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The Bible teaches that a Christian is to separate from the world, from false teachers, and from disobedient brothers. New Evangelicalism is a philosophy in the church which promotes tolerance and love and speaks of separation in general terms, choosing not to name or denounce false teachers and false teaching. While we are to promote love and tolerance in the church, we are also to speak the truth in love. We are to warn against false teachers and denounce false teaching as the Lord Jesus did. While we are to be patient with young believers, we are not to compromise the fundamentals of the faith. We are always to point to Christ who shows us the way. --M.A. Swaim
Separation: A Call to Purity
Bible Separation
Biblical Separation (Bob Jones University)
Articles from International Testimony to an Infallible Bible
Our position regarding doctrinal error
"On all hands we hear cries for unity in this and unity in that; but in our mind the main need of this age is not compromise but conscientiousness. `First pure, then peaceable...' It is easy to cry, `A confederacy,' but that union that is not based on the truth of God is rather a conspiracy than a communion. Charity by all means: but honesty also. Love of course, but love to God as well as love to men, and love of truth as well as love of union. It is exceedingly difficult in these times to preserve one's fidelity before God and one's fraternity among men. Should not the former be preferred to the latter if both cannot be maintained? We think so." --C.H. Spurgeon
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"To seek unity with false prophets without challenging their errors leaves one's own beliefs open to questions. Those who defend heretics, even if they do not believe in their teachings, are guilty of lending credibility to their heresies, and will be held accountable to God for the souls that are destroyed as a result. It's up to those that know the truth to defend the church against false teachers whatever the cost to unity or to personal benefit." --Al Dager
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"From the Liberality which says that everybody is right; from the Charity which forbids to say that anybody is wrong; from the Peace which is bought at the expense of Truth; may the good Lord deliver us." --J.C. Ryle
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The following is an excerpt from "The Bond of the Covenant," preached Sunday morning, May 10, 1885 at the Met Tab in London. Spurgeon's criticisms of 19th-century modernism are also perfectly suited for 21st-century post-modernism:
This generation has made a god of its own. The effeminate deity of the modern school is no more the true God than Dagon or Baal. I know him not, neither do I reverence him. But Jehovah is the true God: he is the God of love, but he is also robed in justice; he is the God of forgiveness, but he is also the God of atonement; he is the God of heaven, but he is also the God who sends the wicked down to hell.
We, of course, are thought to be harsh, and narrow-minded, and bigoted: nevertheless, this God is our God for ever and ever. There has been no change in Jehovah. He has revealed himself more clearly in Christ Jesus; but he is the same God as in the Old Testament, and as such we worship him -- Charles Spurgeon
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Unity and Separation
Mark A. Swaim
07 05
In some countries, brethren are organized as a denomination. Other brethren have become very sectarian. But true brethren are non-denominational and non-sectarian. That is, they embrace the whole body of Christ, regardless of what system that brother or sister may be in, seeking to build up the body of Christ and find common ground for fellowship. In this sense, brethren are ecumenical. They will condemn denominationalism and sectarianism as divisive and will not hold these man-made systems to be representative of the body of Christ. However, while true brethren will seek common ground for fellowship, they do see in Scripture and practice in their manner of living, the doctrine of separation.
The Meaning of Unity
The Bible teaches that there is one, catholic (universal) church. The church is united in Christ, having a common salvation which is found in Christ; a common citizenship which is in heaven; a common hope which is Christ; a common spirit which dwells within each believer; a common fate which is likeness and conformity to Christ; a common interest to walk with Christ and to spread His name. (Matt. 28:19; 1:Cor. 2:2; Phil. 3:8-10; Rom. 5:2,5; Col. 1:5; Heb. 6:18-19). These things all believers share regardless of race, ethic or political background, class distinction and church affiliation. We are united together to the Head which is Christ.
The Meaning of Separation
However we are not to be united with the world. A believer is to separate from the world. We have nothing in common with the world. The world does not love Christ; it does not believe salvation is found in Him; many do not even believe in the need for salvation. It’s objective is to gain in power and prominence; it’s rule is to give in to the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life. To strive for unity is a great thing. But to find unity with the world is against the principles of Christ. We are not to love the world, neither the things that are in the world; for all that is in the word…is passing away(1 John 2:15-17).
