Galatians chapter number one. Follow along on the back side of your bulletin if you would as we go through the verses for this lesson. Still studying the doctrinal statement. of the Bible Baptist Church. You can find it on our website, very clearly displayed. We are not ashamed of what we believe. And we believe what we believe because of what the Bible says. And we want to build our lives, we want to build our homes, we want to build our church upon the foundation of the Word of God, our final authority in all matters of faith and of practice. And we want people who believe what we believe to come and be a part of our church. We want people who are interested in what the Bible says. We're not trying to appeal to lost people. Now, we want to see lost people saved, so we're going to go preach the gospel, and then the Holy Spirit takes up residence, and then they're interested in the Word of God and the Christian life. And we don't want to appeal to carnal Christians. Now, we want everybody to come and get with the program But you tend to attract what you are. And if what you are as a church is we're just like the world, well then what you're going to attract is people who want to be just like the world. And we're going to learn today that that is not a biblical approach or mindset. I've broken this statement into the two separate points that we'll study. but starting by reading it all together. We believe all saved men should be separate. I'm sorry, I will read both points together. I didn't mean for everybody to join me, though you can if you want to, but I understand that was a confusing statement. Sorry. We believe all saved men should be separate from the outward and inner ways of this world being holy in mind and in body. We don't have to necessarily concentrate on being separate, but if we will concentrate on being holy, that will make us separate. We believe, however, that righteousness does not come by keeping of laws and commandments, but by an inner change of heart. We therefore place emphasis on the inner condition, trusting the outward appearance to follow accordingly. So does it matter what you are on the outside or does it matter what you are on the inside? Does it matter what you do or does it matter what you are? The answer to all those questions is yes. We've stated many times that just because something is not the most important does not mean that it's not important at all. And so your manner of conduct and your appearance, those are important, but the most important thing is who you are on the inside and what is in your heart because that's where the outside and that's where the conduct comes from. But we're going to study separation first of all and then we're going to clarify and quantify some things. In the second point, we've got a lot of Bible verses to look at, and so we'll go very, very quickly. But the first part of this statement is that we believe all saved men should be separate from the outward and inner ways of the world, being holy in mind and in body. That is a term, that is a concept, that is a doctrine, that is a principle that is not very popular in modern American Christianity, and that is the concept of separation. God intends for His people to be different. Salvation changes your eternal destiny. If you're a child of God, you have a home in heaven and nothing can change that, but it's supposed to change more than that. Salvation is supposed to change every aspect of your life. 2 Corinthians 5, 17 says, therefore, if any man be in Christ, and if you're saved, that's where you are, if any man be in Christ, He is a new creature. Old things passed away. Behold, all things are become new. Look at Galatians chapter one and verse number four, where the Bible says, who, back up to verse three, grace be to you and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Why did Jesus die on the cross? He died for our sins. Why did they call him Jesus? Because he shall save his people from their sins. And when you trust him as your Savior, you receive deliverance from the eternal penalty of your sin, and you are saved from hell forever and that's a blessing but that's not ultimately what God had in mind or what God had in view. What God wanted to do in sending Jesus to die for our sins according to verse 4 is to deliver us from this present evil world. Having received Jesus Christ and having received the forgiveness of sins, you are set free from the course of this world. You are set free from being all caught up in the fads and the fashions of society. You are set free from having to always fit in and follow the crowd and be accepted. Jesus died so that you could be different. Jesus died for you to deliver you from the bondage. of this present evil world. Being saved should give you a different mindset and a different mentality. If you're a child of God, you should look at what's happening in our society today. You should look at the course of this world and there's something in you that should say, I don't want to be a part of that. I don't want to be all caught up in that. I don't want to be just one more fish swimming the same direction. Want to be delivered from that and if you're saved you are and that's what God Intends look at first John chapter 2 so many verses that we could and should look at but we've just selected some this morning first John chapter number 2 and verse 15 first John chapter 2 and And verse 15, we believe all saved men should be separate from the outward and inner ways of this world, being holy in mind and in body. 1 John 2, 15, you know these verses. The Bible says, 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." In your outline, you have this statement, you can't love God and the world. You can't love God and the world. I didn't come up with that. That's what this verse just said. