The doctrine of separation part i
Category: Obedience to God’s Will
Key Passage: 2 Corinthians 6
Speaker: Paul Chisgar
Date: June 7, 2024
Turn your Bibles to Second Corinthians chapter number six, if you would please. Second Corinthians chapter number six. We’re going to start a new series tonight. We were dealing with the land with some engineer, was there, and a real estate agent, developer, whatnot, and all Christians. One of the people…
But they were talking, and they were talking about a couple that used to go to a good church and was changing, going to a very liberal church, giving us some details about it. And the engineer said, “What about the doctrine of separation?” And, well, it just stuck with me. Later on, I think that day I thought about it. I think the Lord right along there, He said, “I’d like you to do a series.” I don’t know how long it’d be. I’m not looking to make it long. Just have it as long as the Lord wants it to be. Just do a little series about separation, the doctrine of separation.
We covered it one Wednesday night when we were covering the book of Ezra. We want to take some more time, just talk about this subject of separation, the doctrine of separation. It is not mentioned and talked about a lot in our day and time. We want to just look at it biblically. Tonight really will be just the purpose of separation. What’s the purpose of that? And just kind of general tonight, we’ll start in 2 Corinthians chapter number 6 of God’s Word. We’ll start in verse number 14, 2nd Corinthians 6 and verse number 14.
And if you’re able, would you please stand as we read God’s Word together? 2 Corinthians 6 and verse number 14 of God’s Word. And when you’re there, would you say, “Amen?” Good deal. By the way, good to see you. Bryson here with us today. Brayden, excuse me, Brayson’s his older brother. Good to see him. Brayden with us tonight. Not usual, but we’re glad to see you now. And just everybody.
Verse number 14, 2nd Corinthians 6:14. And the Bible says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” Now, a yoke. How many here have ever plowed? Have you ever plowed with a yoke? We’ve got a couple guys. Whether it be a horse or a mule or whatever it might be, typically they’ll put them in a yoke, or it could be just a plow, a buggy, whatnot. I think the Stouts are from an area that has a lot of Amish people. And you’ve been in places like that. You just ride along, and all of a sudden, you’ll see a buggy and a horse, and you got to slow down. But sometimes they’ll have somewhat of a yoke to keep those horses together, pulling together. And that’s what he’s speaking of there. He said, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” Now, the typical thing we think of is marriage, and that for sure is included, but in many other things, you’re yoked together. You’re going the same direction. You’re working the same thing with him, and so on. So let’s keep going.
He says, “For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion?” That communion has to do with being united in the same cause. “And what communion hath light with darkness?” And you see, if you’re born again, we are children of light, not children of darkness. See?
And then verse number 15, he says, “And what concord?” That’s harmony. “What concord hath Christ with Belial?” I just don’t see Christ and the devil and the demons working together in harmony; always opposing, always. “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.”
Now, because of these verses we just read, verse number 17, he says, “Wherefore, because of,” if you will, “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.”
Now, let me just stop for a second. He’s not talking necessarily about salvation. You’ll be saved. He’s not talking about that. It’s already very clear. Go back to verse number one and so on. He’s talking about saved people here, the church, the church of Corinth, saved people. And he’s talking about more like the closeness, okay? And he says we want to be separate. And God says, if you are, then I’ll be like a Father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. By the way, sometimes we think of separation, this thing, we think of only physical things, but it’s not just that.
If you read the next verse—and man put in these divisions—look at the next verse, it goes along with it. Chapter number seven, verse number one: “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.”
