn there but Titus 2 14 says this who
gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto
himself a peculiar people zealous of good works go to go to 1st John chapter
2 of your if you got your place there in a 2nd Peter or 1st Peter just go
backwards past 1st Peter into the book of 1st John I'm sorry not backwards from
you got you're there in 2nd Peter just the next book over Hebrews James 1st 2nd
Peter and 1st John 1st John chapter 2 so I want you to understand when we're
talking about the philosophy the philosophy of separation right just the
concept of separation here's what it is it's separated from the world unto God
from the world unto God and here's what that means and here's what you need to
understand it's not just enough that we're not like the world but are we set
apart for God because here's what I've learned you know over the last eight
years of ministry and I see this often with new Christians and new believers
and of course with a newer church and a younger church you're gonna have a lot
of new believers and I've learned this that most Christians today and most
Christians that are not accomplishing maybe everything that God would have
them to accomplish is that they don't mind God and they don't mind having God
as a part of their lives but the Bible says that the Bible says Christ who is
your life see there's a difference between the Christian who says hey I've
got my life I've got my plans I've got my thing going on and I'm willing to
give God a couple of hours on Sunday morning or a couple of hours on Sunday
night or maybe an hour you know on Saturday or whatever it might be there's
a difference between that Christian and then the one who says I'm not just
separated from the world I'm separated unto God God is my life everything about
my life everything about my social life everything about my personal life
everything is God's see separation is not just I'm separated from the world
but it's this idea that I'm set apart for God I'm set apart for the use of God
I'm set apart for the work of God I'm set apart for whatever God needs because
it's not my life plus God it's Christ who is my life so here's a question for
you are you separated from the world but here's a separate question are you
separated unto God the philosophy of separation is from the world and unto
God we talked about the philosophy of separation but secondly this morning
let's talk about the practice of separation the practice of separation
you're there in 1st John chapter 2 it's not enough to understand separation see
here's the funny thing you go to the average path to the pastor of the
average non-denominational Church I'm talking about the Rock Band Church the
church you walk into that's not separated you know that's not that that
is patterned after the world you say well how do you know here's how I know
when you walk into a church and the lights are dark and there's streaming
lights everywhere and there's you know big light you know and there's smoke
coming off the platform and it's meant to look like a rock concert you just
patterned your church after the world all right when you walk into a church
and it looks like a casino when you walk into a church and it looks like a
nightclub when you walk into a church and it looks like a comedy club you know
and they've made it that way and they've designed it that way for a reason what
that's what we're talking about your pattern after the world but here's the
funny thing you talk to that pastor and you say hey what do you believe our
separation and they'll probably quote to you some of these words oh yeah you know
we're not in the world but we're not it's funny I I you know I don't know if
it's around anymore but if a few years ago you'd walk into a you know a
baila might bookstore you know one of these Christian bookstores is trying to
unite the world with you know and you see people wearing these shirts not of
the world and you know it's just funny to me when you see this teenage
Christian and you know he's got a mohawk and he and he's got you know these I
don't even know what they're called these earrings and your ears that like
make your you look like you're some African you know he that or something
you're like the the thing in your ear and it spreads your ear out you know
he's got like a thing in his nose and he's got you know piercings everywhere
and but and he's got his shirt not of the world I'm thinking myself you look
just like the world you you I mean not you you wear the shirt you know you can
understand the philosophy but but we have to actually practice separation
it's not just enough to understand separation are you actually living a
separated life you say well how does that work to live a separated life to
practice separation to live a separate life you must reject the things of this
world 1st John 2 15 notice what it says love not the world God says we're not to
love the world neither the things that are in the world God says we're not to
love the world and we're not to love the things that are in the world you say why
if any man loved the world love the love of the Father is not in him in James we
are told that to be a friend with the world puts you at enmity with God look
you need to decide am I on God's side or am I on the world side choose you this
day whom you will serve like Elijah said how long you know are you gonna sit
there and between two opinions you need to decide whose side are you on because
you can't be on both that's why Jesus would tell the church of Laodicea he
said you know I would that you were cold or hot he said but you're lukewarm and
I'm gonna spew you out of my mouth he said love not the world neither things
