Separation: How to Attain, Part 1

Introduction: The Narrow Gate and the Way of Separation

0:00 The following sermon was delivered on Sunday morning, November 12, 2006, at Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. Now let us turn together to Matthew chapter 7, and hear again the word of God as we have for the past number of weeks, that word coming from the lips of our Lord Jesus toward the end of the Sermon on the Mount, that great manifesto of the kingdom of grace, which our Lord came to bring into human history, Matthew 7, verses 13 and 14. Enter in by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby.

0:59 For, or how? Narrow is the gate, and straightened, compressed, restricted, difficult. How narrow the way that leads unto life, and few are they that find it. Let us once more seek the face of God in prayer.

1:22 Our Father, we are very conscious as we come to this portion of your word once more, that apart from the present, powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit, it will be as though we've never heard the words, and therefore we are shut up to you that you would come upon preacher and hearer alike by the present ministry of the Spirit in such a way that none will escape the pressure of your truth upon his or her conscience. Come to us, O God, come to us. In the preaching of the word we pray, for our good and for your praise. Amen.

2:18 Yes, the gate of radical biblical conversion is still a narrow gate. And the way or road of radical biblical discipleship is still a compressed, a restricted, a difficult way. But? As true now as when originally spoken.

2:45 The narrow gate and the difficult way are the only, only, the only way to eternal life. Refuse that gate and refuse that way. And whatever your professed spiritual experience may be, Jesus said, apart from that gate and that way, your end will be destruction. We are not setting up a standard for super-duper sold-out Christians as opposed to laid-back, easy-going, take-the-convenient-way Christians. No, we're looking at that which alone constitutes a man, a woman, a boy or girl, a true child of God, a true son or daughter of the kingdom, who's come through the only entrance to the kingdom which is that narrow gate, and is living out a kingdom lifestyle in the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, which gate, which way, alone lead to life. So in recent weeks I've sought to identify the baggage that must be discarded, discarded from the heart at the gate,

4:13 and then the difficulties that must be reckoned with upon the way. And by passing any more extensive review than that, when I came to describe the fourth element of the narrow way that leads to life, I did so in these words. It is the difficult, the compressed, the narrow way of increasing non-conformity, to and separation from the world and its ways as the molding influence upon our lives. I then sought to demonstrate from the Word of God that this increasing non-conformity to and separation from the world is indeed a non-negotiable and necessary aspect of all saving experience, as it is in the gospel of the grace of God. For those of you who heard the four messages, four messages in which I sought to expound the major texts that deal with this matter of the world and the relationship of a true believer to that world,

5:33 for those of you having heard those messages and yet are still determined and content to dabble with the world, to hide your worldliness under the cloak of Christian liberty, I have nothing more to say to you at this time. Nothing more. I've expounded the major texts which unmistakably teach that unless there is in your life a growing non-conformity to and separation from the world, you have no biblical grounds to say you've come through the gate, and are on the way that leads to life. If after all of that you're still persuaded that you're all right, and you can continue to deliberately dabble in worldliness with no passion for an increasing separation from and non-conformity to that world, not only did I expound the texts, I gave specific applications, and I poured out my soul and left part of myself in this pulpit during those four weeks. And if after all of that you're still determined to go on dabbling in the world, for now I have nothing more to say to you. Nothing more to say to you.

Hearts Stirred: Testimonies of Conviction and Desire for Separation

6:59 But as I sought to expound those passages and apply them, how I bless God for the many of you that spoke to me personally, saying God had deep dealings with your heart in those messages. Not only did a number of you speak to me, but some of you wrote to me. And I believe what some of you wrote is reflective of the disposition of many sitting here this morning. For example, one brother wrote, and I read his letter with his permission.

7:30 I came across this quote by Susanna Wesley some years ago, and it's been echoing in my ears confirming what you have been preaching in recent days, specifically this matter. This matter of worldliness. It has proven to be a great means of grace to put a check on my own heart in many areas. And here's the quote from Susanna Wesley.

7:55 Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, or obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of your body over your mind, that thing to you. Is sin. End quote. And then this brother goes on to write, Thank you for your faithful labors manifested in your pointed, balanced applications in this series on Matthew 7, 12 and 13.

8:31 13 and 14 it should be. Though I pray that the messages will bring conviction and godly sorrow that leads to repentance in many of the congregation, I have personally been convicted regarding my own walk. I'm striving to put to death the giant love of ease born in the town of worldly leisure. Thank you for graciously smiting me with biblical exhortations.

9:01 And then another. I truly thank the Lord for your decision to break in to the series on justification and to preach from Matthew 7, 13 and 14. I thank God for the adjective. You use repeatedly.

