Be Ye Separate, Saith the Lord

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

Separation is a topic that many Christians do not want to hear about, but separation is a very important principle taught throughout Scripture. Too often, Christians do not like the doctrine of separation because they feel like they are giving up so much. My pastor teaches this in a way I had never heard taught before. It really helped me, and I believe it can help you as well. He says, “Separation is not about what you give up; it’s about what you gain.” What is it that we gain through separation. The verses about read, “…be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters.” When we live a separated life, we gain fellowship with God.

Fellowship with God is far greater than anything we would be giving up. No music, talk, or clothing can compare to the fellowship that we can have with God. Many people think that separation is all about the inside because we know from I Samuel 16:7, “For the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” However, if we truly are separated on the inside, it will show on the outside. Our outward countenance is the fruit of an inward root. I’ve written before that if our root is right, our fruit will be right. Both outward and inward separation matter to the Lord. Remember, it is not about what we give up; it’s about what we gain. Let us strive to live a separated life unto the Lord each and every day that we live.