Separation | THE BIBLE VIEW

The BIBLE VIEW #1046 —Separation

In This Issue:
There Are Accursed Things Among Us!
Do Not Yoke Up
Do You Really Want What It Has To Offer?

Volume: 1046 May 4, 2026
Theme: Separation

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There Are Accursed Things Among Us!
Bill Brinkworth

“Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.” Joshua 7:13

Joshua and the people of Israel had seen God’s hand in their victory over Jericho. All marveled at how that mighty fortress collapsed with God’s help (Joshua 6).

The leader’s further instruction to the people was to enter the flattened city and not spare any enemy lives (Josh. 6:17, 21). All were to be killed.

Israel was also strictly forbidden to take any of the riches of the city for themselves. All the treasures of the fallen city were to be given to Israel’s treasury.

As Israel’s army entered the city and did to it as they were commanded, one man could not resist the temptation of all the valuables he saw, and took some for himself. That man, Achan, took a Babylonian garment, silver, and some gold. He took it back to his tent and buried it. The thief thought no one knew, but God knew of his disobedience.

Later, when a small force of Israel’s army went to attack the nearby town of Ai, they were easily defeated. Joshua and the people were horrified over the defeat and the death of some of their soldiers. The thrashing from a weaker enemy led Joshua to believe that God’s hand was no longer with His people.

Joshua was grieved. He prayed, and God revealed that the defeat was due to one man’s disobedience (Josh. 8:13). Because of one man’s sin, all of Israel was guilty (Josh. 7:1, 11) of rebelling against what God had commanded them to do.

One man’s iniquity cost the lives of others. Israel’s testimony was tarnished, and God’s hand was no longer helping His people.

Later, with God’s help, Joshua discerned who was responsible (Joshua 8:17-19). Achan was revealed to be the culprit. He confessed, and what had not been put into Israel’s treasury was recovered. Because of the sin that cursed the people, Achan and his family were killed (Joshua 8:25). Many suffered greatly because of one man’s sin.

Today, that principle still applies. Others suffer great loss because of an individual’s sin.

Families are split up because of an adulterous parent’s sin. Friends who innocently ride along with a friend who commits a crime often see jail time as accomplices to the wrongdoing.

New laws rob many of their freedoms because of others’ wrongdoing. A family can get a bad reputation because of one misbehaving child. Whole communities have been looked down upon because of the belligerent attitudes of some. Sin’s tentacles often reach further than the one sinning.

In the account in Joshua 6-8, one individual’s sin affected all of Israel. Perhaps two million people suffered loss of God’s guidance and protection! It was not a “little” sin.

With Achan’s treachery in mind, and how it affected so many, imagine how the sins that are rampant today are harming nations. Although many are ignorant of God’s commandments, and many refuse to obey the ones they know, God has not changed.

What was sin in Joshua’s day and biblical days is still iniquity today. Sins that cost nations in the past are causing much suffering today.

God is aware of today’s national tolerance of sins such as abortion, sexual deviancies, acceptance of man-made religions, mockery of God and biblical morals, lessening punishments for crimes, reliance on government rather than God, attacks on Christianity, and scores of other “acceptable” behaviors. Although much of society tolerates current immoralities, God does not. He did not tolerate it with Achan, and He will not put up with it today.

Because of Achan’s transgression, Israel could not stand against a smaller, insignificant enemy. Today, we have small, terrorist cults creating great havoc to very powerful nations. Small minorities seem to hold the power to control vast majorities.

Common sense is dumped for philosophies that have failed countless times previously. Once great nations are now cowering under pressures from small groups of radical extremists.

Why all the chaos? Why is sin prevailing and righteousness failing?

As a nation was judged because of one man’s disobedience after the Battle of Jericho, so are some being judged today for sin. No one person or country gets away with wrongdoing.

There may be no thunderbolts being hurled from the heavens or earthquakes swallowing the sinning individuals, but unless sin is dealt with directly, God’s helping and protecting hand will be withdrawn from many. It is far past time we learn the lesson that Israel learned the hard way; that unless sin is judged, halted, and repented, many will suffer — even today!
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” II Chron. 7:14

“Oil and water do not mix; neither do the saved and the unsaved.”