Separation is just not a physical thing, where I go, and what I watch, and what I wear, and what I sing. It’s also my spirit, my attitude too. Boy, we can have a worldly attitude for sure. Oh, my goodness, it can come on me mighty quick, and what a shame when it does. But he says, “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
And let’s just take a little while tonight. Would you pray and ask God to kind of give you His mind, His heart on this subject of separation and the purpose of separation tonight? Would you do that as we pray? Lord, I come. Father, I pray that You would help me not to taint Your message, Lord. Father, we want to hear from You, from Your Spirit, from Your Word. Lord, help me rightly divide it. Lord, and then help me to explain and to make real, to cause understanding to Your Word properly, Lord. And bless our people, Lord, I pray that we’d be closer to You and be used by You more powerfully because of tonight. And Lord, we thank You for what You do. We’re asking for these things in the name of Jesus. We pray. Amen. Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.
Three things, three things really, the purpose of separation. The number one thing: so we can experience God as a Dad.
And it’s really amazing. I’ve heard sometimes it’s according to where you grew up at, what neck of the woods, what part of the country. But someone said, “Well, we’ve got a lot of fathers, but we need more dads.” And I’ve heard the opposite of that, but I think you understand what they’re trying to say, you know. God wants to be more than just your Savior, your Father as far as your family—you’re a child of God, you’re born again, going to heaven. He wants to be your Dad. He wants to be close to you. Now, that can mean a whole lot of things. I will for sure not be able to cover them all. Maybe if you know of someone, maybe you had a real good relationship with your dad, maybe it’s just real crystal clear to you what that would mean. Or maybe you know if someone else has a real good relationship with their dad and you kind of get that, God wants that. But let me just try to point out a couple of things. It might mean—I think it does mean pretty much for all of us, but maybe some things might mean in a big way to you.
Number one, I think of a dad as someone that provides. It was a blessing as a child growing up. I never had to think, “Where is my next meal going to come from?” I knew my dad was going to work. There were times that Dad was in the ministry, you know, sometimes, and there were times things were tight, but I always knew Dad would work. And I just knew that. I didn’t have to go to bed and say, “Well, I wonder if Dad’s going to work or not, whatever, if he’s going to try to provide or not.” He always did work. And it was a comfort to that. Man, I’m at home inside my Dad’s house, and he provides.
Now, when a Christian separates from the world, God becomes more than just born again—you know, He’s their Father as far as that salvation. He becomes a Dad as far as provision. You can put your head on the pillow and say, “You know what? I’m going to do all I can, but God’s got this thing.” God’s provision is real. He’s going to meet the need, and He’s got what I need as far as provisions. Could you turn me down just a touch, please, if you would?
And when I separate from the world, and I say, “All right, I’m going to make a difference between me and the world. I’m not going to come over here and have my hands on the world. I’m going to separate from the world and worldly things.” We’ll get more into details later on. But when I live a Christian life like that, I have such assurance God’s going to provide. He’s got this thing.
Now, can I say this while we’re on this subject as far as a dad providing? Men, and even young men, as you get married one day, the responsibility of providing for a home falls on the man’s shoulders. You can say amen right there. I’m very severely disappointed sometimes in young men that just don’t work, or young men that push their wives out to work for them, or they’re not doing anything in the world. Now, I understand there are medical issues and problems. I understand that happens as you get old or whatnot. But I’m just talking about God told Adam. He told Adam, “Hey, look, by the sweat of your face, you’ll eat the bread and the food.” He didn’t tell that to Eve; He told that to Adam. Now, if you’ve got a wife that’s willing to work and you maybe don’t have young children and all that, you’ve agreed on it. I’m not saying it’s wrong to do that, but I’m saying, men, the responsibility falls on you. You can say it more clearly: the responsibility falls on men to provide. That’s biblical. You can check it out where the Bible talks to the wives about being keepers of the home. I’m not saying she can’t work outside the home, saying for all that, but I’m saying there’s a pattern in the Bible. And so young men, just get it into your mind: you’re going to be the provider, and you’re going to work. If you’ve got to work two jobs, you’re going to work two jobs, you’re going to do what you have to. But you’re not responsible if you’ve got a wife that’s going to help you and you’ve agreed on it, praise the Lord for that, but that responsibility falls on you. Don’t you listen to Hollywood. Amen. America was a whole lot better when that was right in our country.