that are in the world if any man love the world love of the Father is not in
him verse 16 for all that is in the world for all that is in the world look
that all that word all there you know in the Greek that word all you know what it
means the the deep theological Greek meaning of the word all you know what it
means it means all it means everything it means there's nothing that the world
produces that we ought to love for all that is in the world the lust of the
flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life is not of the Father but as of the
world doesn't that cover everything the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes
the pride of life look there's basically nothing the world produces that doesn't
meet and that doesn't fall in those categories so when you're a Christian
and you're like well I of course I would never listen to that you know heavy
metal rock music or I would never listen to that rap music but but but you think
it's okay to listen to country music you know because they preach they think
about Jesus they mentioned Jesus in church every once in a while well let me
ask you this does it does it fall under the lust of the flesh I think it does
when you've got the scantily clad women on those videos does it fall under the
lust of the eyes does it fall under the pride of life here's what I'm telling
you is we need to decide and we need to let realize if you're going to live a
separated life you must be willing look you must be willing to reject the things
of the world to walk away from the things of the world but you also must be
willing to to live a separate life you must renew how you see the world we were
just there in Romans chapter 12 if you can go back there Romans chapter 12 look
at verse 2 we saw verse 1 but I want you to notice verse 2 and we read verse 2
also but notice it and be not conformed to this world and be not conform to this
world notice what he says but be ye I want you to notice this word transformed
by the renewing of your mind see you need to realize this is what I was
talking about earlier when I say everything's on everything needs to be
on the table everything needs to be on the table as far as questioning it
everything needs to be on the table as far as is this right is this what God
wants is this what and and tonight in the second service we're gonna go
through today we're just this morning we're just kind of learning about
separation tonight we're gonna talk about how to develop some convictions
and standards in your life that will allow you to be that Christian who lives
a separated life but you need to look you need if you're gonna live a separate
life you need to be willing to reject the world and need to be willing to
renew your mind be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove
what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God you need to be
willing to say you know what everything I knew everything I was taught
everything that I believed to be true it may be that I was wrong it may be that
all of those things were wrong it may be that I need to be transformed by the
renewing of my mind 2nd Corinthians 7 1 you have to turn there says this having
therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God
the Bible says that we are to cleanse ourselves from all the filthiness of the
flesh and spirit perfecting the word perfecting there means completing means
making complete holiness in the fear of God we need to live a fully separated
life so there's the philosophy of separation and there's the practice of
separation you can say I understand separation from the world to God but
then are you practicing it in the sense that you're willing to reject the things
of the world and you're willing to renew your mind and someone said this and you
ought to consider this in your life if you were on trial for being a Christian
would there be enough evidence to convict you I mean if you were on trial
you know people always talk about the end times the you know during the end
times you know we're gonna get our heads chopped off because the the
Antichrist is the editor you know sometimes I think myself man I don't
think you have anything to worry about I don't you say our neighbors are gonna
turn us in I'm like why would your neighbor turn you in you drink like they
drink you act like they act you dress like they dress you you say the same
things you do the same things that they do why would they suspect you of being a
Christian if you were on track look I'm whole I'm hoping that when the
Antichrist goes on TV and says turn in your Christian I'm hoping every single
one of my neighbors is like that guy 303 River Run Circle they are weird that
Sunday morning Sunday night Wednesday night they're coming up they got their
kids and ties are getting in this van they go somewhere then some one time
they knocked on my door talk about Jesus and heaven I'm not sure what and you
know well they they just they're there we you know they we they don't come to
the block parties and I mean that that's how your life should be some of you're
like and you know at times I'm gonna get kids like you know no one at work no
even knows you're a Christian none of your neighbors even know you're a
Christian now your friends even know look if you were on trial for being a
Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you would there be enough
evidence to even indict you would you even be suspected so we see the
philosophy of separation and we see the practice of separation but lastly this
morning I want you to understand the purpose of separation the purpose of
separation you can make your way back to 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 if you kept