Do Not Yoke Up!
Bill Brinkworth

One of the principles that will distinguish a strong Christian from a weak one, when practiced, is taught in II Corinthians 6. Not adhering to God’s teaching on this doctrine has ruined many Christian lives and testimonies. It is the number one robber of joy for a child of God. Paul taught that there should be a separation of a Christian from those who are not saved. (II Cor. 6:14-17).
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” II Corinthians 6:14

The double-negative “not unequally yoked” can be somewhat confusing to our modern vernacular, but it simply means “do not be yoked together with unbelievers”. The yoke spoken of here refers to the wooden implement that binds two farm animals together.

It was common for two oxen or mules to be joined together with that device so they could plow a field together. We are not going in the same direction as the world is going. We should not be plowing the same “field” as they.

We should not be yoked to unbelievers in marriage, business relationships, friendships, or other close relationships. When we are yoked together closely in such a relationship, we can end up going the wrong direction.

We are in the world, and we may naturally be in close contact with the unsaved. That happens and is a good opportunity to be a witness and an example to them, but getting into the position that we are going in their direction is what God is warning us against

A child of God is on the winning side. Why in the world would he want to go in the same direction as the losing side?

We have a Leader who will take us in the right direction. We should not be following those who do not know the way. We should be guiding others in the right direction, not following their wrong pathways through life.

The Bible says there are two spiritual sides in this life: God’s and the devil’s (also called Belial). What can we possibly have in common with an unbeliever’s thinking and goals?
“And what concord [agreement, union in opinions, sentiments, views or interests] hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” II Cor. 6:15-16

“The pull to have what the world temporarily has to offer has cost countless Christians their joy, testimony, and futures!” — Author Unknown

Do You Really Want What It Has To Offer?
J. Mason

If you love your soul, beware of what the world has to offer. It has slain millions.

What ruined Lot’s life? The world!
What ruined Haman? The world!
What ruined Judas? The world!
What ruined Demas? The world!

And you really believe you can survive what the world will give you unscathed?

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36

The BIBLE VIEW #1032

In This Issue:
The Old Suitcase
I Am a Soldier!

Volume: 1032 January 5, 2026
Theme: Standing Strong

The Old Suitcase
Bill Brinkworth

“Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.” Acts 11:14
“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:31
“And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.” Acts 16:34

To be better organized, I put all my Gospel magic in various cases. When I use the object lessons to preach or teach to children, I always lug cases with me.

One particular case is certainly well-worn, old, and the ugliest of them all. Because of its sentimental value, I cannot bring myself to throw out the 80-year-old, small, two-toned, brown leather suitcase. It reminds me well of who I used to be.

Growing up, I had a very godly grandmother. She was my mother’s mother, and she came to visit several times a year. Honestly, and shamefully, she was not my favorite of our two grandmothers. There was something different about her that made me uncomfortable. She was a Christian.

Shortly after her arrival, the little suitcase was opened, and she pulled out several copies of a Sunday school paper she had saved and gave them to me. She would then lug out her old, battered Bible. It would start on the nightstand next to her bed, but after her next morning’s devotions, it would be left on a table in the living room, where she read it and where its appearance haunted and troubled me.

Every time she came, her conversation turned to the things of God at least once. Perhaps it was to correct something I had done wrong, or maybe it was, “Did you read those Sunday school papers I gave you? What did you think?”

Her godly presence in our house often convicted me. Things were not comfortable when she was there, even if she did not say anything about the Bible or religion. I now know I was not saved then, and that her godly lifestyle made me feel bad and guilty. Her presence brought me under tremendous conviction much of the time, without her having to say anything.

As I got older and after I got the polite welcomes out of the way, I made an effort to stay out of the house as much as possible when she was visiting. I also developed an attitude toward her because of something my father said. He roughly remarked, more than once, that she was “forcing her religion down our throats.”

Good, Dad gave me another defense to keep me from having spiritual guilt; she was wrong, and she was forcing her way of thinking on me. Still, her presence made me uneasy. Things went back to “normal” when she and that brown, leather suitcase were out of the house.

All her remarks and advice she gave me somehow made it through the dark crevasses of my conscience, even though I tried to prevent them from invading it. For years, without even realizing it, I was influenced by her biblical teachings. I felt guilty when I sinned.

Her influence came to light at a particular Memorial Day parade years after she died. I remember sitting on the steps of my rented home in Yardley, Pennsylvania, watching the parade go by. I recalled all the successes I had already had in my young life; I was married; I had property; I owned a new truck; I had a young child.

Everything seemed to be going so well. Then, I remembered thinking, “Grandmom was wrong. I did get away with sin!” Her persistence in trying to teach me God’s way had, unknowingly to me, still stayed with me.