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 4, verse 16, All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. So of course this world and the will of God are polar opposites and you can't pursue both. You can't be like everybody around you and be like what God wants you to be. You can't love the Lord and love the world. You can't ride the fence as a child of God. You can't have one foot in church and one foot in the world. It just doesn't work. You're going to have to make a decision. You're going to have to make a break. You're going to have to choose sides. You're going to have to have one master you can't serve to. You're going to love God. You're going to love the world. You're going to be worldly or you're going to be Christian. There's no such thing as a worldly Christian. That's a complete oxymoron. It is mutually exclusive. A Christian is one who follows Christ, and Christ is going in a complete opposite direction than the world around you. If you're going to follow Christ, you can't follow the crowd. If you're going to follow Christ, you can't be like everybody else. Love, not the world. If you're saved, your conversation should be about something other than TV and movies. Right? What do people talk about? People talk about their entertainment. People talk about how they spend their time. People talk about the things that they enjoy. People talk about what they set their affections on. And that's pretty much all that it is. If you're saved, if you're a child of God, if you're separate, if you're different, you ought to be interested in something more than that. Something better than that. You ought to have something else to talk about. Okay, look at John chapter 17. Again, we've got to move quickly. John 17 and verse 14. At some point in the near future, we're going to have a lesson from this chapter. This chapter is... a prayer that Christ prayed on the eve of his crucifixion. He was praying for his disciples. Verse 20 says he was also praying for them which would believe on him through their words. So really Christ is praying for all saved people, all New Testament Christians. Each of the prayers that he prays in this chapter, God answers. God the Father answers. Pick it up in verse number 14. The Bible says, I, Christ praying to the Father, 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. See, if you're gonna follow Jesus, you're not going to be cool. There's a certain age where you give up all hope anyway, but the sooner the better. If you're gonna follow Jesus, the world is not going to like that. You just gotta make up your mind whether or not you're okay with it. Even as I am not of the world, verse 15, I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth. Here's what Christ prayed for his followers. Father, I want you to leave them in the world. Don't take them out of the world. Leave them in the world, the world that hates them, the world that they're not going to follow. Leave them there. That prayer is answered. You're saved, but you're here. Your home is in heaven, but you're not there yet. Why? Because that's what Jesus asked the Father for. Leave them in the world, but verse 17, sanctify them. You know what that word sanctify means? Set them apart. Make them different. Protect them from the evil sanctify them through thy truth Thy word is truth as thou has sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world and for their sakes I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified through the truth verse 20 neither pray I for these alone verse 21 he's praying that they all may be one so the father answers this prayer those who trust in Jesus Christ they're left in this world and but they're set apart from the world. So in John 17, we are in the world, but we are not of the world. And there's a difference. The reason he left us in the world is to be salt and light. The reason he left us in the world is to spread the gospel. The reason he left us in the world is to shine the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians chapter 4 that Brother James preached on last week. So we're in the world, but we're not of the world. So we're separate, but we're not isolated. That's an important distinction, okay? We're not just going to go live in a monastery. We're not just all going to be Christ-following hermits. That does not fulfill God's purpose for leaving us in the world. You see, so many Christians are influenced by the world, but we're supposed to be an influence upon the world. We're not supposed to be following everybody else away from Jesus. We're supposed to be causing people to follow us as we follow Christ. And our influence is diluted when we decide that we want to be more like the world. You see, that's the modern church's approach is the more worldly we are, the more people will want to be a part of us and the more influence that we'll have. But they're just absolutely wrong. It doesn't work that way. You can't have an influence if you're already the same. We have to be different so we can be effective. And that principle is all through the New Testament. I'm sure we'll come across it again as we look at these