9:15 As you spoke of nonconformity to the world and separation from the world. The adjective was the word increasing since that message. I've been asking myself, where should I be increasing in these graces and your application touched upon an area in my life where I've been lax and sinful. Quote surfing the channels on my TV.

9:41 I've tempted God when I surfed with the intent of changing channels. Immediately when anything unacceptable appeared. I'm ashamed of my conduct and have confessed my sin to the Lord and acknowledge the deceitfulness and wickedness that remains in my heart that would cause me to behave in such an ungodly manner. I've also confessed this to my wife and asked her to forgive me for being so very careless.

10:09 May the Lord bless you. My dear pastor for being faithful to the Lord into my soul. Perhaps you would share. This note with the other elders so they could pray for me and check up on me regarding this.

The Call to Deeper Separation: Seeking Practical Counsel

10:24 What do these two notes reveal? They reveal to me that there are some among you who've taken this stuff seriously. This is not just been Pastor Martin spilling his guts on an issue. That's obviously gripped it.

10:38 You've heard the voice of your savior calling you to a greater nonconformity to. And. Separation from. This.

10:49 Present. Evil. World. And for you who are in that category as I said I have nothing to say.

10:57 To those of you. Who've smugly been able to deflect all the arrows. Go on in your addiction to your worldliness wherever it manifests itself. I have nothing to say to you this morning.

11:10 Nothing to say. But for the many of you whose hearts have been stirred. And who say if my savior died to deliver me from this present evil world. And that's what Galatians 1 4 says.

11:24 Then surely with all of my heart and soul. I want to be more and more delivered from it. That my savior might have the reward of his sufferings. Pastor.

11:36 Can you give some practical pastoral counsels as to how to obtain this increasing nonconformity to. And separation from the world. Well in the remaining messages. That's precisely what I want to do.

11:52 I want to give some practical pastoral counsels. On how to attain. More and more separation from. And nonconformity to.

12:06 This present evil world. And as I've sought to organize my counsels. I've done so under the biblical framework. Of negative and positive.

Biblical Framework for Ethical Instruction: Positive and Negative Commands

12:16 Or positive and negative. And I'm sure as you read your Bible. You see this again and again. For example Psalm 1.

12:24 Blessed is the man that walks not. Sits not. Stands not. Three negatives.

12:31 But his delight is in the law of the Lord. Positive. And in his law doth he meditate day and night. Positive.

12:38 Three negatives. Two positives. The ten commandments. Eight negatives.

12:45 Two positives. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Honor your father and your mother. All the rest are negative.

12:52 You see I've never been able to buy it. When people say well. I don't like negative. Well.

12:57 Tell God he was wrong. In giving the summary of moral duty. Eight negatives. Two positives.

13:03 Or when you turn to the New Testament. In Colossians 3. Since then you were raised with Christ. Seek those things which are above.

13:13 Where Christ is seated at the right hand. With God. Set your affection on things above. There's two positives.

13:22 Then you come to verse 5. And we are told to put to death therefore. Your members which are upon the earth. Put off all these.

13:31 That's balanced with two negatives. And then in verse 12. You come back to a positive. Put on therefore.

13:38 And this is the way God teaches us. The ethical implications of the gospel. Setting before us. The grand indicatives.

13:47 Of who we are. What we have in Christ. Then God comes to us. And says in the light of that.

13:54 This is what you must do. This is what you must not do. And so following that biblical structure. I want to collate at this juncture.

First Positive Counsel: Constantly Remind Yourself of Your True Identity

14:05 I have five positive pastoral councils. For those of you that are deeply desirous. Of having a life. Marked by this growing nonconformity to.

14:19 And separation from the world. Five positives. And at this point. Three negatives.

14:25 And hopefully this morning. I can cover the first two. Of the five positives. Are you serious?

14:32 I mean really serious. Serious like this brother who said. Read this note to the rest of the elders. And check up on me regularly.

14:42 Hold my feet to the fire. I'm not going to lie. I want to know. That in this area of my worldly influence.

14:50 Where I've let the TV. Impinge images on my retina. That ought never. To have impinged on my retina.

14:58 And I've sinned. And I've confessed my sin to my wife. And now tell the other elders. And keep my feet to the fire.

15:04 That's what getting serious. Is all about folks. Not just having a little whining session. Oh Lord help me.

15:13 No no folks. About dealing. With these issues. If you are.

15:21 I have some counsel for you. And here's the first word of counsel. Constantly remind yourself. Of your true identity.

15:31 As a disciple of Jesus Christ. Would you live more and more. Separate from the world. More and more separated.

15:42 Unto God as a living sacrifice. Would you more and more know what it is to be. Nonconform to this world. In your perspectives about life.

15:54 Right and wrong. In your actions. In the use of your time. Then I urge you.

