The Hope of the Believer . . .

"COME OUT AND BE SEPARATE"

Cecil Hook  

The plea to "Come out from them and be separate from them" is being urged upon us with renewed passion since some of our people have been meeting with others of the Restoration Movement to discuss unity. This warning is expressive of a fear of compromise. This fear implies that the one calling for separation is with a group which has all the truth. If one is right on everything, he cannot unite with someone who differs without compromising. So he develops a spirit of exclusiveness which demands that he separate from all who differ in belief or practice.

On the other hand, others are calling out, "Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God" (Rom. 15:7). They point out that Paul called upon us to receive one another in spite of differences of conviction and practice about such things as circumcision, eating of meats, and keeping of days.

Accept or separate from - which shall it be? Does this put us in a contradictory dilemma? Are there some fine lines of distinction that we hair-splitting scribes must detect and observe? If so, how treacherous the path to life becomes!

When Paul calls upon us to welcome (receive, accept) one another, he is including all our sincere brothers in Christ - even the weakest of them.. He forbids that we judge them regarding their particular scruples and practices. Paul does not even grant us the luxury of looking upon a brother with contempt.

How should we accept each other? "As Christ has welcomed you!" Brother or sister, even though I do not know you, I do know that Christ did not accept you because you are so good, so right on everything, so loveable, and so perfect in all aspects. He accepted me when I was sinful, ignorant, misdirected, and lacking in every aspect. And I have not grown out of that state. Since he accepts me while I am a sinner, poor, weak, and blind, how can I have the audacity to reject you on that basis?

To advise disciples to separate from others who are in Christ is to work against Jesus' prayer for unity. In addressing the seven churches of Asia with all their threatening problems, Jesus urged none to "Come out from among them and be separate" by starting a loyal church. Rather, they were warned to repent and reform. In none of the epistles was one group advised to separate from the rest within the church. Such advice today is both unscriptural and anti-scriptural.

When Paul resounded the Lord's warning to "Come out from them, and be separate from them," he was quoting Old Testament demands for separation from idolatrous involvements. In this passage (2 Cor 6:14-18) Paul is demanding, "Do not be mismated with unbelievers." He asks rhetorically, "What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols?" Paul is not calling for separation from brothers in Christ but from the Corinthian idolaters whose licentious worship at the temple of Venus, supported by prostitute priestesses, would be a temptation to the disciples.

What a sickened spirit it is that allows one to treat his own brother in Christ as idolaters! Is the brother in the Christian Church who obeyed the same gospel that you obeyed to be regarded as though he were an idolater? Even though you may fear that a Baptist is in some error, must you classify him as an unbeliever or a servant of Belial? If he is not a believer, what is he? Is he a pagan, a Buddhist, or an atheist? He is serving the same Jesus whom you serve. And those disciples in the Church of Christ (even in your own congregation) who differ from you in belief and practice - how do you classify them? If you demand separation from them, then you imply that they are as unbelievers and idolaters.

Paul says welcome, but Diotrophes says put them out! "He refuses himself to welcome the brethren, and also stops those who want to welcome them and puts them out of the church" (3 Jn. 9f). Do you stand with Paul or Diotrophes? —1350 Huisache, New Braunfels, Tx. 78130