Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
When I was a little child, one of my chores in the kitchen was to make salad dressing for our family. We had one of those clear bottles with pre-measured lines on the side that showed you how much water and oil to mix with the powdered seasoning. I would shake the dressing up for a minute and then set it on the kitchen table, but by the time everybody sat down for supper, you could see that the oil had completely separated from the water.
This reminds me of a Christian Life.
Just like oil and water, Christians are called to separate themselves from the world, because they just don’t mix.
2 Corinthians 6:15-18 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 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. 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.
Scripture clearly teaches us that in order to be received by God, we need to be able to come out and be separate from the world. This is serious, because in order to become, and remain a part of God’s family, we must obey this commandment. To be separate means that you keep apart from others. It also means you are independent and detached. We are not supposed to join with others who do not share our religious beliefs from scripture. Poor associations can corrupt good morals. There are going to be many people who profess Lord Lord, even claiming to be a Christian but are not going to enter into eternal life. This is because they never faithfully endured what was required of them to obtain salvation.
In the parable of the prodigal son the father symbolically represents God. The prodigal son represents each of us, sinners who need to come out from the world, and return to the heavenly Father. We are no longer to live like, or to associate with people who are still walking on the wide road of sin.
1 Peter 4:3-5 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
If you were trying to quit smoking, why would you hang out in a room filled with smokers? If you were attempting to abstain from sin, why would you hang out with people who are still involved with it? Concord is defined as a state of agreement, harmony, unity, alliance and association. When we become a Christian we are required to turn from darkness to light. We are not to possess feelings of harmony and fellowship with those who choose to live outside the teachings of Christ.
An infidel is somebody who is unfaithful to the teachings of the Christian faith. This is caused by a state of unbelief. Unbelief is simply not accepting the truth of scripture. Our source of unity within the church is our faith in Christ and His Holy Word, by which we are sanctified and transformed into new creatures. We are not supposed to be in agreement with others who reject Christ, but keep separate from them, being loyal to our precious Lord.
Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
Noah is a prime example of someone who separated from the world. He didn’t join up with them, but kept to himself, preparing an ark for the salvation of himself, and his family.
Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Again, God commands us to come out and be separate, as commanded in the book of Revelation.
Revelation 18:4-5 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
Lots family is another example of coming out and being separate from the world. Lot’s wife refused to do this, and because of her willful rebellion, perished because of it.
Genesis 19:12-22, 24-26 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
This passage is a prime example of coming out from the world and being separate. Lots in-laws and even his own wife refused to separate, but they were destroyed with the rest. Separation from the world is required in the Christian Life, if you truly want God as your Father.
We must come out from the world, Just as Noah did. We must come out from the world just as Lot did. We must come out of the world just as Moses did. Only those who truly love Christ Jesus, will be capable of doing this. It comes down to a simple choice. Do you love God enough to separate from the world? Do you love God enough to keep separate from your own relatives who choose to live in the world? What have you forsaken to show Him that He is your greatest love?
Becoming a follower of Jesus is to be filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit, and the simple truth is, when you try to attempt to combine oil and water…..
….. They Just Don’t Mix
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by Google searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms, such as Amazon, Spotify or Google podcasts. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 