Let’s get back to where we’re at here. Praise the Lord, if you grew up in a home where you knew Dad was going to get up and go to work, and he was going to get a job somewhere and provide. And when I think about separation, the first thing God talks about: He wants to be your Father, and I believe some of that, God says, “I’m going to provide for you.” And when a Christian says, “I want to separate myself unto the Lord,” there are some special things. God says, “I’m going to take care of it in an extra special way.”
I never forget—I mentioned having a good Dad in work and all that—but we were assistant pastor where Dad was, and the ministry summoned. I never forget one time in particular, we were hurting a little bit for money. I was just a boy. We were traveling a little bit in the ministry then. Dad, for a while, we traveled from a small church to a small church and stayed about a month, just trying to get that church built up through soul-winning visitation and start the bus ministry or whatnot. So we lived in a camper, but we were in a camper park, and there was a creek behind our house, and back behind that, there were some neighborhood kids, and I’d just go over there and play. I was just a little fellow. They didn’t know, as far as nobody told them besides the Lord. But I’ll never forget one day, they said, “Now, what’s your mom and dad’s name? How do you spell it?” I can’t remember all the details, but I told them, and they gave me a check. Just a little boy, they said, “Give this to your dad.” It was a check for $100. My, as a boy, I thought, “Wow, this is $10,000!” I ran home, Mom and Dad, look at this thing here! And I say that to say, praise the Lord, I had parents that were separated unto the Lord. It’s such a blessing for me to grow up in a home where I watched my dad do what he could, yes, but I watched our Heavenly Father so many times take care of us. Man, that built my faith. But I honestly believe that if we had not lived a separated life, God would have taken care of us quite well, understand? And that’s what we’re talking about here.
I have just a couple things about being a Dad. He says right there in verse number 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, and will be a Father unto you.” I think of provision. I think of protection.
How many ever heard David Gibbs preach? Ever heard David Gibbs preach? Christian Law Association and heard him preach? I tried to look it up; I haven’t heard this story in a while. If you’ve heard him preach, you know he’s a master storyteller. You might not remember the truth, but you remember the story. Amen, you know. But I never forget a story. I think I’ve heard him twice tell it. His neighbor, they had a good neighborhood, but their neighbor decided to raise these German Shepherds—not the typical, but German Shepherds like they keep them in junkyards—and they were raising them to be like attack dogs and whatnot. He had a fence, but they were worried about big dogs and maybe they’d get outside the fence, whatnot. David Gibbs said he was just so concerned, and the other neighbors were concerned about it. Just regular pets, it’s fine, but he was raising them to be that kind of dog, to sell to people, whatnot. German Shepherds are lovable dogs, but he was raising them to be attack dogs. David Gibbs was just so concerned about it, but they couldn’t stop it. He said his daughter was little, and she was out of the yard. They were inside. He said he heard those dogs, two of them, those dogs in his yard just kind of gnawing on something. He said, “I heard my little girl scream.” David Gibbs, you see, he’s a big boy, man. He took off as fast as he could. By the way, his daughter—I can’t remember how many stitches she got; she’s an adult and married now—and she still has scars, especially on her scalp, he said, from it. But man, when he got out there, just one guy—I can’t remember the details, and I apologize—but boy, he took care of those dogs like that. Not a thought about what those dogs could do because of his daughter. Can you imagine dads?
When I separate from the world unto God, He says, “I’m going to be like a Dad to you.” The protection of God. Oh, listen, God says, “Look, I don’t want you budding up with the world. I want you to leave all that. Go ahead and put some distance between you and the world. Don’t be having your hands over there in it. And I want you to take your hand: touch not the unclean thing.” And He said, “Look, I’ll be a Father to you. Be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
I think when God had David write that Psalm 23, when he says over there, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me.” I believe he’s speaking there of a Christian that’s separated and they’re living close to the Lord. And they know that protection, even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, man, I’ve got God with me, and I’m protected by God. We have a father-daughter, a father-son relationship.