One year later to the day, everything had changed. Almost everything I boasted of the previous year was gone: house, marriage, and property. All gone! Then I realized, “Oh, no. I did not get away with anything. Grandmom was right! I didn’t get away with my sin.”

It was not long until I realized my way did not work. I was in desperate need of the right answers.

It was then that I started reading my Bible. In a short time, I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins. He did and saved my soul.

The old book that I used to run away from when grandmom came was now the source of the solution to my life’s problems. I could not wait to get home from work to read more from the same book I had previously avoided much of my life.

As I read and learned more, my thinking and life began to change. The sinful things I used to do lost their appeal, and one by one, dropped out of my life, or at least I worked on stopping them. Because, at that time, I was not in a good, Bible-believing church and was not around strong Christians, I did not know what was happening to me.

I thought of calling grandmom. Surely, she would like to know about the changes in my life, and how I was reading my Bible, but I did not. Six months went by, and I still had not called her. Then I got my mother’s telephone call. Grandmom had died and gone to Heaven.

With guilt in my heart, I went to the funeral. People at the funeral told how wonderfully my grandmom had served the Lord; how she had led many to the Lord, taught Sunday school for most of her life, had knocked on doors to invite people to church, and even visited her students.

It even turned out that after she led a person to the Lord, she wrote their name in a little book. People repeatedly requested to look into the little book. My grandmom had made quite a difference in many lives, including mine.

Then the preacher preached at the service. I had heard preaching much of my life, but his words were much different. I had never heard anything like it in my life: such truth, such power, so interesting!

Then he did an unusual thing. He said that my grandmother would want him to conclude her “going home service” with an invitation to invite anyone listening with an opportunity to be saved and have the same promise of Heaven she had.

After hearing the invitation, I finally realized what had happened to me; I had been saved. I learned right there at her funeral that I had done what God wanted me to do; I had trusted Christ as my Saviour. I was forgiven and not forgotten by God.

It has been over 55 years since that funeral. Grandmom’s in Heaven, and I have God’s promise that I, too, can go there and see her one day.

All that happened because my grandmom cared about my soul. She did not quit her godly influence, just because I was not interested at the time.

In the end, her perseverance, daily prayers, and efforts to get me to be obedient to God paid off. “Thanks, Grandmom, for not giving up.”

No, I do not think I will ever get rid of that old suitcase.

** I don’t think it is a coincidence that God moulded me into being a teacher and soul-winner just like my grandmother, and I have been a publisher of Sunday school papers, similar to the ones she gave me! Her faithfulness helped make me the Christian I am. I am glad she did not quit on me **

“Example is more forcible than precept. People look at me six days a week to see what I mean on the seventh.” — Cecil

I Am a Soldier!
Author Unknown

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” II Timothy 2:3

I am a soldier in the army of my God. The Lord Jesus Christ is my commanding officer. The Holy Bible is my code of conduct. Faith, prayer, and God’s Word are my weapons of warfare. I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity, and tested by fire.

I am a volunteer in this army, and I have enlisted for eternity. I will either retire at the rapture or die in this army, but I will not get out, sell out, be talked out, or be pushed out. I am faithful, reliable, capable, and dependable.

If my God needs me, I am there. If He needs me in the Sunday school to teach the children or work with the youth, if He needs me to work with the adults, He can use me because I am there.

I am a soldier! I am not a baby. I do not need to be pampered, petted, primed, pumped, picked up, or pepped up. I am a soldier!

No one has to call me, remind me, write me, visit me, entice me, or lure me. I am a soldier! I’m not a wimp.

I am in place, saluting my King, obeying His orders, praising His name, and building His kingdom. No one has to send me flowers, gifts, food, cards, candy, or give me handouts. I do not need to be cuddled, coddled, cradled, cared for, or catered to. I am committed. I cannot have my feelings hurt badly enough to turn me around, and I cannot be discouraged enough to cause me to quit.

When Jesus called me into this army, I had nothing. If I end up with nothing, I will still come out ahead. If I win, it will be because of my God, and He will continue to supply all my needs.

I am more than a conqueror. I will always triumph. I can do all things through Christ.

The devil cannot defeat me. People cannot disillusion me. Weather cannot weary me. Sickness cannot stop me. Battles cannot beat me. Money cannot buy me. Governments cannot silence me, and Hell cannot handle me. I am a soldier! Even death cannot destroy me.

