Ecclesiastical Separation, Part 2

What does the Bible say about Ecclesiastical Separation?

We cannot, of course, engage in an exhaustive review of the relevant Scripture in this venue. We will, however, touch on texts that do speak to Ecclesiastical Separation and mention texts that are commonly misapplied. Not only is it important to understand what the Bible does say, but we also must recognize what it does not say and where it is twisted to mean things it does not mean.

One must, for example, take very seriously 2 Peter 2:1, which warns “there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” Second Corinthians 11:3-4 also is pertinent in warning about being “corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” by those who “preacheth another Jesus … or another Gospel.” Second John 7-11 warns about “deceivers … who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh” and declares such a deceiver is “an antichrist.”

Scripture clearly commands us to condemn people who mess with or pervert the Gospel. There can be no equivocation about this:

Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:7-9)

Charles Spurgeon said it like this,

A chasm is opening between men who believe their Bibles and the men who are prepared for an advance upon Scripture. The house is being robbed, its very walls are being digged down, but the good people who are in bed are too fond of the warmth, and too much afraid of getting broken heads, to go down stairs and meet the burglars . . . Inspiration and speculation cannot long abide in peace. Compromise there can be none. We cannot hold the inspiration of the Word, and yet reject it; we cannot believe in the atonement and deny it; we cannot hold the doctrine of the fall and yet talk of the evolution of spiritual life from human nature; we cannot recognize the punishment of the impenitent and yet indulge the ‘larger hope’. One way or the other we must go. Decision is the virtue of the hour.” (C.H.S., September 1887, The Sword and the Trowel)

On the other hand, some texts have been misapplied to argue for separation from Christians who differ in non-fundamental belief and practice. One could mention Ephesians 5:11 – “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness…,” although in context the Apostle Paul is warning about unbelievers who have no “inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” Also often misapplied is 2 Corinthians 6:14 – “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers…,” a passage in which Paul was exhorting believers recently delivered from paganism to not allow themselves to be drawn back into Corinth’s gross immorality. He wanted them to influence the pagans around them for the sake of Christ, without being influenced by them. Twisting the passage to mean that Christians ought to separate themselves from other believers with whom they do not completely agree is a distortion of God’s Word.

If you missed it. Ecclesiastical Separation, Part 1