your place in John you got Acts Romans 1st Corinthians 2nd Corinthians is a
pastor he matters what's the point what's the purpose what's the reasoning
for separation 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 notice verse 16 the Bible says this and
what agreement has the temple of God with idols for a year the temple of the
living God as God has said I will dwell in them and walk in them verse 17
wherefore come out from among them and be you separate see the purpose of
separation is to establish a good relationship with God the purpose of
separation is the fact that we cannot walk with I'm not talking about being
saved okay don't let people tell you that salvation with from God and a
relationship with God are the same thing because they are not you can be
saved you were saved by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ it happens in a moment
that's why it's called being born again after you are saved though God wants to
walk with you he wants to have a relationship with you so when we say
having a relationship with Christ we're not talking about salvation you can only
have a relationship with Christ if you are saved but you are not saved by
having a relationship with Christ but you say well what is the purpose of
separation what is the reason for separation why live separated from the
world unto God why reject the world and renew our mind why do all those things
it's for one reason because the holy God who created you and I wants to have a
relationship with us but that holy God cannot fellowship with sinful people and
God desires for you to come out from among them and be separate so that you
can have a good relationship and walk with him and here's what you need to
understand and here's what I think most people don't grasp about separation is
they often look at what they're losing well if I live a separated life I'm
gonna lose my friends if I live a separated life I'm gonna lose my
acquaintances if I live a separate life I'm gonna lose those things that brought
me joy in the flesh or brought me satisfaction and in the flesh and you
you're losing and you're losing you're losing but what you understand is you're
losing those things so that you can gain something better with God and so
that you can walk with God so you can have a good relationship with God go go
to Ephesians chapter number four if you're there in second Corinthians you
got first second Corinthians Galatians Ephesians while you go there let me read
for you out of James chapter 4 James chapter 4 says this the adulterers and
adulteresses know ye not that friendship of the world is enmity with God
whosoever therefore will befriend of the world is enemy of God you need to
understand that the purpose of separation is to establish a good and to
keep a good relationship with God and when you don't live a separated life
you're not going to have a good relationship with God Ephesians 4 30
says this and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God and grieve not the Holy Spirit of
God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption this is what we were
talking about he said I will walk in them he said your your body simple Holy
Ghost I will be in them and I will walk in them and I will be their God and they
shall be my people the Holy Spirit of God into us if you're saved in whom you
also trusted after that you heard the word of truth the gospel of your
salvation in whom also after that he believed the Bible says ye were sealed
with the Holy Spirit of promise all right now there's a couple things there
you know it has nothing to serve him but we're talking about it so let me just
give it to you the moment you got saved you got the Holy Spirit the Pentecostals
are wrong the Pentecostals and the oneness here the the the oneness
Pentecostals and the regular Pentecostals they'll all teach that salvation is a
process you first repent of your sins then you believe then you do this and
you're that and the filling of the Spirit or the coming of the Spirit comes
later the Bible says it comes when you believed when you trusted you got sealed
with the Spirit and but and there's another doctrine though the sealing of
spirit not only teaches us about salvation but it also teaches us about
preservation because you know what today people tell you they'll tell you well if
you live a worldly life then you're gonna lose your salvation and what they
mean by that is you're gonna lose the Holy Spirit well if you if you lost the
Holy Spirit every time you you sinned or every time you did wrong every time you
walked away from God if you lost your salvation every time you walked away
from God Ephesians chapter 4 verse 30 would make no sense it says and grieve
not the Holy Spirit of God why would the Holy Spirit ever be grieved why would
the Holy Spirit the word grieve means to feel intense sorrow or to cause
distress or discomfort why would the Holy Spirit be grieved if every time I
did something I wasn't supposed to do every time I looked at something I
shouldn't look at or listen to something I shouldn't listen to or go somewhere I
shouldn't go or drink something I shouldn't drink whatever if every time I
did that he just left why would he be grieved see the Bible says and grieve
not the Holy Spirit of God because of the fact that the Holy Spirit is stuck
with you when you got saved you were sealed with the spirit he's in you and
when you're doing wrong and when you're doing sin and when you're not living a
separated life you grieve him in other passages we're told not to quench the
Holy Spirit so there's a grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are
sealed unto the day of redemption so what what is the purpose what is the
