What Does “Be ye Separate” Mean and What Does it Not Mean?

Beware of the self-righteous modern day Pharisees who look down their long, arrogant noses upon sinners with scorn. | Angry Street Preacher Warning

“And Levi (Matthew) made him (Jesus) a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. 30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:29-32 

It seems that the self-righteous religionists are the only ones who have a problem with Jesus and His people interacting with sinners. Oh, and is it not ultimately Satan behind this attempt to hinder the salvation of the lost? (John 10:10) The very reason Jesus came to the earth was to die for and “save sinners.” (1 Timothy 1:15) In fact, if He’s saved you that should be more than enough proof of this truth! Right?

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15

God’s stated desire is that “ALL men … be saved.”

“Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:4

Jesus interacted with, and ate with, and ministered to sinners. The Son of God did not sin with sinners, He merely ate with them, interacted with them in a measured fashion – in His mission to save them.

If you have a problem with Jesus befriending sinners, you are self-righteous as were the enemy pharisees and have a problem with the LORD Himself (Luke 15:1-2).

If we vainly imagine that someone else’s sin is more vile than our own in the eyes of a holy God, we still don’t have a Gospel clue! (Genesis 32:10; Jeremiah 17:9; James 2:10, 13; Titus 3:3-7, etc.)

How shall sinners be saved if God’s people don’t interact with them?

How did God save you other than by using His laborers to reach you? (Romans 10:14-15, etc.)

Did you save yourself? No. Who saved you? Jesus, right? Did Jesus support the sinful state you were living in before he found and saved you? no. Did he come into your sinful life to save you? Yes. Why then are some selfish, self-righteous counterfeits among us upset when christians interact with unbelievers into order to see them saved?

Paul said:

“To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” 1 Corinthians 9:22 

When Scripture commands God’s people to “be ye separate”, what does that mean? (2 Corinthians 6:17) What does it not mean?

According to the whole of Scripture, to “be ye separate” does not mean have no interaction with sinners. It does not mean to self-righteously raise the nose (arrogance) at sinners. Actually, Jesus commanded us to “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” – and who is it we are preaching His Gospel to? – Sinnners. No, God’s people are not to partake of their sin, but to communicate to them His Word so they also can be saved (Mark 16:15).

“How shall they hear without a preacher.” Romans 10:14

Is it not the pagan catholic church that practices isolation, physical separation from others with their foolish monastaries? This is totally unlike Christ and His holy apostles who went out to the people – to bless and help those who were humbly willing. They did not set up a “church building” and become stationary. As we read through the Gospels, we see many times on record where Jesus and His disciples were ministering to the people.

“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:35-38 

Did you notice that not only was our LORD Jesus “moved with compassion” on “the multitudes”? He also informed us that “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few” and instructed us to “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”

And yes, each individual disciple of Jesus is to gather with Him for fellowship daily, privately (Matthew 6:6, etc.). And, as God’s people, we gather together as His family for fellowship (Acts 2:42; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 10:25, etc.). Yet, we also, as our cup runs over, are to actively, prayerfully spread His love among the people around us who do not yet know Him.

Of Jesus’ apostle Paul, we read:

“Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.” Acts 17:17

These people who insist upon staying away from sinners do not have a Gospel clue and are bringing a blight on Jesus and His body by claiming to know Him and yet not living according to His teachings.

Saints, let us be thorough in our study and understanding of the whole of God’s Word and beware of imbalance, assuring we are “rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Corinthians 6:17; 2 Timothy 2:15) “Be ye separate” … “Separate” has to mean in the way we live, our set apart life to our “first love” Jesus (Psalms 4:3; Revelation 2:4-5, etc.). Biblically speaking, separation would mean that we do not live like the world, but rather are God’s “peculiar (special) people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” (1 Peter 2:9). The specifics of being “separate”, separated unto our LORD, takes shape, takes on definition as we compile, collate, the whole counsel of His Word – “comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 2:13)

The Holy Spirit, through Paul, tells us exactly who “NOT to keep company” with:

“…not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.” 1 Corinthians 5:11

The apostle Paul says we are not to even eat with people who claim to be followers of Jesus and yet live in sin (1 Corinthians 5:10-13). He says, when referring to “the fornicators (sinners) of this world”, that to get away from them, to literally physically separate from them, “then must ye needs go out of the world.” (1 Corinthians 5:10-13)

Flash Point: Those who are called the brethren of Christ, a brother in Christ, are naming the name of Jesus and have no excuse to be living in sin. Lost sinners are not yet regenerated and therefore can do nothing but live in sin. Sinners are relegated to sin. That’s all they can do because they are not yet Christ’s.

Jesus’ people will only be ultimately separated from all sinners when we are in glory. For now, we “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” (Colossians 4:5) And yes, the disciple of Christ must work out his “own salvation with fear and trembling” and be aware, “be not ignorant” of the snares, the “devices” Satan sets to cause them to stumble (Philippians 2:12-13; 2 Corinthians 2:11).

“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” 1 Corinthians 6:12

When we see people teaching that Jesus’ disciples today must have no interaction with sinners, it’s usually coming from a novice who knows that he personally cannot possibly be around sinners without sinning himself, without falling back into sin. So, this is why he presently believes that no Christian could possibly escape sinning when around sinners. This is the only frame of reference he has because he’s still judging others according to himself. This is understandable and yet, more seasoned, mature believers are able to be led by the Holy Spirit to interact and do things younger believers cannot do without sinning. This is why it’s so important that we individually follow the divine instruction to “work (walk) out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12)

As we “work (walk) out your own salvation with fear and trembling” … “God … 
worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13)

There are certain places we can’t go without sinning so we must not go (Mark 9:43-49). There are things we can’t do without stumbling into sin and so should avoid those things (Hebrews 12:1-2).

“Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.” Proverbs 4:15

“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.” Revelation 18:4

Brother Brian Anderson writes:

“When I attended several churches with watered down, sugar-coated preaching, I felt comfortable in my unrepentant sin. By the grace of God I was freed from their error and I understand now God has empowered every person who knows Jesus is Lord to say ‘NO’ to EVERY temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13) that comes to you. If you are caving in to temptation and choosing sin willfully (porn use, fornication or whatever else you choose to do KNOWING it is wrong) you are a SLAVE to that sin! You are not free! REPENT !! Confess your sin, and STOP doing it today! Don’t abuse or twist God’s grace. Don’t repeat your willful sin over and over and say ‘I repent of it every time.’ That’s NOT true repentance. You are fooling yourself.”

If a believer must remain separate from eating with sinners in order to remain separated to God, let it be. He has not sinned. Yet, let us not judge other believers for non-essentials and for things we don’t yet understand. A prayerful reading of Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 10 concerning non-essentials will greatly enlighten the reader.

“Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,” 2 Corinthians 6:3-4

Jesus’ Parable of the Lost Sheep

“Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. 3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?  5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” Luke 15:1-7 

Of this passage, William MacDonald wrote:

“The teaching ministry of our Lord in chapter 14 seemed to attract the despised tax collectors, and others who were outwardly sinners. Although Jesus reproved their sins, yet many of them acknowledged that He was right. They took sides with Christ against themselves. In true repentance they acknowledge Him as Lord. Where ever Jesus found people who were willing to acknowledge their sin, He gravitated toward them, and bestowed spiritual help and blessing upon them.

The Pharisees and Scribes resented the fact that Jesus fraternized with people who were avowedly sinners. They did not show grace to these social and moral lepers, and they resented Jesus’ doing so. And so they hurled at charge at Him, ‘This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them..’ The charge was true, of course. They thought it was blame worthy, but actually it was in fulfillment of the very purpose for which the Lord Jesus came into the world.” William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 1428

Here are Two Scriptures that Changed My View and Life

Remember when Jesus’ 12 were young, novices, and sought to

“Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.” Luke 9:54-56

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:17

Memorizing Luke 9:56 and John 3:17 is a godly undertaking and will yieled much fruit to the glory of our LORD.

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