Can I just say for a moment? It’s a sad thing in America. So much about Christianity, we don’t emphasize, we don’t talk about. We even put down separation, and people kind of look on it with disdain, and they get mad at a preacher for preaching on separation. But the sad thing is we don’t have Christians that have a close relationship with their Heavenly Father where it’s like, hey, man, they’re knit together, and they got the provision, the protection, and they don’t have the sweetness, and they don’t know that God’s their Dad right there all the time because we’re not separated. There’s a purpose to this thing of separation. He says, “I’ll be a Dad to you.” I think so many things I’ll not mention, and maybe let your mind, the Holy Spirit, lead you as far as a father-child relationship ought to be. But I think of provision, I think of protection. I think of counsel. Maybe just talk to your dad about advice.
I was speaking with a man a couple months ago before Christmas time. He’s 72 years old, if I remember right, and his dad had died about a year ago. He said, “Brother Paul,” he said, “I miss just…” He was 71 when his dad died, if I remember that right. He’s older, he’s 72 now. He said, “I just miss… I could call my dad about anything.” He’s in the ministry, the man is. He said, “I can’t do that with a lot of people. I’m in the ministry, whatnot.” His dad lived in Michigan. He said, “I could just call my dad.” He said, “My dad necessarily wouldn’t tell me what to do, but he kind of gave me different options, whatnot.” He said, “I just miss it. I don’t have my dad.” Can you remember a 71-year-old man? He said, “I just miss being able to get someone like my dad to talk to.”
When I’m not willing to give up things in my life, and I’m not willing to separate from worldly things, and I just grab a hold of something, not willing to let go of it, and I won’t separate myself from the sins of the world and worldliness—and I’ve been there, unfortunately—I just feel like when I go to get some cows, it’s like that’s bouncing off the roof, not getting anywhere. This thing of separation, there’s purpose to it. He says right there, he said, “I want you to come out and don’t touch it.” He said, “Why? I want to have a relationship like a dad and a son, a dad and a daughter.” You should talk about it. There’s purpose to this thing. There’s a purpose if I’m going to experience God like a Dad. There’s just no way around it. I’m fooling myself if I think I could have this wonderful relationship with the Lord. Now, He’s going to love me no matter what. I can’t lose my salvation. Don’t think I’m trying to teach you or preach that. No, the Bible says He gave it to you, and you never perish, and you’re born of Him, near God. No, but this closeness like a Dad—you can’t have that. It’s such a sad thing: so many Christians want that and need that. So many Christians are hurt and wounded, and their Heavenly Father can give them their deepest needs, but they can’t have that relationship because they’re not willing to separate. You know what I mean? It’s separation, and there’s a purpose to it.
Let’s look at another thing. Look over, if you will, in 2 Timothy chapter number 2, just the purpose of separation. Why? Why preach about it? Why cover it? Why face this issue of separation? Well, number one, God says, “I’ll be a Father unto you. You shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” Just three purposes real quickly then. Look over here in 2 Timothy chapter number 2. And look down verse number 19, if you would please. 2 Timothy chapter number 2, verse number 19. And looks like you got it already. You’re looking at it there. Amen? Praise the Lord. Good deal, good deal.
Here we go, verse number 19: “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His.” The foundation there is Jesus Christ. No other foundation can be laid than His life—that is Jesus Christ. These are foundations. Talk about your salvation. You can know about God, but that salvation—God knows you. “Depart from me, I never knew you,” end that over there in Matthew 7. No, no, when you get saved, He knows you. That’s the seal. God knowing you, see. If it meant by me knowing God, I might get amnesia, lose my salvation, you see. No, He knows you. That’s the seal. He’s got you. He knows you. He’s living inside of you. Let’s talk about your salvation there, verse 11.