purpose of a separated life it's to establish a good relationship with God
but it's also to be a good or to establish a good testimony to the world
to establish a good testimony to the world if you can make your way back to
first Peter first Peter go to chapter 4 first Peter chapter 4 and look at verse
number 14 first Peter chapter 4 in verse 14 first Peter 4 14 says this if you be
reproached oftentimes people don't want to live a separate life because they
don't want to be reproached they don't want to be looked at as odd they don't
want to be looked at as weird they don't want to be looked at as as as you know
they're they don't fit in especially young people young people always want to
fit in everywhere you want to fit in with everybody he says if you be
reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye he said it's a good thing why for
the spirit of glory and of God rested upon you look if you've got the Spirit
of God upon your life you're going to be reproached by the world if the world
loves you look if you look at these preachers out there and the world just
loves them the world just thinks they're the greatest things and sliced bread
they've got a spirit on them but it's not the Spirit of God because he says if
you be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the spirit of glory and
of God rested upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is
glorified notice there go back to our first Peter we saw this earlier chapter
2 and verse 9 1st Peter chapter 2 and verse 9 1st Peter chapter 2 and verse 9
notice what he says he says but ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood and
holy nation of peculiar people that ye should notice what he says show forth
the praise of him who have called you out of darkness enters marvelous light
see we are to show forth the praises Jesus told his hypo he said let your
light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your
Father which is in heaven and we don't believe in lifestyle evangelism we
believe in confrontational evangelism where we go on and we preach the gospel
confrontational doesn't mean we're you know adversarial with people it means
that we're confronting them with the gospel okay but I do believe this that
our lifestyle ought to match our evangelism we ought to live in such a
way that people would see our good works look we ought to live in such a way that
your neighbors they might kind of smirk at you and laugh at you and they might
think it's silly your family might think it's silly when Thanksgiving comes
around and you don't want to be around the alcohol or whatever it might be you
know they might think it's funny but they know who to go to when tragedy
comes when they're in the ER they know who to call to pray for them when
they're having issues and problems they know who to go to for counsel and help
we had to live our lives you say why live a separated life because it allows
us to have a good relationship with God is allowed us to establish a
relationship with God but it allows us to establish a good testimony to
establish a good testimony to the world go to 2nd Timothy chapter 3 is the last
place we'll go to this morning 2nd Timothy chapter 3 I realize that this
morning sermon is is is is not extremely super practical and you know I want to
encourage you to come back tonight for the second service because tonight
sermon is gonna be more practical I wanted to lay I felt like tonight's
sermon wouldn't make sense if you didn't understand just the doctrine of
separation I wanted to lay the foundation of separation the philosophy
of separation were separated from the world unto God the practice of
separation we have to be willing to reject the world and we must renew our
minds the purpose of separation we are to you know it's to establish a good
relationship with God and to establish a good testimony with the world and
tonight we're going to talk about how do we develop some convictions and some
standards that will allow us to live that separated life because you because
you hear a lot of preaching about convictions and standards but a lot of
people don't have convictions and standards they they they hear about it
but they themselves don't have it and it's funny to me because they listen to
me or they listen to Pastor Anderson listen and they say man I just love all
the preaching you know about you guys preach about this you preach about that
and then you see them make decisions in their lives you see them make choices in
their life you watch them do certain things I'm thinking myself man you
listen to everything we say but you're not doing anything we say and it's
because there's a it's if there's a difference between hearing it and seeing
it in somebody else and then deciding you know what I see the biblical
principle I've developed a personal conviction and I have a standard then
I'm gonna that's gonna guide my life and tonight we're gonna talk about that
we're gonna talk about developing some convictions and standards in your life
but let me just finish by saying this you're there in 2nd Timothy chapter 3
once you notice verse 13 the Bible says this but evil men and seducers shall
wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived but evil men and seducers shall
wax worse and worse I want to just give you one last thought just as we conclude
this morning on the subject of separation and I want to say this
separation you need to understand this separation because I believe a lot of
people are don't understand this in their lives separation is not a distance
from the world separation is not a distance people think oh I love a
