{"id":81,"date":"2007-02-16T14:38:22","date_gmt":"2007-02-16T19:38:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adamosborne.net\/?p=81"},"modified":"2025-04-27T12:50:20","modified_gmt":"2025-04-27T17:50:20","slug":"separation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adamosborne.net\/index.php\/2007\/02\/separation\/","title":{"rendered":"Separation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Separation<\/h1>\n
A Bible Study by Adam Osborne, Jr<\/a>.<\/center>
February 16, 2007<\/center>
In your “close” social life, separate yourself from non-believers or preachers of false doctrine.<\/center>\n

Romans 16:17-18<\/span><\/strong> (NIV) I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.<\/span><\/span>18<\/span><\/strong> For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.<\/span><\/p>\n

1 Cor 5:11<\/span><\/strong> (NIV)<\/span> But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2 Thessalonians 3:6<\/span><\/strong> (NIV) In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2 Tim 3:5<\/span><\/strong> (NIV)<\/span><\/span> having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2 John 1:10-11<\/span><\/strong> (NIV) If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him.<\/span><\/span>11<\/strong> Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n

HOWEVER<\/span>.<\/strong><\/span>…. consider “The Great Commission<\/strong><\/span>“….<\/p>\n

Matthew 28:16-20<\/strong> <\/span>Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.<\/span>17 <\/sup>When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.<\/span>\u00a018 <\/sup>Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a019 <\/sup>Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>20 <\/sup>and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As Christians, we are not to isolate ourselves away from all peoples.\u00a0 We are called to go forth to all peoples and spread the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 However, who we associate with, our close companions, like Jesus who had the twelve disciples…. we are to associate with “like minded believers.”<\/p>\n

Two Truths in Tension:<\/h2>\n

1. Be Separate from the World (in Character, Not in Presence)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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    2 Corinthians 6:17<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cCome out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    James 4:4<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cFriendship with the world is enmity with God.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Romans 12:2<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cDo not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \u00a0These verses teach that:<\/p>\n

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      We\u2019re not to adopt the world\u2019s values: pride, selfishness, greed, impurity.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      We\u2019re to live holy lives\u2014distinct in love, humility, and purity.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Separation doesn\u2019t mean isolation\u2014it means sanctification<\/strong> (being set apart for God).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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      2. Go Into the World (in Mission, Not in Compromise)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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        Matthew 28:19-20<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cGo and make disciples of all nations\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        John 17:15-18<\/strong> \u2013 Jesus prayed: \u201cI do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one\u2026 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

      • \n

        Mark 2:17<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cIt is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        \u00a0These verses teach that:<\/p>\n

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        • \n

          We are sent to the very people who are lost in darkness.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Jesus didn\u2019t avoid sinners\u2014He ate with them, healed them, loved them\u2014but He never became like them.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          The church is not a fortress to hide in, but a launchpad<\/strong> to go from.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          \n

          \u00a0How Do We Live Both? (Summary)<\/h2>\n

          \u00a01. Be in<\/em> the world, but not of<\/em> the world.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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            Like a boat in water\u2014it only sinks when the water gets in.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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            We live among people, but we don\u2019t let the world\u2019s values define us.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            \u00a02. Live a holy life that shines.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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              \u201cLet your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven\u201d<\/em> (Matthew 5:16).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Holiness attracts, not repels, when it\u2019s lived with love and humility.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              3. Engage, don\u2019t escape.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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                Jesus went to<\/em> the tax collectors, lepers, and sinners.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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                Paul quoted pagan poets and spoke in marketplaces (Acts 17).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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                We are called to build relationships.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                \u00a04. Guard your heart while reaching others.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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                  Jesus often withdrew to pray<\/em>\u2014His strength came from His connection to the Father.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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                  Accountability, prayer, and Scripture keep us grounded as we go out.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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                  Final Thought:<\/h2>\n
                  \n

                  We are called to be a holy presence in an unholy world<\/strong>, drawing people to Jesus not by being just like them, but by loving them while living differently<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

                  Last edited 04.27.2025<\/p>\n\n\n

                  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                  Separation A Bible Study by Adam Osborne, Jr.February 16, 2007In your “close” social life, separate yourself from non-believers or preachers of false doctrine. Romans 16:17-18 (NIV) I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible-studies","category-old-new-testament"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgIEZq-1j","jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adamosborne.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adamosborne.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adamosborne.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adamosborne.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adamosborne.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/adamosborne.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5031,"href":"https:\/\/adamosborne.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81\/revisions\/5031"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adamosborne.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adamosborne.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adamosborne.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}