Identity in Christ: Chosen Out of the World (John 15)

16:02 Constantly remind yourself. Of your true identity. As a disciple of Jesus Christ. Particularly your identity.

16:13 With respect to the world. And here I turn you back. To John 15. A passage we looked at.

16:21 In another connection early. In our treatment of this subject. Of the Christian and the world. John chapter 15.

16:33 Now in the upper room discourse. There are some things. Which our Lord says to the eleven. That apply uniquely to them as apostles.

16:42 Many other things apply to them. As ordinary disciples. And in expounding. And in appropriating.

16:50 Anything from the upper room discourse. We need to sort out. What was said particularly to the eleven as apostles. What was said as believers.

17:02 And in this section that I'm going to read. These are things we know from the analogy of scripture. That is from other portions of the word of God. Are true of all true disciples.

17:13 John 15 beginning at verse 17. These things I command you. That you may love one another. If the world hates you.

17:25 You know that it hated me. Before it hated you. If you were of the world. The world would love its own.

17:34 But because you are not of the world. But I chose you out of the world. Therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said unto you.

17:46 A servant is not greater than his Lord. If they persecuted me. They will also persecute you. If they kept my word.

17:56 They will keep yours. Also. But all these things will they do unto you. For my name's sake.

18:04 Because they know not him. That sent me. I want you to notice three very simple principles. That stand on the face of these words.

18:15 That I've read in your hearing. The first is this. All of Christ. True disciples.

18:21 Are his disciples. Because of his free. Sovereign. Loving choice of them.

18:28 To be his disciples. All who are his true disciples. Are such. Because of Christ.

18:37 Free. Sovereign choice of them. To be his disciples. Back up to verse 16.

18:43 You did not choose me. But I chose you. And again. 19b.

18:51 I chose you. Out of the world. Fact number one. If I'm a true disciple of Christ.

19:00 If I have come through. That narrow gate. And if I am found upon that restricted. That difficult.

19:09 That compressed way. Ultimately I'm through the gate. And on the way. Because of the choice of Christ.

19:19 It is because. Christ. And God the Father. Set their love upon me.

19:25 Before the worlds were framed. I am a son or a daughter of free. Sovereign electing grace. That's fact number one.

19:35 Fact number two. All of Christ's true disciples. Are not only chosen. Unto the privileges of grace.

19:44 But unto a radical separation from the world. All of Christ's true disciples. Are not only chosen. Unto the privileges of grace.

19:56 That is to be brought through the narrow gate. And onto and kept along the compressed way. All of Christ's disciples. Are not only chosen to the privileges of grace.

20:10 But unto a radical separation from the world. Look at verse 19. If you were of the world. The world would love it.

20:19 The world would love its own. But because you are not of the world. But I chose you. Out of the world.

20:29 Christ free sovereign choice unto salvation. Is a choice that all who are thus chosen. Will no longer be of the world. I chose you out of the world.

20:46 I chose you with the end in view. That you should no longer be of the world. That is that you would no longer be a part of that system of men. And society and things in alienation from God.

21:04 In the outworking of the totality of a lifestyle. That is the lifestyle of the worldling. I chose you out. And the third thing that's clear from our passage is this.

21:25 This separation from the world. Is so deep and so pervasive. That it is unavoidably observed by the world. And the world reacts to it.

21:40 This separation from the world is so deep and pervasive. That it is unavoidably observed by the world. And the world reacts to it. Verse 19 again.

21:52 If you were of the world. The world would love its own. But because you are not. Of the world.

21:58 But I chose you out of the world. Therefore the world hates you. And why does the world hate you? Because it sees that my choice of you.

22:10 To deliver you out of the world. Has so radically affected. Your total lifestyle. That they cannot ignore it.

22:19 They cannot deny it. They see it. And they react to it. Do you see that?

22:27 He says. The world is saving mercy. Is also a choice. That they should be taken.

22:40 Out of this world. Of the world. Is so. But a.

22:56 And predominant reaction. Is the reaction. Of hatred. That's why Jesus could say.

23:04 Verse 20. Remember the word that I said unto you. The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they've persecuted me.

23:12 They will also persecute you. If they kept my word. They will keep yours also. If you were of the world.

23:20 The world would love its own. If you were still. March. You dance.

23:32 To the world. You thought. Like the worldling thinks. Your eyes.

23:39 Of what is innocent. And what is wholesome. And what is good. And what is permissible.

23:44 Of the world. There be no reaction. You would blend in. And the world would feel comfortable.

23:53 With one of its own. But because. I've chosen you. Out of the world.

23:58 And you are not. Of this world. The world. Cannot.

24:02 But react to you. And its reaction. Most frequently. Is one of.

24:07 Antipathy. It's one of. Hatred. Jesus assumes.