There are many worldly Christians; they are babies in Christ. As babies are often self-centered, so a worldly Christian is self-centered, seeking pleasure for themselves, rather than pleasure for Christ. They prefer to receive than to give. As babies, they need to be fed the sincere milk of the Word which is able to make them wise, strong and mature (1 Peter 2:2). Worldly Christians need to be loved; but they need to be fed as well. If they refuse feeding, they can never grow. We are to be patient but firm and not allow worldly believers to stunt our spiritual progress nor the progress of the assembly.
We are not to be united with those who do not profess the doctrine of Christ. There are many who live under the banner of Christianity; and yet who do not acknowledge the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9). Whoever advances or goes beyond revealed truth, beyond the simple facts and moral teaching of the gospel…whoever professes to teach something more profound, teaching ‘new things’ not revealed before…supposed secrets from God; whoever teaches that God is doing something new have corrupted the doctrine of Christ. Thus we cannot be united with groups that deny the deity of Christ. We cannot be united with groups that deny the very fundamentals of the faith. And we cannot be united with groups that venture beyond the fundamentals, into supposedly new truth, revealed apart from and in addition to Holy Scripture.
We are not to be united with disobedient brethren. Believers represent Christ on Earth. We are ambassadors for Christ. We are to be lights, pointing the way to God. As such, we are to take a stand against those who will not obey the truth. Disobedience has been the cause of sin entering into the world. Adam and Eve disobeyed rather than submit to the will of God. So it is with many today. The effect of the gospel is to reverse the disobedience of men and bring them back into submission to God. As such it is not helpful to fellowship with brethren who have openly demonstrated their unwillingness to submit to the will of God. It is the will of God that men be saved. It is the will of God that believers identify with Christ through water baptism. It is the will of God that believers abide in Christ, read His Word, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is God’s will that believers fellowship in local gatherings and to submit to the authority of the Word of God. If brethren refuse to demonstrate a willingness or desire to submit to the Lordship of Christ, we are to separate from these believers. We do not separate to proclaim the disobedience of others. We separate as our duty to God.
The Practical Application
The Scriptures teach we are to be holy, set apart, separated unto Christ. It is not for us to judge the consciences of men. In Romans 14:3 Paul wrote, “Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.”
We are to strive to find common ground for fellowship. However, we are to separate from all individuals and systems who would require us to do what our consciences will not allow, or who would restrain us from doing what our consciences require.
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Fundamentalists affirm the foundational truths of the historic Christian Faith:
- The inerrancy of Scripture
- The doctrine of the Trinity
- The deity, incarnation, virgin birth of Jesus
- The substitutionary atonement of Jesus, meaning that Jesus’ crucifixion is a saving act because his death substitutes for our own deserving death
- The bodily resurrection of Jesus
- The imminent second coming of Christ
- The new birth through regeneration by the Holy Spirit
- The resurrection of the saints to life eternal and the resurrection of the ungodly to final judgment and eternal death
- The fellowship of the saints, who are the body of Christ.
Evangelicals have historically held this position as well. However, with the introduction of New Evangelicalism, it can no longer be said that all evangelicals affirm these beliefs. This is because within the New Evangelical movement, believers were not and are not encouraged to separate from ecclesiastical denials of these beliefs. As a result many evangelicals have allowed compromises of the faith and doctrinal error, leading to apostasy. Thus today we can speak of
- Conservative Evangelicals (Fundamentalism) who affirm the historic faith and separate from all ecclesiastical denial of that faith, compromise with error, and apostasy from the Truth.
- Evangelicals (New Evangelicalism) who affirm the historic faith but do not separate from ecclesiastical denials of that faith and instead, compromise with those in error.
- Neo-Evangelical who do not affirm all the fundamentals of the faith
What is Fundamentalism?
Biblical Fundamentalism (Calvary home Page)
Fundamentalism and New Evangelicalism
Biblical Fundamentalism (BibleBelievers.net)
Foundation Magazine
American Council of Christian Churches
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