Separation
Separation of Light from Darkness
by Pastor Khng
Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:3-5
“And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” Gen 1:4
Introduction: The Doctrine of Separation is taught in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
I. In Creation – Gen. 1:4
II. In the Exodus – Ex. 14:19-20
III. In the Coming of Christ – Isa. 9:2; Mt 4:16; Lk 1:79; Jn 8:12, 12:46
IV. In the Preaching of the Gospel – “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Acts 26:18.
V. In Obedience to the Command of God – 2 Cor. 6:14-18; 7:1
VI In Christian Living – Eph. 5:8; 1 Th. 5:5; 1 Pet. 2:9; 1 Jn. 1:5-7; 1 Jn. 2:8-9
VII In Heaven – Rev. 22:5 – “And there shall be no night (darkness) there”
Conclusion:
Biblical Separation is not having “a holier than thou art” attitude but having “a wanting to be holy” attitude.
Biblical Separation is not isolation from like-minded brethren but insulation from evil.
Biblical Separation is not being unloving, but loving in the truth.
Biblical Separation is obeying God’s commands.
Biblical Separation is taking a stand to differentiate between light from darkness.
Biblical Separation is living and serving God in holiness and sweet fellowship.
Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:3-5
“And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” Gen 1:4
Introduction: The Doctrine of Separation is taught in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
I. In Creation – Gen. 1:4
- A. Separation of physical light and darkness, light called day and darkness called night – Gen. 1:5
- B. Division of light and darkness mentioned in Gen. 1:4, 14, 18
- C. Where there is light, there is no darkness – the two cannot exist together – same apply to the spiritual light and spiritual darkness.
- D. Imagine we switch off all the lights in this hall – we will be in darkness and then we switch on one light at a time – darkness is gone when there is light in that corner and then in this corner and when all the lights are switched on, there is no more darkness – “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” – Gen. 1:3
- E. God is Light - 1John 1:5 says, “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
II. In the Exodus – Ex. 14:19-20
- A. The pillar of cloud came between the Israelites and the Egyptians – darkness to the Egyptians but light to the Israelites - “so that the one came not near the other all the night.”
- B. God made the distinction between God’s people and the unsaved – Israelites were separated from the Egyptians
- C. Egypt in the Bible is a type of the world. The Israelites in Egypt is a type of Christians living in the world.
- D. God called Israel out of the world - like God called Christians out of the world.
- E. “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.” – Jn 15:19
- F. Christians are called to be separated from the world – 1 Jn 2:15 – “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.”
III. In the Coming of Christ – Isa. 9:2; Mt 4:16; Lk 1:79; Jn 8:12, 12:46
- A. Christ said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” – Jn 8:12
- B. Fulfillment of prophecy made many hundreds of years ago – Isa. 9:2; Mt 4:16
- C. In the Bible, darkness is a metaphor for sin, absence of God and death.
- Living in Sin is equivalent to living in darkness – 1 Jn 1:5-7
- “God is Light” – 1 Jn 1:5
- “the night (death, darkness) cometh, when no man can work” – Jn 9:4
- Death is darkness – When I was in Secondary one, I went to play the bomber in the Great World Amusement park. I shot at flying enemy planes – shot one, and another one and another one but then it short circuited on me. I got stuck to the machine as electric current passed through my body. Initially I could still see the light and I shouted and I heard more shouting. As more current passed through, I was suddenly in darkness. I could see nothing at all; it was darkness, I was going to die soon by electrocution. Then suddenly I was brought back to light again. My body was yanked out from the machine by two workers who took a rubber rod to put across my body and they jerked me out. I could see light again. I was sweating, I was embarrassed as there were many onlookers. I was not saved yet but God was merciful to me. I knew first hand that death is complete darkness.
- D. Follow Christ – We will no more live in sin, we will have the presence of God and we will overcome death.
- E. Christians are called to be separated from sin.
IV. In the Preaching of the Gospel – “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Acts 26:18.
- A. Paul’s testimony before King Agrippa
- B. Threefold purposes of preaching the gospel
- To open their eyes (blinded and in darkness
- To turn them from darkness to light and
- To turn them from the power of Satan unto God.
- C. This is the mission of the church. It is not the promoting of happiness but the promoting of holiness. Happiness will come when we are holy.
V. In Obedience to the Command of God – 2 Cor. 6:14-18; 7:1
- A. There is no fellowship between light and darkness – 6:14
- B. No union between a believer and an unbeliever in marriage, in God’s work and any union that cause us to lose our identification as Christians or cause us to compromise our beliefs.
- C. Article on John Piper – see bulletin – to check out go to John Piper’s church website and indeed they have a mix of traditional and contemporary worship – no personal grudge – just to inform that many churches are introducing contemporary music in their worship and this will lead to the ecumenical one world church where people with all shades of beliefs are worshipping and working together.
- D. Christians are called to be separated from false teachers
- E. The problem is with them and not with us – because they walk in darkness, they are out of fellowship with God and therefore we are out of fellowship with them.
VI In Christian Living – Eph. 5:8; 1 Th. 5:5; 1 Pet. 2:9; 1 Jn. 1:5-7; 1 Jn. 2:8-9
- A. “Walk as children of light” – Eph. 5:8
- B. “You are all the children of light” – 1 Th. 5:5
- C. “called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” – 1 Pet. 2:9
- D. “walk in the light, as he is in the light,” – 1 Jn 1:5-7
VII In Heaven – Rev. 22:5 – “And there shall be no night (darkness) there”
- A. Heaven is the place for final separation from darkness.
- B. No more sin in heaven because heaven is a perfect place
We have to practice separation now on earth but in heaven there is no need to practice separation because there is no separation in heaven. When we enter heaven we are finally separated from sin and darkness
Conclusion:
Biblical Separation is not having “a holier than thou art” attitude but having “a wanting to be holy” attitude.
Biblical Separation is not isolation from like-minded brethren but insulation from evil.
Biblical Separation is not being unloving, but loving in the truth.
Biblical Separation is obeying God’s commands.
Biblical Separation is taking a stand to differentiate between light from darkness.
Biblical Separation is living and serving God in holiness and sweet fellowship.
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