24:12 In his prayer. In John 17 14. The same perspectives. Look at this.

24:17 John 17 14. I have given them thy word. And the world. Hates them.

24:25 Because. Now notice. Because. Not that they should be.

24:31 They may eventually be. No. I've given them thy word. Wherever that word.

24:36 Has been savingly embraced. I have given them thy word. And the world hates them. Why.

24:42 Because they are not. Of the world. Even as I. Am not of the world.

24:48 I do not pray. You should take them. From the world. But you should keep them from.

24:53 The evil. Or the evil one. Keep them from this. Evil world.

24:59 That would mold. And shape them. They must yet remain. In the midst of it.

25:04 But by sovereign grace. And the power. And the transforming effect. Of the word.

25:09 By which they have been brought. To spiritual life. By which they've been liberated. And set free.

25:15 From bondage. To the world. That transformation. Is so real.

25:20 And so. Pervasive. That our Lord says. The world.

25:24 Hates them. Because. They are not. Of the world.

25:28 And that not of the world. Ness. Is not theoretical. It is not.

25:33 A concept. It is a reality. That so. Marks the true.

25:39 People of God. That the world. Sees it. And reacts to it.

25:43 In this negative way. Surely. These statements are just parallels. To what our Lord previously taught.

The World's Hatred and the Light of Kingdom Character (John 17, Matthew 5, John 3)

25:52 In the Sermon on the Mount. What's the last of the Beatitudes? You would think that the description. That character portrait.

26:00 Of a true son or daughter. Of the kingdom. Beginning. With the words.

26:05 Blessed. Are the poor in spirit. Blessed are they. Who mourn.

26:11 Blessed are the meek. Blessed are those. Who hunger and thirst. Blessed are the pure in heart.

26:16 Such people like that. The world would welcome them. He says no. For the last Beatitude.

26:22 Is blessed are you. When men what? Revile you. And persecute you.

26:27 And say all manner of evil. Against you falsely. For my sake. Rejoice.

26:33 And be exceeding glad. For great is your reward in heaven. For so persecuted they the prophets. That were before you.

26:39 The Lord assumes. That anyone who is marked. By that kind of kingdom character. Is going to be noticed.

26:48 By the world. Because it is the opposite. Of the world's philosophy. At every point.

26:55 The world says. Pump up your self. You can do it. If you want to.

27:03 Blessed are the poor. I have nothing. I can do nothing. To commend myself.

27:11 To God. Without him. I can do nothing. And the world says.

27:15 Rubbish. Back up man. You've lacked in self confidence. And proper self esteem.

27:24 Who beat you down as a kid. That you go around talking about. Without him you can do nothing. And this over scrupulous.

27:32 Conscience of yours. Where you're constantly saying. I sinned. And there's an internal grief.

27:38 Of heart over your sin. And you know what mourning is. You see it's so utterly. Diametrically opposed.

27:46 To how the world thinks. And functions. Jesus said. The world's going to see.

27:51 That kind of kingdom character. In all the subjects of the kingdom. And react to it. And that's why Paul could say.

27:59 In second Timothy three. In verse twelve. Yea all who would live godly in Christ Jesus. Shall suffer persecution.

28:05 But then. That raises a deeper question. Why. Why does the world react that way.

28:12 One of its own. That dance to its tune. That march to the beat of its drum. That was an utter worldling.

28:20 In its thought about. Such very practical things. As what's acceptable to go into my eyes. Into my ears.

28:29 On my back. What's acceptable to come out my mouth. The world has its standards. Its goals.

28:36 Its good. And its bad. And you and I were part of that. And Christ by his mighty power.

28:44 Delivered us out of this world. Into his kingdom. We begin to live the kingdom life. On that narrow compressed.

28:51 And difficult way. And the world cannot help but see it. And it reacts to it. And its reaction most times.

28:58 Is negative why. The answer is given in John three. In verse nineteen. Jesus said there's a parallel.

29:06 Between the world's reaction to him. And its reaction to his people. We saw that in John. Chapter fifteen.

29:13 And again in John seventeen. They hated me. They'll hate you. What lies beneath that negative reaction.

29:22 Here's the answer. Verse nineteen. This is the judgment. John three nineteen.

29:29 Light is come into the world. And men loved the darkness. Rather than the light. For their works were evil.

29:37 For everyone that doeth evil. Hates the light. And comes not to the light. Lest his works should be reproved.

29:46 But he that does the truth. Continually comes to the light. That his works may be made manifest. That they have been wrought in God.

29:56 This is the judgment. Light is come into the world. In the person of our Lord Jesus. Light is come.

30:04 But men are like moles. That love to scurry. In the dark corners of their cave. They don't light the light.

30:12 And so what do they do? They refuse to come to the light. And if the light. In some way.