When my commander calls me from His battlefield, He will promote me to captain and then allow me to rule with Him. I am a soldier in His army, and I am marching and claiming the victory.

I will not give up. I will not turn around. I am a soldier marching Heaven-bound. Here I stand! Will you stand with me?

“You have received Christ; persevere in receiving him. You have come to trust him; keep on trusting him. You hang about his neck as a poor, helpless sinner; remain hanging there. Abide in Him.” — Spurgeon

The BIBLE VIEW #867 — Separation

In This Issue:
Separate Yourself

Volume: 867 July 16, 2022
Theme: Separation

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Separate Yourself
Bill Brinkworth

An important biblical teaching is believers should be separated from sin and the ungodly activities of the world as much as possible.

It is taught throughout the Old Testament. God’s people, particularly Israel, were to keep their distance from the heathen, so they would not be exposed or tempted by the ungodly’s involvement in sin.

In the New Testament, early believers were also warned to remain as far as possible from the unfruitful, ungodly works of unrighteousness. God wanted His people nowhere near the grasp of harmful, contagious sin.
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Eph. 5:11

The Bible tells us much about living a separated, godly life:

From the beginning, God did some separating. God separated the unrighteous world from Noah and His family when He sent the flood. The ungodly perished.

In Old Testament times, God repeatedly warned His people to separate from the ungodly so they would not end up doing the sins the enemies of God were committing.
“Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.” Isaiah 52:11
“Flee out of the midst of Babylon [a sinful nation], and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.” Jer. 51:6 God was going to judge the sinful nation. He did not want His people to be included in the punishment that would be inflicted on the ungodly.
God says not to do the sinful or “close to appearing sinful” activities they do.
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” II Cor. 6:17
Our example, Christ, lived a separated life. We claim to be “Christ-like,” which is what “Christian” means, so we also should live a separated life.
“For such an high priest [Jesus] became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;” Heb. 7:26

A different way of living does not save anyone. “Not cursing, chewing, or hangin’ around with those that do” is a good practice, but it will not make one saved.

However, when one acknowledges one’s sin, realizes the price that will ultimately be paid for it, accepts Christ’s payment for one’s iniquity, and accepts Him as Saviour, that person is saved from the penalty of sin. That person will be changed on the inside, and changes on the outside should soon follow.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” II Cor. 5:17

This “new creature” should want to live the way the Lord wants him to live. The child’s Sunday school song reminds us, “The things I used to do, I don’t do them anymore.”

The “new” saved person will produce godly fruits (actions that are pleasing to the Lord), not because he has to do them to keep his salvation, but because his new “heart” will want to do them for the Lord. A saved person should desire to please his Saviour.
“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.” Eph. 5:8-12

The new-hearted Christian should realize that much of the way he used to live was not pleasing to the Lord. To please the Lord, he should want to separate himself from sin and its temptation.

For centuries, separation from sin and even the “… appearance of evil …” (I Thes. 5:22) were preached from most pulpits and practiced by most. Christians lived differently. They spoke, dressed, believed, acted, and thought differently. They were ashamed, as were their families, when they were involved in sin or even imitated the lifestyles of the unsaved.

This thinking and lifestyle are foreign to many of today’s Christians and are often ridiculed by them. One would be hard-pressed in most churches and Christian households to be able to tell any difference between “Christians” and the unsaved.

Some church leaders and believers spend more time excusing, justifying, and explaining their worldly thinking and lifestyles than remembering one of God’s most important commandments to His believers — to live holy.
“Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.” Lev. 20:7 Also: I Peter 1:16.

God has not changed since He had the words penned in Lev. 20:7. No matter how those around us are living and believing, a Christian is always to live as godly as he can.

We are on God’s winning side, and we are to live like it. We are not to live like the ungodly.

When a Christian lives the way God commands, the ungodly will separate from him. Godly living convicts the ungodly, and rather than change their way of living, they often will alienate themselves from the source of their “feeling guilty.” Many Christians that do not live a separated life never make any difference to those around them, as their lifestyle is not a godly example.
“Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.” Luke 6:22

The majority of Christians fail in the area of separation. Most often, they will not separate themselves from the things of this world and separate themselves unto God. They want the comfort of knowing they will go to Heaven, but their sincerity is lacking.

Most will not separate from the places they should not be. They also act, think, dress, and look like the ungodly. Their desire is to fit in like everyone else.

