Today, we want to look at the eight component of holiness – SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD.
To make it to Heaven in the life to come, you MUST first of all separate yourself from this very world we are living in right now.
What does it mean to separate yourself from the world? To separate yourself from the world means to:
i) Disconnect yourself from the world. You must break the connection between you and the world.
ii) Set or keep yourself apart from this world.
iii) Dissociate (separate) yourself from the world.
iv) Detach (disengage) yourself from the world,
v) Remove or sever yourself from associating with the world especially legally or formally.
What then is the world? The world refers to how the people of the world do things. The world refers to the order, behaviour, fashion and government of this world system.
“…2 wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath…” (Eph. 1:1-3).
“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning” (2 Pet. 2:20).
What are the things you ought to separate yourself from?
1. Separate yourself from the world (Jn. 15:19). Why? Once you are worldly by any measure, you have declared yourself an enemy of God (Jam. 4:4).
2. Separate yourselves from unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14).
3. Separate yourself from a person that stirs up division (Tit. 3:10; Rom. 16:17).
4. Separate yourself from brethren walking in idleness (2 Thess. 3:6).
5. Separate yourself from false teachers (2 Jn. 1:10-11).
6. Separate yourself from the unfruitful works of darkness (Eph. 5:11).
7. Separate yourself from anyone that does not practice AGAPE (1 Jn. 4:7-8).
8. Separate yourself from ungodly company (1 Cor. 15:33).
9. Separate yourself from those who have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof (2 Tim. 3:5).
10. Separate yourself from an ungodly congregation (Num. 16:21).
11. Separate yourself from fools (Prov. 13:20).
12. Separate yourself from the uncleanness of the people of the land (Ezra 6:21).
13. Separate yourself from the tents of the wicked (Num. 16:26).
14. Separate yourself from scoffers (Prov. 22:10).
15. Separate yourself from the counsel of the wicked (Ps. 1:1).
Why separate yourself from the world?
1. Because as a believer, you do not belong to the world. As a believer, you are in the world but not of the world.
In John 15:18-19 Jesus said, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of THE WORLD, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of THE WORLD, therefore the world hateth you.”
In John 17:14 Jesus said, “I have given them thy Word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”
2. Because Jesus commanded (instructed) us to do so.
a) Do not love the world. He said, “Love not THE WORLD, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 Jn. 2:15).
NLT puts it this way, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.”
b) Do not conform to this world. In Romans 12:2 Jesus instructed us saying, “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.”
Why did He command us not to conform to this world? This is because worldliness pollutes. The believer who has made Heaven his/her goal should steer clear from worldliness in its various forms and shapes.
The LORD Almighty said, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye SEPARATE, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters” (2 Cor. 6:17-18).
“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her (the world), My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Rev. 18:4).
c) Do not be attached to the things of this world because they are deceptive and temporal. “For all that is in THE WORLD, (1) the lust of the flesh, and (2) the lust of the eyes, and (3) the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of THE WORLD. 17 And THE WORLD passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever” (1 Jn. 2:16-17).
NLT puts it this way, “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”
What is Worldliness?
- Worldliness is doing things according to the pattern of this world.
- It is doing things like the people of the world (like the unbelievers).
- Worldliness is anything that connects you to the world.
Here is the truth: worldliness is not limited to external behavior - the people we associate with, the places we go, the activities we enjoy.
Worldliness is also internal because it begins in the heart and is characterized by three attitudes: (1) the lust of the flesh (the lust for physical pleasure) - preoccupation with gratifying physical desires; (2) the lust of the eyes (for everything our eyes can see) - craving and accumulating things, bowing to the god of materialism; and (3) the pride of life - obsession with one’s status or importance.
For instance, when the serpent tempted Eve (Gen. 3:6), he tempted her in these areas. Also, when the Devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, these were his three areas of attack (see Matt. 4:1-11).
By contrast, God values self-control, a spirit of generosity, and a commitment to humble service. It is possible to give the impression of avoiding worldly pleasures while still harboring worldly attitudes in one’s heart. It is also possible, like Jesus, to love sinners and spend time with them while maintaining a commitment to the values of God’s Kingdom. What values are most important to you? Do your actions reflect the world’s values or God’s values?
Once you are worldly by any measure, you have declared yourself an enemy of God – you cannot enter Heaven.
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of THE WORLD is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of THE WORLD is the enemy of God” (Jam. 4:4).
Jesus said, “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil…” (Ex. 23:2).
Thus saith the Lord, “Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are vain…” (Jer. 10:2-3).
How do the people of this world do things? They do things according to the dictates of the “flesh” (Rom. 8:1-2). Remember that God is interested in both inward and outward holiness. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the (1) flesh (body)
“There is therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:1-2).
Conclusion: Remember that without SEPARATION from the world, you can never become holy, and without holiness you cannot see the LORD (Heb. 12:14).
Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!
Your friend, I. I. MADUBUNYI (Senior Pastor, HOG)
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