30:18 Gets toward them. And close enough to shine upon them. They try to smash the light. Because they don't want.

30:26 Their true condition. To be exposed for what it is. Now that's why. That's why.

30:36 There is this pressure. From a godless world. When people are truly converted. And come through the narrow gate.

30:46 And are found upon that compressed way. Of kingdom lifestyle. That their non-worldliness. Is light.

30:56 That shines upon the worldlings. All about them. And they hate the light. They will not come to the light.

31:03 Lest their deeds should be reproved. Listen to the comments. Of Dr. Donald Carson.

31:16 The world. The cosmos. As commonly in John. Refers to the created moral order.

31:24 In active rebellion against God. And the ultimate reason. For the world's hatred of Jesus. Is that he testifies.

31:32 That its deeds are evil. John 7 7. Christ's followers will be hated. By the same world.

31:38 Partly because they are associated. With the one who is supremely hated. And partly because. As they increase.

31:47 In the intimacy. Love. Obedience. And fruitfulness.

31:51 Depicted. In the preceding verses. John 13 and verse 16. 15 16.

31:57 They will have the same effect on the world. As their master. They too will appear alien. The world loves its own.

32:06 This is not a sociological remark. About inborn suspicion of strangers. But a moral condemnation. The world is a society of rebels.

32:17 And therefore it finds it hard. To tolerate those. Who are in joyful allegiance. To the king.

32:23 To whom all loyalty is due. Christians do not belong to the world. Not because they've never belonged. But because Jesus says.

32:33 I've chosen you. Out of the world. Formal rebels. Who have by the grace of the king.

32:40 Been won back. To loving allegiance. To their rightful monarch. Are not likely to prove popular.

32:46 With those who still persist. In rebellion. That's it. You've left our ranks.

32:57 You've abandoned us. And now you live like an alien. It's obvious that everything. That affects your life.

33:06 Comes from a source. That is utterly foreign to us. What is our identity. My dear brothers and sisters.

Our Alien Identity: Not of This World (Ephesians 2, 1 Peter 2)

33:15 We are not. Of this world. And we must think of ourselves. In that category.

33:26 Clearly defined. By our Lord Jesus. Now hear me carefully. This is not only difficult.

33:35 Because none of us likes. To be hated. None of us likes. To be different.

33:41 And feel the fissure. In human relationships. But follow me closely. There is a broad in our day.

33:50 And it's rife. In warm circles. That the way to win the world. Is to be as much like it.

33:59 As you can accept. In its grosser forms of immorality. In its grosser forms of sinful speech. In its grosser forms of aberrant behavior.

34:13 If you're going to win the world. Come among the world. And make them feel utterly comfortable with you. So when they talk about.

34:21 The latest movie. You can talk about the latest movie. When they talk about the latest pop star. You can talk about the latest pop star.

34:30 When they talk about this. When they talk about that. When they come with styles. That are immoral.

34:37 And indecent. And utterly foreign. To Christian modesty. Don't worry about it.

34:44 You don't want to be thought kooky. The worst thing is for the world. To think you kooky. In this world.

34:53 To accept in its grosser forms. Of immorality. Of its coarser speech. Of its more obvious aberrant behavior.

35:04 And when the world feels comfortable with you. Then you can sneak in some Jesus words. And the fundamental area to be different is your words. That is utterly antithetical to the teaching of the word of God.

35:19 My Bible says. Let your light. So shine that men may behold your good works. And glorify your Father which is in heaven.

35:31 My Bible says. Do all things without murmuring and disputing. That you may be sons of God without rebuke. Shining as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.

35:47 Among whom you are seen as luminaries in this world. My whole life. My style. Is to scream.

35:58 Is the way of death. I have been brought. Into the way of life. Now does that mean we're to go back.

36:08 And I should get myself a dusted wig like a Puritan. If so my wife would be greatly disturbed with me. She finds it hard to read the sermons of men with wigs. Does that mean that I should go back to styles of clothing.

36:24 That would mark me as some kind of a kook. Of course not. Don't take what I say. And drive it to absurdity.

36:33 In order to get rid of it. I'm quoting my Bible folks. And we're dealing with what Jesus said. They are not of this world in such a way.

36:44 That the world can't miss it. The world can't ignore it. And the world reacts to it. Are you that different?

37:02 We will be. In this is a culture that oozes. With lies. Half truths.

37:11 Discourtesy. Immodesty. Mindless obsession. With the trite.

37:18 The tawdry. The irreverent talk shows and sitcoms. That laughs at David Letterman and Jay Leno. With their off-colored jokes.

37:29 And with their political satire that is disrespectful. A society binning itself into deafness. With its obsession. With all forms of pop music.

37:40 That is addicted to the new age guru called Oprah. In that setting my brothers and sisters. We are called to be not of this world. To be so utterly different.

