www.scatteredchristians.org
Another Sermon for the Starving Bible Believing Christians All Over the World Wide Web
2005 - Touchet Baptist Church, Touchet, Washington - Pastor Mike Paulson - 2005
Expounding the way of God more perfectly - Acts 18:26 - with the Scriptures Rightly Divided - II Timothy 2:15

Preaching Paul's Gospel Today
Now what to expect!
Part III
Separation From / Unto!


Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
and what communion hath light with darkness?
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.
II Corinthians 6:14-17

We know about "For" and "To" in regards to rightly dividing.
Now, how about "From" and "To" in regards to our walk?

As a "Christian..."
    Be a bad example - not to separate from the world - even though the Scriptures say: Galatians 1:4; John 17:11-17; I John 2:15-17; James 4:4
        wrong music
        wrong morals
        wrong education
        wrong goals
        wrong friends, including girl / boy friend - husband / wife
        wrong direction in life
        wrong life with wrong results and quite possibly ending up in a wrong place because of a false salvation

    Be a 'better' example... modern Christianity - separation of some sort...
        soul winning in "sermons" emphasis
        gospels & Jesus teachings
        guilt with a little grace
        close to KJV bibles (more NKJV and Greek)
        no RD - or if so, not completely - just picking and choosing based on scholarship
        close to right music - at least words are spiritual
        close to 'right' churches - at least they are growing in number of people
        Questionable life with questionable results quite possibly from a questionable salvation - spirit of antichrist involvement - I John 4:1-3; Galatians 1:6, etc.

Our Kids are the ones hurt!
Yet - it seems that as we separate "away from," our kids still get 1) sucked up by the world; 2) they jump into the world on their own 3) and/or pushed into the worldly ways by the "Christian" parents.

Remember - Even us adults can be good at feeding the flesh, too!

Life today is all about soul stealing and life destroying!
Bunny Trail:  Opposing themselves...
We can be our own worst enemy!
Acts 18:6  And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
II Thessalonians 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
II Timothy 2:25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
Back to the original trail...

We can work hard at keeping our kids "FROM" things that are not good for them, but...
... there must still be an even better way!
There is...

Paul!

A More Excellent Way
I Corinthians 12:31

The way of God more perfectly...
Acts 18:26

Jesus is going to show him 'more...' so that he can tell us!
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose,
to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen,
and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Acts 26:18

Paul is not just about 'changed' souls for tomorrow, but 'changed' lives for today!
He preaches and teaches to us the details of 'pleasing God' today!
(if the soul is even changed - that is a priority & necessity!!!)
God will get the glory for the salvations later - He could use some glory now in our personal lives and for our children!


Remember all the 'to's in the deliverance sermons?


There is still one utmost and foremost truth above all of this:
We must not only separate "from...," etc.
but we must also separate "UNTO... GOD!"

Being separated is 'good' - yet there doesn't seem to be as much of that these days...
Folks use the lack of separation - the tearing down of the walls of doctrinal division - the ecumenical push to eliminate the separation issue.

Even many Bible Believing type of Christians are fairly ok at separating 'from' some things...

Have you noticed, but as we have been preaching Paul, we are now also being called Legalists!


Yes, some folks still do have some convictions: (mostly for their kids than they do as the parents - and at that, it is mostly from the moms!  They don't want their kids corrupted, but even though they can't win the battles themselves. they still expect & demand that their kids get it all right! - or... they just give up and let the kids loosen up, too - one extreme or another... tired of the 'war!'))

P.S. and By the way:  It's always easier to teach others your conviction - especially if you can't do it yourself.  (bosses, administration, inspectors, etc.)

long hair / short hair
clothes for man / woman / kids boys & girls
marriage / divorce / remarriage
evolution
education - public / private / home school
Hollywood or Christian video... (or both)
where NOT to shop
what NOT to eat
what NOT to listen to
what NOT to do...

And yes, there are even a few people who are to "withdraw from" and "from such turn away..."
II Thessalonians 3:6  Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
I Timothy 6:5  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
II Timothy 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

But today's "Christian who cares" can all too easily become a "Checklist Christian!"  (Sam Gipp)
(bondage under the wrong gospel - under the wrong commission, etc.)
II Peter 2:18-20


Yes, we must separate from the world, but we must also separate...
...UNTO GOD

The more excellent way is for HIS pleasure
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things,
and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Revelation 4:11

Doing things for HIS pleasure will bring us away from ourselves and UNTO GOD!


God's Will to Jesus...
John 6:38-40: All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.  And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.  And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

...Is Passed on to Paul!
Acts 26:17,18  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Paul's Commission Call
Acts 13:47  For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

Of course bringing folks to a saving salvation glorifies God - and pleases God, however, it isn't just 'for us' or just for that person!
John 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
I Timothy 2:3-6  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Romans 11:11  I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.


Our Calling
We are "CALLED TO BE SAINTS!"
Romans 1:7
I Corinthians 1:2
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, II Timothy 1:9

A saint pleases God!
A saint loves God enough to do right because he loves God - knowing that God loved him first!
We love him, because he first loved us.
I John 4:19
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
I Thessalonians 5:10


A walk to please God can be done...
We should now live like a Christian should live!
Ephesians 4:1
I Corinthians 8:3
Ephesians 2:10
I tImothy 6:18
Titus 2:14
I Thessalonians 4:1-7
II Timothy 4:17,18
Romans 9:22,23
Not only should we examine our lives for what we should NOT be doing,
we should ask ourselves what SHOULD we be doing to please Him!

Let's look at some 'proof verses' that...
...show us that when we separate "FROM" the world, etc.,
we should also separate "UNTO" the Lord!

Romans 14:6
Romans 14:8
Romans 6:10,11,13
Romans 7:4
Romans 12:1
Galatians 2:19
Ephesians 5:10
Ephesians 5:20
Philippians 4:6
II Timothy 2:15

Draw NIGH
Christ made it possible for us to draw nigh - Ephesians 2:13: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. then we ought to not only move away from the world, but be willing to be drawn nigh unto God!!!!



So, how do we live UNTO Him?
Next Sermon - Part IV

The answer is simple...

Not only "Find out what He doesn't like and quit doing it!"
but also, "Find out what He does like and do it!"

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:1,2

It is called 'holiness!'
See Part IV