separate life because you know I'm I'm far from the world I'm distant
separation is not a distance from the world I want to kind of give you an
illustration and I apologize I didn't I didn't ask for this in advance but I'm
gonna ask brother Oliver and brother Dylan if they would come up here I want
to use you guys as an example I'm sure these guys won't mind but I want to just
kind of use these guys an example if I can have you guys go just stand right
over there by the piano and brother Dylan you stand right here all right in
this illustration okay and I thought about this I prayed about this and I
asked the Lord for guidance and the Lord told me that brother Oliver should
represent the world I don't know why I don't know why but for some reason
Oliver is gonna represent the world and brother Dylan's gonna represent a good
godly Christian okay now I'm just kidding all right they're both good
godly Christians but you know brother Oliver here represents the world and
brother Dylan actually you know what brother Dylan's gonna represent the old
IFP how about that brother Dylan's gonna represent Sam
Gipp no I'm just kidding today you have a lot of even separated Christians who
have this idea that separation is just a distance from the world so brother don't
put your hand up and just you know his his his goal is to live a separated life
from the world and what they think is that separation is a distance from the
world as long as I stayed far away from the world then I am living a separated
life the problem with that is that the Bible says keep your hand up if you
don't mind the problem with that is that the Bible says that evil men and
seducers shall wax worse and worse the problem with that is that this guy let
me tell you is getting worse and worse he's getting more and more worldly and
when Christians believe that separation is just a distance from the world the
problem with that is that though as the world gets worse so come this way the
world's getting worse all right but we're keeping our distance right the
world's getting worse but we're keeping our distance the world's getting worse
but we're keeping our distance right our standards change see go back to go back
to the world there was a day when Christianity you know looked at Elvis
Presley with his you know moving hips and said that's obscene that's ungodly
that music is of the world but you know today the average Christian wouldn't
blink an eye to that type of music they wouldn't give that kind of music a
second thought in comparison to the stuff that the world's putting out today
but see as a Christian our lives are not to maintain a distance from the world
our job is to maintain a separated stand that doesn't change based on the world
my separations my standards my convictions ought not be in comparison
to what I'm not just trying to keep a distance from the world because as the
world gets worse and worse and here's the problem is that maybe if you
maintain this distance maybe if you maintain this distance that would be
fine if I come this way let's do it this way here you got the world right here
you got Elvis Presley and the Beatles I mean you preach against the Beatles
today and people are like you're crazy you're insane but you know people used
to think the Beatles were worldly as hell and by the way they are worldly as
hell a bunch of communists they brought a whole lot of worldliness to this
country you know there used to be a day when this was the world you had the
Beatles you had Elvis Presley and you had you know Hellfire and Brimstone
preachers preaching against that saying it was wicked but then you had Christians
maintaining their separation but the world got worse and worse right and the
Christians all they did was maintain the separation here's what's funny now the
word now the now Christians are standing where the world used to stand so you so
you go to the contemporary Christian Church today and you know all they're
doing you know what contemporary Christian music is it's all just the
music of ten years ago from the world so ten years the world the backstreet boys
were popular they're not popular anymore but you go to Joe Lo seen church and
there's basically backstreet boys on stage you know it's basically just the
world you go to the old IV churches you say why because they decided that
separations was a distance the problem is the world's getting worse and worse
and as it continues as it continues the world just eventually Christianity is
just standing exactly where the world was standing ten years ago or twenty
years ago or thirty years ago or forty years ago but see separation and come
this way brother Dylan come this way brother Oliver true separation is is is
standing on a conviction and a standard based on the Word of God that does not
change we're gonna learn about that tonight it's not a distance it's just a
conviction and it doesn't matter how bad the world gets we don't change and we
don't move because we're standing on the Word of God so please don't
misunderstand thank you guys you guys can have a seat please don't
misunderstand this it's not that separation is a just as long as I'm
distant from the world the problem there is that the world's getting worse and
worse and eventually you're gonna be standing right where the world used to
stand but it is a conviction it is a standard that should not change it ought
not change so I want to encourage you come back tonight and we're gonna finish
this thought about separation kind of laid the foundation on the subject of
separation tonight we're gonna talk about developing some convictions
personal convictions setting up some standards in your life let's bow our
heads and have a word of prayer