Separate And Not Equal

Heavenly Father, I come before your throne of grace, in the only way I know how, with my head bowed, and heart humbled, to say thank you.  Father God, I thank you for waking me up this morning.  I thank you Father, for protecting my home, while I slept.  I thank you Father for allowing me to wake up with my organs functioning and my bones intact.  I thank you Father for the eyes to see, ears to hear, and a tongue to give you praise.  Father these things that so many take for granted, I in the name of Jesus I thank you for them.  I pray Father, that all that I have, and all that I am blessed with, that the reader and doer of your word have also partaken of them.  I pray a blessing on their coming and going.  I pray a blessing on wherever they are.  I pray that the setting is pleasant for them to read your word.  I pray that their heart is tilled so that your word can be cultivated.  I pray oh God, that they are willing to walk with purpose, and with whatever you have ordained for them Father.  Oh God, I just pray for peace for them.  Father, we are nothing without you, and if we had 10,000 tongues, we could not praise you enough.  You are our very present help in a time of need.  You are our compass when we are lost, and we pray that we never fall out of your love and grace.  And Father, if you will grant another request, we petition oh God, that you forgive us of our sins.  Father, you are able to keep us from falling, and we pray that your Holy Spirit, rest, rule, and hover over our lives continuously.  This we pray in the matchless name of your Son Jesus.  Amen.

Some of you may have heard the term “Separate but equal” before.  Separate but equal was a legal doctrine in the United States Constitutional law that justified systems of segregation. Under this doctrine, services, facilities and public accommodations were allowed to be separated by race, on the condition that the quality of each group's public facilities were (supposedly) to remain equal. The phrase was derived from a Louisiana law of 1890.  However this proved to not be the case because in essence these facilities far differ in comparison, so it was indeed not equal.  Those who oppose that law used the Declaration of Independence as their defense which was written in 1776. The opening sentence reads “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

Now bear in mind, these were laws given to us by man.  Some are favorable and some are not, however, although we are to follow the laws of the land, there are instructions, that are of a divine nature that we must follow if we say we are children of God.  Amen!

The bible states “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” (Eph 4:17-19)  As children of God, there is a separation that is justified. Christ has set us free, and in doing so, we no longer think the same, speak the same, or act the same as we did before, or as some does now.  We are a new creation, old things have passed away, and all things have become new. (2 Cor 5:17)  There have to be a clear difference in who we are and who the children of the world are. 

What else is said in God’s word regarding separation? 

·        Matt 10:35-36 "For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law  "and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.”

·        Ja 4:4 “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

·        Eph 5:8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light”

·        2Th 3:6 “But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.”

You have four different verses, with four different scenarios that all point to one fact; Separation.  Make no mistake about it, God definitely sanctioned segregation but not because of race, gender, financial, status, or the other things that the world put between people, but by those who believe and those who do not.  The word “equal” means the same.  A child of God is not the same with a child of this world simply based on the fact that one acknowledges and believes in God and the other doesn’t or chooses not to adhere.  A child of God is not the same with a child of this world because the children of God will receive blessings from the Lord due to obedience, and the children of the world will not.  I believe the point is made.

Family, God wants a people who will worship him in faith.  He wants a people who are to be holy.  The word “holy” means to set apart.  What are we to set apart ourselves from?  This world has many people, with many aspects of life.  There is only one aspect of life that God is concerned with and that is faith in Him.  We have to be segregated from those who do not share in this aspect.  Those who do not share in this aspect are an enemy of God because most of them are concerned about the affairs of this world.  We are to separate, because there is no allegiance between righteousness and unrighteousness.  We are not equal to other children of creation because their choices do not bring blessings but curses.  We are not equal to them because we can speak on things that are not as though they were, in faith, while they speak on things as though they were in fear and in doubt.  We are completely opposite of them, so why should there be a need to fellowship?  Oil and water does not mix, just as saints and unbelievers don’t mix. 

Family, these words I am sharing may seem harsh, however I am repeating what our savior said clearly.  “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. "For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law';"and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.'  "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matt 10:34-37)  As harsh as it sounds, it is true.  Some of our friends, family, co workers, and neighbors will not believe in what we believe in.  Jesus is the prince of peace, but he is here to do His Father’s will.  There will be a separation.  What side will you be on?  Amen!