Bible Question: Should we still live a life of separation from the world?

Bible Question:Many people today are so accepting of ways that once were considered to not be right for born again Christians. The way seems to be broader and broader. Should we still live a life of separation from the world? A person can justify almost anything in their mind and convince themselves that as long as they are not hurting anybody it is okay. But, if people really started asking themselves "If Jesus was here with me right now in person would I think this was okay?" I really think that many things would have a different perspective for them.

Bible Answer: There are two extremes that Christians can fall into when it comes to "living the Christian life." Both extremes are wrong.

First Extreme. The first error is making a list of "dos" and "cannots" that are not biblical. I once knew a pastor who strongly encouraged his church members to act as non-Christians in order to "be all things to all men in order to win some" (1 Cor. 9:22). He advocated going to bars and drinking with non-Christians, as well as other things. He often preached against "legalism." Some years later it became evident this pastor had a pattern of sin in his life. The pastor was "arguing" for his own life style. Yes, he was right - partly! God does tell us there are sins we must avoid, but

Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!" (which all refer to things destined to perish with the using) - in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. (NASB) Colossians 2:18-23

Second Extreme. The second major error is when Christians want to find liberty in the pages of scripture that gives them freedom to do whatever they want. Ironically, the pastor mentioned above appeared to be seeking freedom for his own life style. This was not unusual even when Moses was alive. Listen to Moses.

You shall not at all do as we are doing here today - every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes (NASB) Deuteronomy 12:8

This trend is more and more true among Christians today. This should not be a surprise us since God warned us that this would happen.

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these. (NASB) 2 Timothy 3:1-5

And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them; and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (NASB) 2 Timothy 3:12-15

Conclusion:God calls us to live a holy life. This does not mean a life of separation from the people of the world (1 Cor. 5:10) but it does mean being salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16). Christians are becoming more and more like the world because we like what we see in the world. It has been said the world's morals are slipping year after year and the church is only a few years behind. Where are you? We must be careful to avoid extremes, but not the principles of holiness. God desires that we live a holy life in this world. He calls us to be salt and light.