If one were to believe the talking
points of most conservative talk show pundits and the language
of many who call themselves gospel preachers, the conclusion could
be made that the country which we are blessed to dwell in is
a Christian nation. In fact, if a poll were made
of the citizens of this great nation, most would probably be
of that same opinion. The natural man loves religion,
and nothing is more common than those who claim the religion
of Christianity, who nonetheless despise the true gospel and the
precepts which Christ himself espoused. We are not surprised
nor alarmed at this, since this is simply the way of the flesh,
which delights in a religion which they believe can be chosen
by free will and embraced in various levels and degrees while
going about their lives as they please. The tares and the wheat
must grow together until the time of the harvest, when the
Lord Himself will manifest the wheat which is of His planting
and will separate it from the tares. The English word separated
appears 33 times in the King James Bible. The literal meaning
of these words, which are translated separated, is to set off by a
boundary, to exclude a point, to divide, to distinguish or
make a difference. When Paul speaks of being separated
under the gospel of God, he is pointing out that the Lord excluded
him from that tradition and people which he had formerly been associated
with. He is speaking of the fact that
the gospel and the Christ who called him out of darkness and
into the light has made him to be divided from other religious
pursuits. The Lord speaks of this separation
when He said, Think not that I am come to send peace on earth.
I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set
a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against
her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And
a man's foes shall be they of his own household. So there can
be no such thing as a Christian nation, because the Lord does
not call nations unto himself, but rather those whom he loves
out of every kindred, tribe, and tongue. The followers of
Christ cannot be aligned with, nor have fellowship with, any
who walk in darkness, regardless of their affiliation or familial
ties, nor can they have any king but him who is the King of kings
and the Lord of lords. There is but one brotherhood,
and that is founded upon Christ alone, and not shared external
religious preferences, however they may be defined. The brethren
are those who worship Christ in spirit and truth, in contrast
to those who are so in name only. Paul was not separated simply
because he desired to be peculiar, but rather he was separated by
the call of Jesus Christ, which he could have in no wise refused
or chosen not to follow. The Lord said that He calls His
own sheep by name and they follow Him. Paul was powerless before
this call by Him who separated him unto the gospel. His separation
took place according to the will and purpose of God and was accomplished
by His mighty power who knows them that are His and gives eternal
life to all who are given to Him. Every one of those whom
the Lord is pleased to call is separated by the same power that
laid Paul on the ground and struck him blind on the Damascus road. This separation did not take
place on the spur of the moment, nor did God decide to bring this
calling to Paul on the basis of any decision which Paul made. Rather, as he told the Galatians,
he was separated from his mother's womb, even from the very beginning. He was created to be a follower
of Christ in whom he was chosen before the foundation of the
world. Paul's separation was unto the gospel. There is but
one message which is at the heart of all which the people of God
rejoice in and believe. Paul described this gospel as
Jesus Christ and him crucified. He is the hope of his people.
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, that according
as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. The
confidence of those who are the called according to his purpose
is not in their ability to believe, nor in any form of effort on
their part, but rather it rests solely on that which Jesus Christ
has performed for them. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at 4the4 at windstream dot net.