ABSTRACT TO PRESENTATION

on SEPARATION,

WHICH FOLLOWS IN

 http://webwitness.org.au/SECONDSUITEAWWWW/hgga2j.html

In our present day, reversion to Rome is popular, as to immorality, State dominance and violence. It is easy to accept things for peace' sake and to ignore what is for conscience' sake, and deplore what is for truth's sake: but it is not wise. If any seek wisdom, let him see the word of God (Psalm 111:10). HE is the only one equipped with absolute truth in Himself. The word of God is our provision (II Timothy 3:16, Matthew 5:17ff., John 14:6,21-23). Let us follow it.

Romanism is wrong, as has been shown for centuries by myriads - many of them martyrs to Romanist violence in the Inquisition and beyond; and this error of which that was a practical expression, is shown through many reasons.

It has three initial idolatries, that is, usages of things NOT divine as if they had divine qualities: those involving Mary as Queen of Heaven, only Hope of Sinners and the like, the Pope as the Teacher infallible, and the Mass as equally real as a sacrifice to that of Calvary.

Each is thoroughly anti-biblical, all bring collision with many biblical PRINCIPLES and PRONOUNCEMENTS alike. Some of these are to  be found in Romans 16:17, II John 2, II Timothy 4, Isaiah 8:20, Matthew 5:17-20, I Corinthians 5:5:9ff., 6:9ff., Matthew 12:48-50, 23:8-10, I Peter 5, Proverbs 30:6, Hebrews 9-10, Jeremiah 23, Ezekiel 14, II Chronicles 19.

Indeed, when it comes to idols, it is rank unbelief and this involves II Corinthians 6:14ff. (cf. Psalm 96), and Paul's rigorous challenge regarding light and darkness: does one have fellowship with the other! he apostrophises.

The light is Christ and another christ with another Gospel is Paul's stated abhorrence (II Corinthians 11), for which error he castigates those in Corinth, who were merging christs, gospels and ideas... They might as well mingle in this way, as with Satan himself, for such, he declares, are "deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ!"

One principle is that you do not worship or give divine regard to any but to God, and that ONE of His divine powers and authorities is to be the only authoritative teacher as in Matthew 23, another is His despising of what transgresses by adding to His OWN WORD as in Proverbs, and a third is His insistence, coming to full power in Jeremiah 23, Isaiah 52:11, Romans, I and II Timothy and Revelation, that one must SEPARATE from what breaches these things. It is most dramatic in the case of Leviticus 10 and Numbers 16.

It is, as it always has been, in the end, separate or sink. That is why Judah sank (II Kings 17), led into communal religions with the region by such as Manasseh and Ahaz, and why Lot escaped within a millimetre of his life from Sodom. By faith through grace you are saved, and by faith you act (Ephesians 2 and James 1).

The issues are clear. They are presented in adequate detail in the Chapter noted above, and in great detail in SMR at  pp. 911ff., 946ff.,1032-1088H.

One must MARK where such things occur, says Paul in Romans 16:17, and AVOID them. This is not done by sharing communion, congregational exercises, seminary labours or works. It is done by what is called separation in the Bible. You do not separate oil from water by stirring them together, or minds by immersing them together in a false teaching, attitude or approach. Like a thin rubber band, such commandments are readily broken by doing precisely what they abhor. They do not stretch to their opposite.

This topic of separation in turn is available in great detail in separation1997. However, to the wise, the word of God is directive and does not need multiplication (Psalm 119:20). For those who want more, it is there in any abundance! What biblically cannot be 'there' or anywhere for the saint, is this: merging, mixing, having fellowship with what departs from the Gospel (UNCHANGEABLE FROM THE DAY OF PAUL - Galatians 1:6ff.), what changes it or adds to it.