verses. Titus chapter 2 and verse number 11. Titus chapter 2 and verse number 11. The Bible is very clear on God's expectations that we would be separate. that we would look different, that we would talk different, that we would live differently, think differently, conduct ourselves differently, have a different vocabulary, different topics of conversation, different attitude and approach to life. First, I'm sorry, Titus chapter two. and verse number 11. Titus 2, verse 11, for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Aren't you thankful this morning to be saved by grace? None of us, none of us deserve heaven. None of us deserve forgiveness of sins. None of us deserve the good gifts that God sends our ways, but God is a gracious God, and in his grace, he reached down and rescued us from the pit of sin. The grace of God. bringeth salvation. Verse 10, the grace doesn't just bring us salvation, it has a teaching ministry in our lives, teaching us, verse 12, sorry, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a, here's our word, a peculiar people. zealous of good works. So Jesus saved us by his grace. He wants his grace to teach us how to live godly. We're looking for the blessed hope, verse 13, but the reason he died on the cross, this is similar to Galatians 1, 4, the reason he gave himself for us is to redeem us from all iniquity and make us a peculiar people. Some of us doing better with that than others. Just naturally. Some of us are a little more peculiar. But what he's talking about here is not just strange. Not just different. Not just weird. And there's an aspect of it that is. But peculiar, it's unto himself. It is belonging to God and God alone. It's that we don't have divided loyalties. It's that our hearts are united. to fear God's name. It's that we're not double-minded. We're not trying to play both sides. We're just all out for Jesus. Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee. So, peculiar people. I've said this before. I'll say it again and I'll keep saying it. We ought to embrace peculiarity. If this world is so confused that they think it is okay to let the boys in the girls' locker room because they identify as a female. If this world is so confused, right, about something as basic as gender, the facts of biology. If this world is not only so confused but so reprobate that they brag about killing infants in the womb, why do we want to be a part of that? Why do we want to be accepted by that? Why do we want to be Why would we want to be anything like the world if the world is that far gone? I want to be different. I want to be peculiar. I want to be thought strange. Peculiar people, zealous of good works. That's what God wants to be. 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2 and verse number 9. 1 Peter 2, 9. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation, a peculiar people." Look, it's not a bad thing. It's in the same sentence as chosen generation. It's in the same statement as royal priesthood. It's in the same phrase as holy nation. This is not a lesser calling. This is a higher calling. This is not a degraded position. This is a privileged position. Don't look down on being different from the world. God puts it in a very positive light. But verse number nine, here's the purpose statement. Why does God want us peculiar? Why does God want us different? That ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Okay, so we ought to be different so we can be effective as salt and light. We ought to be peculiar so that we can show the world how great God is. Verse number 11, I'm sorry, verse 10, which in time past were not a people, but now are the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul, having conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. So we're strangers. and we're pilgrims, meaning this is not our home. This world is not my home. My citizenship is in heaven. My allegiance and my loyalty is somewhere else. I am simply traveling through this life on this earth, but my ultimate goal, my ultimate destination, my ultimate home is somewhere else. And we need to carry that mindset. We need to set our affection on things above and not on the things. on the earth because we are strangers and pilgrims. Look back one chapter, 1 Peter 1 and verse 13. 1 Peter 1 and verse 13 says, wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober and hope to the end. This is a mindset thing. This is a thought pattern issue. Be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought into you at the revelation of Jesus Christ as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance. You don't have to follow the fashions. You don't have to be fashioned like everybody else. You don't have to fit the mold that the world is presenting. Verse 15, but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. Because it is written, be ye holy, for I am holy. holy. So we're supposed to be holy in all manner of conversation. And ultimately, that's what separation is about. We don't have to focus on being different. We have to focus on being obedient. And obedient to God will make us very, very different from this world that is at enmity with God, according to the book of James. Okay. So be holy in all manner of conversation. Be holy that is consecrated and set apart to God. Be holy that is clean and pure and just and good. Be holy in all manner. of conversation. That's the outward ways and the inward ways. That's your appearance and that's your attitude. That's the entertainment you choose and how you spend your time in replacement of those choices. Be holy in all manner of conversation. Look at 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse number 1. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 In verse 1, furthermore, then, we beseech you, brethren, exhort you by the Lord Jesus Christ that as you've received of us how you ought to walk and to please God, so you would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus, for this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication. It will please God for us to be sanctified. It is the will of God that we set our lives apart. It will please God and it will be the will of God if we do not follow in line with a society that is obsessed with fornication. That's why you need to get rid of the world's music. A lot of it's about fornication. That's why you need to stop watching the popular shows because a lot of it's about fornication. That's why many of the movies that are put out are completely inappropriate for a Christian, because a lot of it's about fornication, and God doesn't want you to have anything to do with that. He doesn't want you to get anywhere near that line. And if you're hearing songs about it, and if you're watching it, and if you're surrounded by people who are involved in it, it's going to drag you that direction. And God said, stay away from it. It's the will of God that you should abstain from fornication. One man, one woman in a marriage relationship for life, that is the will of God and that is the best way to live and enjoy the blessings of the relationship that God created and designed. But this world's going a completely different direction. And if you get following this world, that's where it's going to take you. That's why you need to be separate. That's why you need to be sanctified. Verse four, that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor. Your vessel, that's your body. God gave it to you, but it belongs to him and you ought to honor him with it. 1 Corinthians 6, flee fornication. Take the members of Christ and join them to an harlot. The Bible says, verse five, not in the lust of concupiscence, as unbridled lusts, even as the Gentiles, which know not God. This world, they can't even blush anymore. not ashamed of anything anymore. Six, perverted, verse six, that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any manner because the Lord is the avenger of all such as we have also forewarned you and testified. God's really serious about what you do with your body. God's really serious about you being pure. There are not very many sins that carry the promised judgment that this sin does. Hebrews 13.4, marriage is honorable and all in the bed of defile, but whoremongers and adulterers, God will judge. You're not gonna get away with it. He's not gonna let you. Verse seven, for God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but on holiness. Listen, it is a filthy world. It is a dirty world. People have dirty minds. They've got dirty vocabularies. They've got dirty lives. God likes something clean. God wants your life to be clean. God wants your vessel to be clean so that he can use you. You don't want to take the cabinet. Have you ever unloaded a dirty dishwasher? Right? You thought the dishes in the dishwasher were clean, so you put them all away. And then the next day, you go to take a mug from the cabinet, and you look inside, and it's all crusty and gross. You just pour your coffee in it anyway. If you're lazy. Right? You don't wanna use a dirty dish. That's just a small example. God wants to use your life. You oughta want God to use your life. He's not gonna use it if it's dirty. Gotta clean it up. So God has not called us unto uncleanness. Romans chapter 12, verse number one. Romans chapter 12, verse number one. We were much too ambitious this morning. We'll only get through half of this. We'll have to save 0.2 for next time. Romans chapter 12 and verse number one. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your body as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Reasonable, come on guys, this just makes sense. This just makes sense in view of God's mercies, in view of all that God has done for us, in view of who God is, in view of the salvation that he's given. It is very, very reasonable that we would present our bodies a living sacrifice, holding acceptable in him. You know what that means? It's unreasonable if we don't. It's unacceptable if we don't. Verse number two, and be, here's part of that, and be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Again, you can't do God's will and be like the world. You can either be conformed to this world or conform to the image of Jesus Christ, but you can't be both. You've got to choose one. Be transformed. Being transformed is way better than being conformed. And it just makes sense. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 6, last passage this morning. 2 Corinthians chapter 6. This is the passage. on separation. Let's see what it says. 2 Corinthians 6, verse number 14. 2 Corinthians 6, verse number 14. The Bible says, Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? What communion hath light with darkness? What concord hath Christ with Belial? 