38:02 Back to these things. That are the streams at which poor worldlings try to find some meaning to life. Everything about us says. We have springs.

38:20 At another source. Who am I? I am one who once was. Of this world.

38:29 Read Ephesians 2. You hath he made alive. Who were dead in trespasses and sins. Wherein you once walked.

38:36 I was a walking dead man. I once walked. According to what? According.

38:42 To the course of this age. According to the prince of the power of the air. That now is working among the sons of disobedience. And I was fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.

38:56 And was by nature a child of wrath. Even as the rest. That's what I was. I was the world.

39:07 But God. Who is rich in mercy. For his great love wherewith he loved us. Has quickened us together with Christ.

39:14 I am now united to Christ. I am no longer of the world. I am of the kingdom. I am committed to a kingdom lifestyle.

39:24 I am committed to make it evident. That I am no longer. Of this world. That's what my identity is.

39:34 And dear brothers and sisters. If you're serious. About this life. Of increasing nonconformity to.

39:42 And separation from the world. Then you and I together must constantly remind ourselves. Of our true identity. As disciples of the Lord Jesus.

39:55 That's the first major collection of text. I want you to look with me. At a second one. First Peter chapter 2.

40:01 And this is just a sampling. To tweak your minds. To begin to think. In this perspective.

40:10 First Peter chapter 2. Beginning in verse 11. Peter begins a new series of exhortations. To these suffering saints in Asia Minor.

40:26 Notice what he does. Beloved. Verse 11. I beseech you.

40:33 As sojourners. And pilgrims. To abstain from fleshly lusts. Which war against the soul.

40:43 Having your behavior. Seemly. Having your behavior. Beautiful.

40:48 Having your behavior. That is. Calmly. Worthy.

40:54 Having your behavior. Seemly. Among the Gentiles. That wherein they speak against you.

41:01 As evil doers. They may by your good works. Which they behold. Glorify God in the day of visitation.

41:09 What is Peter doing? He is about to give an exhortation to these Christians. To abstain. To keep aloof from.

41:18 Fleshly lusts. Parallel to Titus chapter 2. Worldly lusts. Fleshly lusts.

41:24 Which war against the soul. That would weaken the soul. That would weaken our grasp upon spiritual realities. Communion with God.

41:34 These fleshly lusts. War against the soul. With the end in view. That our behavior.

41:39 Would be beautiful. Our behavior. Would be becoming. What we say we are.

41:46 Among the Gentiles. That though they speak against us. As evil doers. They show that hatred.

41:52 Nonetheless. When God in mercy should visit them. They will glorify God and say. Now I know.

41:58 Why John lived that way. Know what it is. That caused Mary to act the way she acted. Bless you God.

42:06 Bless you God. I've seen the power of that gospel. That I'm now embracing. In the day of gracious visitation.

42:14 They glorify God. Because they saw the real. In those who were delivered. Out of this present evil world.

42:22 And were separated unto God. But now how does he begin his exhortation. He says remember who you are. Beloved I beseech you.

42:31 As sojourners. And pilgrims. The word for sojourner. Translated in some other.

42:38 Version strangers. It's those who dwell alongside the citizens. And the sojourner. The exile.

42:47 That's the person who's only dwelling somewhere. For a short period of time. And so Peter says. Now look.

42:54 You believers. Remember your identity. Living amongst the Gentiles. Living amongst the heathen.

43:02 Who scrutinize you. And they see you live a different kind of life. And they speak against you. As though your lifestyle is evil.

43:13 They call good evil. And they call evil good. As the prophet Isaiah says. He says remember this.

43:21 And live out your life. Conscious of your identity. You don't have your citizenship. In this world anymore.

43:30 This is not your place. Your citizenship. Your citizenship is in heaven. Philippians chapter 3.

43:39 Your citizenship is in the realm of the kingdom. That has broken into your life. The kingdom. That will be manifested in its full glory.

43:48 At the return of Christ. And when he glorifies his saints. And ushers in the new heavens. And the new earth.

43:55 Where in dwells righteousness. Then you'll be home. But now. You're just dwelling alongside the worldlings.

44:02 Jesus said. I pray not. To take them out of the world. But keep them from the evil that's in the world.

44:08 So he says. Remember your identity. This is who you are. Don't think.

44:14 And don't live. As though this world. Is your resting place. Remember.

44:20 You are just passing through. You are sojourners. You are not house builders in this world. For a while.

44:34 But home is. Remember who you are. Remember who you are. And remember.

44:42 Your identity This life. And your let. aron. Andunci.

44:48 Or hands. We are just. Underscoring this whole matter. Of our identity.

44:52 What is our! Identity. This is our identity. Strangers.

