According to scripture, who are we supposed to separate ourselves from?

Question

sinners or hypocrites?

Do you think this is what the majority of Christians are doing? Do they get out and try to evangelize the lost, or are we comfortable in our church fellowships and avoid the people who need the gospel?

In my Bible study last night, I came across this point and I found it fascinating. What are your thoughts on this.

Answer 1

Jesus spent much of his time with sinners and hypocrites.  I see nothing wrong with it.  

Answer 2

We are supposed to separate your self portrayal of being like the world. Even though your around sinners and you need to help them.   what I mean is that Christ himself would have been among the sinners teaching them and his is the Son of God. what we are suppose to do is try to help people come to God with out loosening our soul in the process, we do this by becoming more like God and less like the world giving the world an example in our daily lives and speech

This tells you how to become a Christian

John 9:31

Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

John3:5

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God .

Acts 2:36-38

36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost

EDIT: as before you need to teach these people but don't become to comfortable with these people there not serveing God but them self,   Christ did not have Sinners with him but kept company with his deciples, but he still taught the sinners of this world

Answer 3

As Jesus is quoted several times in John, we are in the world but no part of the world.

We live and work in the world. It requires earning money to provide for our families.  We do not make acquiring material things as our chief goal.  Nor do we promote or support this wicked system of things--government, military, political forces.

We have friends in the world and must obey Jesus' commands at Matthew 24:14 and 28:29-30 to preach and teach people in the world.  So we have daily contact with the world but do not allow ourselves to become wrapped up in it.  We must hold it at a distance, like something muddy.  We do not want the mud on us when God sees us.

______________________

Read on a few verses in 1Corinthians.  It tells true Christians to separate themselves from such people.  Not even eating with such a man.

Chapter 6  along about verse 5 goes on to say what some of them HAD BEEN but no longer were due to knowledge and acceptance of God's true worship.

Answer 4

We aren't to hang out with them. We are to give them the good news about Jesus Christ who saves us.

Christians aren't perfect, they are forgiven.  

Answer 5

When you study the bible you will see that God has a way that He wants things done. Away to pray, worship, serve Him, preach, teach others, meet together, study about Him, treat each other, show love even to our enemies, realize that His Kingdom with Jesus as King is the ONLY hope for man. When we understand that then we associate with those who believe the same to encourage each other. We separate ourselves from those who do not hold the same hope as we do.  This is not isolation because we still have the command to preach and love other by teaching them the bible truths. The bible has the answers not the clergy or others who do not rely on the Bibles teaching.

Answer 6

I like to think the world is made up of 5% Functional people, 95% Maggots.

Answer 7

Nowadays,preferably Muslims.  

Answer 8

I know we are supposed to get out of our comfort zone but it is hard to do that. I wish I had more courage. I guess I feel I might be a bad example.

Answer 9

True born again Christians are to separate themselves from the world - not physically, of course, considering that's impossible, not to mention that's not what the verse means.  It means to be separate from the world spiritually; not abiding by what the world does and says is 'ok'; to follow God and His word - not the world.  Even though we physically abide in the world, we are to be spiritually separate from the world; we're not to live our lives according to the world, but according to God's word.  Hope this helps.

1Jn 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.

Answer 10

It means don't do what they do, (1st Corinthians 15:33) evil communication corrupts good manners, just give them the gospel but don't be at their house daily fellowshipping with them as best of pals, because they love to have s*x before marriage, they love to get drunk, they love parties and all other kinds of evil that christian should not partake of, rather have Christian best Friends instead.

Answer 11

"Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word" (Acts 8:4).

Every believer has been called to preach God's Word, not just pastors of churches. When Christ gave the Great Commission to "preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15), it was clear that this could be accomplished only if every Christian would actually preach the gospel!

This was practiced first by the members of the church at Jerusalem. Then, when the believers were "all scattered abroad . . . except the apostles" (Acts 8:1), these "laymen" went everywhere preaching the Word. One of the "deacons" selected to relieve the apostles of the "business" affairs of the church was Philip, and he "went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them" (Acts 8:5), speaking to great crowds and winning many to Christ. Then shortly afterward, the Lord called him down to Gaza where he met an Ethiopian eunuch, and he "preached unto him Jesus" (Acts 8:35). This teaches plainly that one can preach to a large congregation, but he or she can also preach to one person. It is not the size of the congregation but the theme of the message that makes one a preacher of the Word!

Furthermore, it is not only by word of mouth that Christ is preached; Paul says that "the gospel . . . was preached to every creature [literally, `in every creation'] which is under heaven" (Colossians 1:23). "And how shall they hear without a preacher? . . . But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world" (Romans 10:14,18). One can preach verbally to a congregation or to an unseen audience through radio or in writing to a reader, and even a godly lifestyle can "preach" effectively (although not specifically) of the saving work of Christ. Even the heavens declare His glory, and every believer must preach the Word!

Born Again Christian