If the fad returns to have short skirts, many Christians will quickly be in the store to make sure they look like everyone else. When the fashion of long hair returns for men, they are the first to drive past the barbershop and find something to tie their hair back. Too often, Christians are more interested in fitting in with the world than they are fitting in with God and letting Him make them as holy as He can.

It would be more helpful for Christians if they had the attitude, “I’m a Christian. If the Bible shows me to do something, I will do it without question. If the world thinks I am peculiar, then that is their problem. As for me and my house, I will separate from the world and its many questionable behaviors. I will look, act, talk, and behave like the Bible says a Christian should.”

We should not strive to fit in and appear like everyone else. Remember when your mother said to you, “If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it?” We did not like her admonishment, but too many are doing that spiritually; we are doing what everyone around us is doing. Too many are following the world rather than leading the world by a Christ-like example.

The question or place of confusion for many is, “Well, what is it I should be separated from? What are the ungodly works of wickedness I am to keep away from?”

Reading the Bible will reveal the main source of what should be avoided — sin. There are more sins than those found in the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20). One man counted over 600 sins. One will not know what he should keep away from if he does not read the Bible and learn what they are.

“Well, many of the sins are for Old Testament times,” is often the retort. The Old Testament, particularly the Law, is the schoolmaster (Gal. 3:24) that teaches us what God likes and dislikes. Since God never changes, what was a sin to Him in those days, unless there is a retraction or permission given in the New Testament, is still iniquity today.

People feel more comfortable with a list of sins. However, because of man’s devices, dealings, and different times, sins change. A list of sins from Old Testament times would not always apply today.

Scales no longer have weights, so the sin of “false balances” would not be valid for most today. However, the principle behind that sin, cheating, and deceiving still can be applied today.

There were no guns in 1200 BC, but fatally killing someone with one today is still a sin. Murder has always been a sin, be it with a gun or a stone. Alcoholic beer is not mentioned in the Bible; however, drunkenness is to be avoided according to God’s Word.

Abortion also is not mentioned in the Bible, but the principle of not killing another and taking one’s life is forbidden by God. Many insist the dress codes and standards of the Old Testament are only for by-gone days, but the principle that honors the differences in the sexes as God created them has not changed.

Many justify sin and lack of separation with the excuse, “Today is different.” Sin is sin and always has been. The principles of what is iniquity needs to be learned from God’s Word and then applied.

Man’s lifestyles and possessions are constantly changing. A list of what not to do will never be accurate for more than several years.

It is the spirit of doing the right things that must be established, and then an attitude of discernment will hold true and guide one, no matter what changes in the world. It is the “spirit” of God’s law that needs to be the ruler to measure what is right and wrong, not just being on God’s list of sins (“the letter” of the law).
“Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” II Cor. 3:6

When one lives a life far from the edge of being “wrong” or sinful, they will seldom have to worry about “falling into sin.” I learned this from my first pastor after I was saved.

Pastor Fedena drew an imaginary line on the platform and walked along it. He said that many Christians do not want to live a separated life, yet they still want to have an appearance of being a Christian.

They are so close to sin that it takes very little to unbalance them spiritually. He illustrated this by stumbling off the line he was walking on and tripping down the platform’s steps.

“But,” he went on to illustrate, “Those that have learned the wisdom to stay away from anything that would tempt them or even give an appearance of their doing wrong, get far away from that ‘tolerable’ line.” He moved far away from the imaginary line separating right and wrong. As he continued, he pointed out, “As I get farther away from the questionable ‘gray’ area, you will see that I am getting closer to God.” That is what living far from the edge of right and wrong does; it protects us from being tempted and falling into sin.

He went back to the line of “what-one-can-get-away-with-and-still-not-be-involved-in-sin.” As the preacher tried to balance on the line again, he warned, “Those that live close to the edge of where they were before they were saved, and know what sin is, cannot lose their salvation when getting too close to their old lifestyle, but they can get involved in it. They may lose their testimony that may take a long time, if ever, to get back. Their witness as a godly example will be ruined.

“When referring to Christian hypocrites, those that got too close to the edge and fell into sin are usually referred to. It is much safer to get far from the tempting edge and closer to God. If it is questionable, give God the benefit of the doubt and stay away from its involvement.”

That is what separation is all about: separating oneself from anything that will make one fall and hurt the cause of Christ. That is why God wants us to separate from many things of this world and, of course, from sin.

God loves us and does not want His children hurt by sin or weakened by its temptation. Separate yourself from the world and unto God.

“If you’re a Christian, why would you want to act like, live like, look like, or even talk like the devil’s losing side?”