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 so verse 17 wherefore because of this because of what the argument from the passage is you can't mix light and dark You can't mix righteousness and unrighteousness. You can't mix Christ with Belial it These are these are mutually exclusive. They are juxtaposed What's that word I'm looking for? Juxtaposed is that right? I was about to add an extra syllable and that wasn't gonna be correct okay, so So because this just doesn't work, here's the choice. Here's the outcome. Here's the resolution. You're just going to have to come out. You're going to have to come out and be separate, because you can't be both. Sayeth the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing. And it's real simple how to be separate. Just be clean. How to be separate? Just don't get involved in what is wrong. Here's how to be separate. Just don't. Listen, just because everybody else is doing it, if it's wrong, it's still wrong. A lot of people doing it doesn't make it right. A lot of people doing it doesn't make it okay. A lot of people going there. A lot of people wearing that. A lot of people watching that. A lot of people listening to that. Everybody else living this way. Everybody else using that. None of that should have any influence on the decision of what's right and wrong. And if I'll just eliminate that consideration from my life and just do what's right, that'll set me apart, okay? And look at the outcome and the result of that. In verse 17, and I will receive you. Now, come on, I'm accepted in the beloved. Judicially, my standing with God is settled. But I do want God to be pleased with me. Right? I do want my life to be acceptable with Him. That's 2 Corinthians chapter number 5. I still want God to look at my life and say, well done thou good and faithful servant. I want God to receive me. He's not going to if I just want to be like everybody else. Verse 18, and will be a father unto you. Now, listen, this is not the plan of salvation. You don't become a child of God by being separate from the world. Salvation is not by works, it's by grace. But if you don't make the choice to make a clean break from the world, then you are not going to enjoy the benefits of the relationship of having God as your father. That's what this says. And will be a father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. So what does it mean to be separate? It means don't be yoked together. Two oxen and a yoke, they're going the same way. They're pulling the same load. If one ox going one way, one ox going the other way, that yoke ain't going nowhere. That field is not getting plowed. There has to be unity. There has to be joint effort. There has to be one mind between those two beasts to make any progress with that yoke. We always apply this. We often apply this, and it's a proper application. You can't marry somebody that's lost. You can't be unequally yoked. with unbelievers. If you can't marry somebody that's lost, you should never date somebody that's lost. If you can't marry somebody that's lost, you should never even consider the option of putting your life together with somebody that's not saved. You shouldn't even begin to think about somebody that you're not 100% sure that they're a child of God. But the application is a lot broader than that. This is not just about marriage. Don't yoke your life up. Don't go the same direction with unbelievers. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? Two fellows in the same ship. Well, that ought not to be the Christian in the world. I'm not saying you can't have unsaved friends. I think it's good to have unsaved friends and win them to Jesus. But your life shouldn't be going the same direction their life is. Your ship shouldn't have all the same things that their ship has, right? So it means not yoked together. It means no fellowship. Ephesians 511 is a cross-reference. It means no concord, verse 15. It means no part, verse 15. It means no agreement, verse number 16. Come out from among them and be ye Now, come on, it's a challenge. It's a choice you have to make. And I understand it's somewhat of a difficult choice as a teenager, as a young person, when what other people think about you is so important. But don't think that it necessarily becomes easy as an adult if you don't make the decision now. Can't you look around and recognize that there are still adults that are trying to be cool and accepted? and do what everybody else is doing. I mean, a lot of adults still live their lives this way. Don't assume, I'll change this approach to my life once I'm an adult. No, if you don't make the decision now, you're going to solidify that approach to life. And it's going to become even more difficult. So come out from among them and be separate. And it's a good thing. Not a bad thing. Now we'll balance this out next week with, we believe that righteousness does not come by keeping laws, commandments, but by an inner change of heart. God wants this to work from the inside out. And we'll study that next time. Let's pray. Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for the life that you make possible. Thank you for abundant life. in Jesus Christ. Thank you for the young men and young ladies here. I pray that they would all choose that higher calling. They would all choose that better way. Lord, that you would make us effective in this world as your witnesses, as your representatives. Lord, just help us not get caught up in the course of this world, what you came to deliver us from, Lord, help us to receive that deliverance and be thankful for that deliverance. And Lord, be consecrated to your service. We love you, in Jesus' name, amen.