Let’s keep going. “And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” In every way, He used that word: depart from iniquity. He didn’t just say, “Get rid of it.” He said, “I want you to depart. I want you to separate from it. Get away from it. Leave it.” I want you to depart from iniquity. All right. Let’s keep going. “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.” If a man therefore purge himself from these, from these iniquities, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified—that means set apart, sanctified—and meet for the Master’s use. Hey, the Master can use you. Meet for the Master’s use and prepared unto every good work. That’s amazing. He said, “Every good work.” Sometimes you think, “Well, that young person there, they got so much talent, if they sell out, God could really use them.” Frank, can I be honest? God didn’t stipulate using you by how much talent you have. God stipulates using you in greater ways by how much you separate, depart from iniquity. Is that what it says there or not? You can find a fellow, a lady that doesn’t have much talent at all and doesn’t have a real good IQ, but they separate, give themselves wholly to the Lord, and God will do something right there. Now, this subject of separation—it is so I can have a relationship like a father and a child, and so God can use you.
Have you ever been to someone’s house? I can’t think of this happening in years and years of life, and I can’t think of a particular one, which is probably a good thing. Did you ever go to someone’s house, and you’re not trying to be judgmental, they’re not trying to be rude, but boy, it’s just dirty? You’re going to go in there, there’s a smell to it. I’m not trying to be mean. I don’t have a certain person in my mind, you know, but it’s just a smell to it. You’re like, “Hold on.” And then they want to feed you something, and you see the dishes, and “Hold on.” Brother Larry’s been there before, you know. And you might even see some critters right along there, you know what I’ll talk about, you know. And you’re like, “Ooh, boy, I don’t want to… I don’t know if I want to eat anything here or not,” you know. What about those missionaries? Amen. It’s dirty. He says, “I don’t want to use these plates as cups.” Now, friend, when I’m not separated, Lord, I like for You to use me. I think one of our men, a good man, good man—by the way, he’s overcome this sin for years and years and years—but years ago, he told me, he said, “I tried to witness to someone at work.” By the way, praise the Lord, he had a good desire to witness to someone. He said, “I went and tried to witness to someone at work while I was smoking.” And he said, “The guy that I didn’t think was saved, the lost guy said, ‘I don’t want to talk to you about God while you’re smoking.’” Now, I’m not saying you’ve got to be perfect for God to use, because God wouldn’t have nobody to use. But the honest, simple truth is when I depart from iniquity, God said, “Hey, you’re fit for the Master’s use, prepared unto every good work.” Shame on me when I come to the pulpit and I’m not separated from the world, I’m not departed from the iniquity, my heart, my spirit, or even physical thing. Shame on me.
Friend, wouldn’t you like for God to use you to help somebody? Doesn’t it seem like after a while that’s really what life’s all about? I mean, God using you in someone’s life. And God said, “Look, I need you clean, departed from iniquity.”
I was talking to a man months ago, and I didn’t want to go there very much because we don’t want to get into gossip, and we kind of closed off to that. But he goes to another ministry. We were at a certain function; we were all together. He said, “I never could figure out why such-and-such at his church, a larger ministry, his ministry never grew.” And he said, “You know, it just came out: he’s been living an immoral life.” What a sad thing. And, friend, I’m just saying the Lord can’t use us if I’m not departed. This thing of separation—it’s so I can have a relationship with God like my Dad, I’m His son, and so I can be clean. Now, let me put my hand on you: fit for the Master’s use. You see, it doesn’t matter how sharp or all that we are; it’s when we’re in the Master’s hand.