44:56 And sojourners. This world. Is not. Our home.

45:00 Listen to what one commentator says on this passage? The meaning seems plainly to be this. Let your course of life be so clearly and in all respects good! Good in all those relations which I'm about to set forth in the relationships of a sense which I am about to specify, that even in matters in regard to your heathen neighbors do now readily and grossly misconceive and misrepresent you, they may at last be won to the knowledge of their error and to report that God is in you of a truth and glorify Him as the giver of such grace to men, glorify Him by their own humble confession of sin and thankful acceptance of His mercy.

45:38 I can scarcely doubt, as Peter wrote the words, his mind reverted to the memorable scene on the mountain's brow when standing near his Lord, he heard from his lips, You are the light of the world. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Remember your identity. Remember who you are.

46:04 I am not of this world. I am not of this world. It has no right to tell me what modesty is. It has no right to tell me what innocent entertainment is.

46:17 It has no right to tell me what my view should be of money and of things. It has no right to dictate anything. My King of grace has brought me under His gracious rule and government and He told His apostles to go out and make decisions. and teach them whatsoever He has commanded to observe.

Old Testament Precedent: Israel's Distinct Identity (Leviticus 18)

46:47 So that in everything it is the will of my King, which brings me to the third passage, all under this heading of, if you're serious about becoming less and less worldly-minded, remember your identity. Turn to Leviticus, please.

47:07 In my regular Old Testament reading, some of you know this, I try to read through the Old Testament, once every two years, the New Testament once a year, in my own devotions. I came into Leviticus, and I said, Lord, I know every word is just as much as inspired here as in Ephesians, but it's rough going. All the details of the sacrificial system, how the offerings were to be presented, how the priests were to be dressed, and what they were to do, and what they were not to do, and then all of these directives that touch the principle, the personal life, the sexual habits, the social life of the people of God. And I said, Lord, please, please, help me to see like I've never seen before. What's all this about? And I came to chapter 18. Like the Lord said, Son, this is what you asked for, and now I'm going to tell you.

48:04 Leviticus 18. The Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say to them, I am the Lord your God, after the doings of the Lord, after the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein you dwelt, you shall not do. And after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, you shall not do. Neither shall you walk in their statutes, my ordinances shall you do, my statutes you shall keep to walk therein.

48:35 I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live in them. The Lord have I given you, shall stand in them, and shall walk in them. I Yuan bowls at the temple of Jericho.

48:55 A young man asketh God which of His lords shall He make her? And I say, Whoыхacles o Port Aziel? And they said to Him, The Lord my God, which is therein,

49:12 be with Him, which is in Iover, I'm giving you all these directions that touch every single facet of your life. Your religious life, your personal life, your social life. Everywhere an Israelite turned, God had a statue. God had a law.

49:34 God had a rule. A guy is looking in the mirror and he wants to clip his beard and he hears God says, You shall not cut the corners of your beard. Oh, wait a minute, God, I like a rounded beard. You're an Israelite.

49:49 You're not a Canaanite. You're not an Egyptian. Even the cut of your beard is to display that you are mine. That's what God was saying.

50:00 They made cuttings in their flesh. God says, No cuttings in your flesh. No body markings. Why?

50:07 That's what the pagans did. Now am I...

50:10 See, somebody will go out here and say, Pastor Martin said you can't cut the... Please, don't do that.

50:15 Please don't do that. I'm not saying that. I'm telling you what God was doing in this period where he's training his people by all these specific laws that are now all swallowed up in Jesus Christ. But you see what God was saying?

50:31 You're Israelite. Redeemed by my grace. I am your God. You are my people.

50:38 And every lesson of your life, you are to remember your identity. You're not an Egyptian. You're not a Canaanite. You're an Israelite.

50:49 And that lays upon you solemn responsibilities. That every facet of your life reflect that you embrace my way as your God. And that you find delight and life in the way of obedience to all of my statutes.

51:12 Remember Daniel? He's just a teenager. And he's taken out of Israel into Babylon. They give him a Babylonian name.

51:20 Rooted... In the name of a Babylonian God.

51:24 They teach him the language of Babylon. They teach him the history of Babylon. He is surrounded with the culture of Babylon. But he remains an Israelite.

51:35 Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself. He was an Israelite through and through in the midst of Babylon.

51:48 That's what you and I are called to be. They are not of this world. This world...

51:54 This world is pictured in the book of Revelation when slated for judgment as Babylon. We're not Babylon. We are...

52:03 We belong... And every...

52:13 Do all to the glory of God. And how can you do it to the glory of God if it's not done consistent with the statutes and laws and precepts of God? It is not our identity. Kingdom principles.

52:38 Kingdom law.

52:41 Govern the totality of our lives. Therefore, if you and I would be...

