Ephesians 5:1-18
Ps Paul Cheng
“…a distinctive in Bible Presbyterianism…”
~5 min read
Dear Bethelites,
Some years ago, there was a joke floating around the Christians regarding certain denominations’ distinctiveness and it went something like this, “Speak of the Baptists and the word water would stand out because the Baptist always preached immersion, immersion. Speak of the Methodists and the word fire would stand out because the Methodist forefathers always preached about the lake of fire and brimstone. Speak of the Bible Presbyterians and the word separation would stand out because the BP always preached separation, separation.”
Put aside the witty anecdote, the reality is that the doctrine of biblical separation is indeed a distinctive in Bible Presbyterianism. Bethel BPC teaches and stands on the doctrine of biblical separation because it is not a jesting matter, it is not even an option but a command. The basis of separation is found in the very nature and character of God Himself. The seraphim which Isaiah saw in his vision, And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory (Isa 6:3). The Hebrew word for holy (kadesh) and the Greek word for holy (hagios) both have the same basic root meaning, namely, “set apart or separated.” God is absolutely separated from all that is sinful and morally unclean. This is a holiness of moral purity (Ps 99:4-9; Ps 24:3-4; Isa 6:5). In the study of the doctrine of separation, one must begin with God Himself and to bear in mind the fact of His awesome holiness, and thus His command for His people to separate, Be ye holy: for I am holy (1 Peter 1:16).
A. In The Old Testament
In the Old Testament, God commanded the Israelites to keep themselves separate from the heathen nations. Deuteronomy 7:1-11 says, When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee … thou shall smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods; so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly… Thou shall therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.
The command of separation here has the same imperatival force as that of the Ten Commandments. Obedience will bring blessings, and disobedience will bring curses.¹ The command of separation was so serious that the Lord in Deuteronomy 22:9-10 applied it to their daily agricultural life: Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled. Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together. God used this rule against mixing the seeds and animals, as a practical way of teaching the Israelites on a daily basis what it meant to be a separated people of God (Deut 7:1-6). Every time the people cultivated their fields and tended their flocks, they would be reminded of the command of separation that they must not forget to keep themselves separated and holy unto God.
¹Timothy Tow and Jeffrey Khoo, The Theology for Every Christian, (Singapore: Far Eastern Bible College Press, 2007), 216
B. In The New Testament
In the New Testament, the Christian is commanded to practise; separation from sin and worldliness, separation from those whose teachings and practices are contrary to that of the apostles, and separation from brethren who are committed to disobedient paths.
The separation commandment is clearly given in 2 Corinthians 6:14-17. There are several imperatives stated: (1) Be ye not unequally yoked, (2) Come out, (3) be ye separate, (4) touch not. Not only is the Church commanded to be separate from unbelievers, she is also commanded to be separate from disobedient believers.
Other biblical passages on separation are Romans 12:1-2; Romans 16:17; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Ephesians 5:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:22; 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:16-21; Titus 3:10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 2 John 7-11; Jude 3 and Revelation 18:4.
I. A Separation From Sin And Worldliness
There are many passages of Scripture which teach that the Christian is to separate from sin and worldliness. In Ephesians 5, the Christian is instructed to put sin out of their lives and to avoid fellowship with the evil things of the world.
- The cause of separation from sin and worldliness is because (1) we have a new position — we are saints and children of light (v.3, 8), (2) because we have a new Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth (v.9), (3) we have a new purpose — proving what is acceptable unto the Lord (v.10).
- Separation involves walking in love and avoiding sin, fornication and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints (vv.1-3).
- Separation involves the rebuke of sin. Separation from sin is active as well as passive. The Christian is to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but he also has the responsibility to reprove them (v.11).
- Separation involves departing from all evil and separation unto all goodness, righteousness and truth (vv.3-9). The Christian must be careful not to exercise only one part of the separation, but to apply separation from sin and unto holiness (cf. 1 Tim 6:1; 1 Thess 1:9; Tit 2:15).
- Separation involves doing the perfect will of God. Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord (v.10). Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is (v.17).
- Separation involves being a good testimony to those who are lost. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light… and Christ shall give thee light (vv.13-14). The Christian is to separate from sin and worldliness, not by being worldly but being different, to be the salt and light to those who are in darkness (Matt 5:13-14).
- Separation involves living the Christian life to the fullest for God. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is (vv.16-17).
- Separation involves the work of the Holy Spirit, but be filled with the Spirit (v.18). God commands that His people separate from sin, but He does not tell them to do it on their own power. They are to conquer evil through the power of the blessed indwelling Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul said in Phil 4:13, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
(To be continued next week)
With love in Christ,
Pastor Paul
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