You’ve heard me talk about the baseball bats. We went to the Louisville Slugger Museum years ago up in Louisville, Kentucky. How many ever been to that? Louisville Slugger Museum? Oh, just about three of us, and four of us. They have… It seemed like thousands of wooden bats. All in their wooden bat, wooden bat—they make them there. It’s just amazing. It really is very interesting. They talk about how they have to use wooden bats nowadays because the records they make nowadays, compared to the records in the past, it wouldn’t be equal, you know. I mean, they’ve got so much better bats, so they have to make it so you have to use a wooden bat now and so on. But every once in a while, you’ll pass by a bat in a glass container, and they’ll say that bat’s worth $20,000. I don’t know what it might be. It’s just a regular old bat like all the other wooden bats in there. But that bat, they’ll say that bat used to be in the hands of Babe Ruth. That bat at one time was in the hands of Ted Williams. And see, that’s the thing: when you get in the hands of the Master. And God said, “Look, when you separate, you depart from iniquity, you’re fit for the Master’s use.” That’s the key.
And this thing of separation—you say, “Oh, Lord, why does a church, why does a preacher deal with this thing of separation?” They’re not a lot of times across America, and sometimes that’s why we’re not being used by God across America like we ought to be. I’ve got powerless Christians and powerless churches. Powerless me sometimes when I’m not separated, I’m not departed from iniquity. And this thing’s real. There’s a purpose to this thing of separation. It requires it, and you will be used, fit for the Master’s use. And everything—number one, we talked about: if we want a relationship with God. I hope you just get a little glimpse of having a relationship with God where He’s like your Dad. I’m not there always like I like to be, for sure, but every once in a glimpse of it, that’s awesome. He’s your Daddy to give you what you need, but I’ve got to be separated to have it. And then, if I’m going to be used by God, if God is going to say, “I’m going to put my hand on you and I’m going to use you in people’s lives,” it requires departing from iniquity. Separation is real.
There’s one last thing. We’re done tonight. We’re going to go home. Amen. Stop by and get a hot fudge sundae. Amen. Carmel sundae, anybody like that? How many’s on diets now? That’s the first of the year? Anybody, anybody? Anybody going to the gym more than usual? Come on now. Yeah, yeah. I’m working with those things. Not saying I’m doing them, but I’m working on them.
First John, First John, Chapter 1. Let’s get this third thing in here. First John chapter number one. And three things: what’s the purpose of separation? Probably many, many more. Let me just point out three things tonight from Scripture. 1 John chapter number one. And would you look down in verse number five? 1 John, chapter 1, verse number 5: “This then is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” That’s pretty strong. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.” Oh, I can say, “Oh, I’m so close to Him,” but not if I’m not walking in the light. If I’m walking in darkness, I’m kidding myself. I’m fooling myself. I can deceive myself. Some of these verses later on, in verse number eight, I believe we were told about deceiving: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” I can’t have this fellowship. Can’t be close.
I’ve got some relatives, good people. I love them. I love them. And I’m talking about growing up as a young person, but they weren’t living for the Lord. We were going in totally different directions. I couldn’t be close to them. It’s a sad thing. I love my relatives. We’d be together during Christmas here or there, but I couldn’t get real close because we were going totally different directions. And look, same thing. God says, “I have no darkness in me.” This is the direction I’m going. If you’re going to walk with me, have fellowship with me, communicate and be close to me, you can’t be walking in darkness. I’m fooling myself. How many say they are close to God? I hope they are. But it just seems by their life they’re not separated and set apart. No, no, you can’t have that. Can’t be there.
Here’s the thing about it: that fellowship with God brings joy. Look at verse number four right there. Verse number four: “These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.” We’re talking about fellowship for all these verses. Verses before told me, “You have fellowship with us.” We’ve got that fellowship with Jesus, with the Lord. As the fellowship brings joy, Christians are going to have the joy of God. The closer to the fellowship, the more they have to separate.