52:47 Increasingly marked by non-conformity to and separation from this world, we must constantly remind ourselves of our true identity. Our true identity. This world has no right to tell us how to dance and to what tune we should dance, how to march and to what tune we should march, as subjects...

53:20 Objects of the kingdom. We cry to the King that He would instruct us in the ways that please Him in every single facet of our lives without exception. The Apostle says in Ephesians 5, Do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Don't be fools.

Cultural Osmosis and Critical Discernment: The Example of Movies

53:52 Don't be unwise. Understand what the will of the Lord is. And don't assume that what you've inherited and absorbed by a kind of cultural osmosis as what is fitting for a child of God is necessarily fitting when you uncritically have absorbed it, never examined it. Let me just give you one very clear example of this.

54:23 And I'm old enough to have seen it. And I'm old enough to have seen it. And I'm old enough to have seen it. And I'm old enough to have seen it.

54:25 When I grew up in my evangelical circles, we're talking back in the 50s, one of the things that evangelicals saw clearly was that for the most part, the stuff that came out of Hollywood was not fit for a child of God to watch. We're talking about in the 50s.

54:48 Therefore, wrongly so, but therefore, it became a specific item in which going to the motion picture thing, theater, and paying your couple of bucks or whatever it cost back then, that was worldliness and no evangelical Christian who wanted to maintain any semblance of respectability in his profession would be caught dead going to a motion picture theater in town and plunking out his money. It would be like walking into a whorehouse or into a bar. They were equal. Cinema, whorehouse, and bar.

55:23 No Christian visits them. Okay? Now, behind that. Behind that.

55:30 There was an element of truth that what was coming out of Hollywood even then. Hollywood isn't out to produce godliness. Holiness isn't out to produce what Paul describes as whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are virtuous, whatsoever things are pure.

55:54 And evangelicals saw that. But it's been very interesting. Now that what was there in the theater in the 50s, and you had to pay to get it, you can get it blockbuster, or you can get it in the mail and nobody even sees you walk into the video store. Evangelicals by the millions watch without any critical discernment, and not just the so-called more innocent films of the 50s, but they watch the modern stuff where the standards have eroded, and they do it with no qualms of conscience.

56:31 That's a fact, folks. That's a plain fact. And some of you are living proofs of that fact.

56:44 Now why do I give that example? See, you're out pounding the movies. Because I want to get concrete enough to get inside your conscience to begin to be reflective on these issues. A willingness to think through this matter of worldliness, and the recognition that the world is not neutral in its efforts to squeeze me into its mold.

57:10 And it has no right to do it, because my identity is one who by Christ's sovereign grace has not only been freely chosen unto life and salvation, but chosen out of this world, who is a stranger, an exile, living in foreign territory, but whose laws that govern him are his homeland, not the land in which he happens to pitch his tent, but the homeland, to which he's heading, where he'll be forever with his gracious sovereign king of grace, even the Lord Jesus. So my first word of counsel to those of you serious about this issue is you must constantly remind yourself of your true identity as a disciple of Christ. Number two, we'll have to wait for next week. You must commit yourself and jealously maintain a consistent, modern, serious Bible reading and meditation. And we're going to go back and revisit Romans 12 and Psalm 1.

58:19 But have I made any sense at all? Have you seen the issue, folks? And here's where we need to be a help to one another, and challenge one another. When one of us unthinkingly spews out something that indicates we haven't thought it through, let's do what the Bible says, exhort one another, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

58:42 And let's have a sense of responsibility. Oh, you say, but Christian liberty. Christian liberty doesn't mean I let my brother sin in ignorance and don't open my mouth. Christian liberty means I don't judge a man who's engaging in something for which the Bible has no legitimate or inferential directive that says it's off the charts.

59:02 But Christian liberty never means I'm free to sin or I'm free to be molded by the world. That's not Christian liberty. Christ has died to take me out of this present. This present evil world, not to send me back into it waving a flag called Christian liberty.

Conclusion: A Call to Prayer for Purity and Impact

59:18 And I hope God will help us to think through these issues and encourage one another that we might more and more be marked as those who are indeed not of this world. And then our impact upon this world will be far more profound and far more effective to the glory of God. Let's pray. Our Father, how we pray that you would take your word, and write it upon all of our hearts.

59:52 We ask that you would come by the power of your Holy Spirit, sweep through this congregation, purging away all of the worldliness that impedes our witness and keeps us from being those lights shining in the midst of darkness. Oh, Lord, rub off the stains of our worldliness, we pray, and cause us. That others shine brightly, that others may see there is a life to be lived in joy and peace, and in the power of the Holy Spirit that does not need to go to the fountains of this world for any satisfaction. Seal then your word to our hearts. We ask for your praise and for our good. Amen.