Can I just share one thing? I don’t think it will be much longer tonight, but let me just show you one thing that’s been a blessing for me. I think in the last month or so, God has emphasized it to me. Verse number seven, verse number seven. Let’s just keep going here. Well, we’ll start verse number six. I’m sorry. Let’s get it again. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
Here’s what’s been a blessing for me: It doesn’t say I have to be perfect. Nobody’s there. It says we have to walk in light. If I’m going to go over here and hide in darkness and hide my little sins and hide my worldliness and hide what I really am, I’m not going to have fellowship with you. I’m going to live over here and just try to justify what I’m doing and say, “Well, what’s wrong with it?” You know, and you get this area of separation. It’s amazing how we say, “Well, what’s wrong with it? I don’t see anything wrong with it.” And so many times, this is what’s happening—not always—but so many times, we’ve got something going on here. Our actions are down here, but our beliefs of the Bible are here. So I’ve got two choices: either I try to bring up my actions here, I confess, but I’m not there, or I try to bring my beliefs down here. And so many people across America are trying to bring their beliefs down to here so they can have a little bit of counterfeit harmony inside. But, friend, if I’m going to have fellowship, I must walk in the light. “Lord, I’m not where I ought to be. I’m going to try to get there. I’m not going to try to bring it down to me. I’m just going to walk in the light.” That’s encouraging to me, because I’m not always where I like to be. But I’ve got to be honest, and I’ve got to walk in the light. I can’t spend my time trying to justify whatever. I’m not where I ought to be. I can’t be trying to hide here and there; I must walk in the light. So much there—just walk in the light. Hey, friend, you can do that. By the way, He is the Light. When you walk in the light, you don’t dodge, you don’t run, you don’t hide. You just get honest with Him. Later on, we don’t have to point it out, you’ll probably know verse 9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Man, walking in the light—that’s it.
But I can’t say, “Well, this thing of separation really doesn’t matter. I don’t know why they keep bringing it up.” Oh, friend, I’m not going to have that father-son relationship. He’s not going to be able to put His hand on you, fit for the Master’s use, unless I depart. I’m not talking about us being perfect because none of us are there, but we have to walk in the light, just being honest with God and those scriptures and the Word of God and the Spirit of God, especially when you get into matters of your spirit. 2 Corinthians 7, verse 1: “sins of the flesh and of the spirit.” Well, I can really play games with my spirit. “Well, what’s wrong with my attitude?” Probably just that right there, for starters. I’ve got to walk in line. It’s a loving light. It’s a forgiving light. It’s a patient light. But it’s a light that won’t change, and it won’t have any darkness in it at all. He’s not going to go my way. I can play games all I want, but He’s not going to change.
I think of a lady, a relative of mine, a good person. Years ago, they wanted to argue a little bit about drinking. “Well, what’s wrong with social drinking?” And so we’d argue a little bit about it. “Well, I can miss church, but I’m not forsaking it,” and we’re arguing about church attendance and all that. Years later, the same lady came back, and she said, “You know, I knew in my heart that stuff was wrong. I just wasn’t where I ought to be.” Now, is she perfect today? No, but I think she’s coming a lot closer to walking in the light. That’s all. I’ve got to walk in the light. And I sincerely, honestly, get honest, and I’m trying to separate unto the Lord away from the world and its iniquity. God said that would lead to closeness.
There’s purpose to this thing. There’s a purpose to this thing of separation. It’s not just so He’s saying, “Ah, we’re old-fashioned. We’re like the old school we used to be.” No, there’s much more to it than all that for Him. I mean, it does say, as for the old path, Jeremiah 6:16, but there’s more to it than all that. It’s so He can be your Dad, you can be His child, so He can use you, so you can have sweet fellowship, joyous fellowship of the Lord.
Would you bow your head and close your eyes tonight? If you’re here tonight, you say, “Preacher, I’d like to have that relationship more, more of that relationship where He’s my Dad.” He’s got His hand on me. It’s humbling. I’m not worthy, but I’m not trying to brag, but I’m not talking about me per se, but when you get this feeling, He’s got His hand on me. You see, “Oh, we got sweet fellowship, and He walks with me and talks with me. He tells me I was on preacher.” I’d like to have more of that. I’d like to have more of those things. I’d like to have more of that. Not you, not you slipping in, preacher. I’d like to have more of that right there. I’d like more of that in my life. Me too, me too, me too. I’m there with you for sure. God bless you. God bless you. Many, many hands. God bless you.
Maybe you’re here tonight. You said, “Preacher, as we go through this series about separation and I study the Scriptures with you and I yield to the Holy Spirit, I might not agree on everything, but I’m going to do my best to walk in the light.” I’m not going to run from the light, try to hide you from the light, try to dispute the light; I’m just going to walk. I’ll do this: I’ll do my best to walk in the light. Now, I’m going to be dead honest with the Spirit of God and the Scriptures. I like to walk in the light. God spoke to my heart. I like to just be busy walking in the light. That’d be me tonight. I like that. You might not agree with everything, but I’m willing to at least walk in the light. That’s you tonight. Just let the end of the preacher say, “That’s me. That’s me.” I mean, “Well, I’m walking in the light.” God bless you. God bless you. God bless you.
What a blessing this has been to me. I don’t have to do everything perfect. I try, but I’m far from it. They said, “Walk in the light.” Let’s seek after that tonight. Would you stand, please, and we’ll have a word of prayer if you’d like to come spend some time with the Lord? It would be a great time to do it. Let’s just come seeking. As we’re starting this series, let’s ask God to grow us. Would you do so? Father, thank you so very, very much for these people. Lord, they’re precious. They’re out on Wednesday night at Your house. Lord, I do pray You give me Your Spirit, Your wisdom. We’re not trying to beat anybody over the head, Lord. I’d be the first to get beaten. I’m far from perfect. Lord, help us to walk in the light. Grow us, Lord, that we understand what You want and how You want, the relationship You want, even more. Bless our people, Lord, and in these next few minutes, would You meet with us in a special way? In Jesus, we pray. Amen. Would you come just spend some time with the Lord? Would you do that as our instruments play?
This thing of the spirit—oh, it’s verse number one, 1 Corinthians 7. He said the sins of the flesh and of the spirit. It’s amazing how just a wrong kind of spirit can come on so quickly. Sometimes I don’t even recognize it right off the bat, but I’ve got to depart from that. Confess that, get that right, allow God to work again. Maybe that’s the thing. Don’t you just spend a little time, and we’ll play through one more time if you would, please. Amen, amen. So glad you’re here on Wednesday night. Boy, I’m just… Praise the Lord. Great people. Wednesday night, a lot of churches don’t even have church, and you’re in church on Wednesday night. That’s just great. Proud of you. Praise the Lord. Good to have the Stouts with us, and always a blessing to have them down. That’s great. I remember the Stouts got to go or went canoeing with us. We enjoyed that kayaking. It was a lot of fun. Praise the Lord. Good to have them. And Josh and Caleb are about to leave for college tomorrow. You’re all heading back tomorrow? Tomorrow. So I’ll pray for them going down in Florida, and God be with them. And it’s just good to see everybody out tonight. Brother Stout, would you dismiss us? Edward up here, please, brother.
Christ has had my problem. I’m coming for You tonight and praising You and thanking You for Your Son. I’m glad that You shed blood on that cross. If we accept that, we can have our sins removed. Father, we know that tonight there are many churches that will be across this country that won’t have service, but there will be some. And pray that You’ll be with the Lord. Help this church in this area here of Chisgar to be a light to the people that they support him here. And as this church continues to try to grow, Lord, and please You, bring people to Your knowledge and salvation, You’ll work with them, Lord. That’s their needs, their hearts. And bless them, Lord. We thank You for them. In Jesus, we thank You for them. In Jesus, thank You, Lord. Amen. Amen.
Original File: The Doctrine of Separation Part I - Pastor Paul Chisgar 11520