Saturday, July 23, 2011

WHEN IS DIVISION GOOD?: PART TEN

This series probably could go on forever, due to the fact that there are so many examples in the Bible of the division or separation of things being good. Just in the creation week alone, there are several examples: God divided the light from the darkness (Gen. 1:3-5); God made the firmament, and divided the waters (Gen. 1:6-8); God divided the land from the seas (Gen. 1:9-10); God created lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night (Gen. 1:14-18); God officially declared there is a division between what is good, and what is evil (Gen. 2:17); God separated Adam from his rib and made a wife for him (Gen. 2:20-23); and finally, it was God's will that a man should leave his father and his mother, and cleave unto his wife (Gen. 2:24).

A separation that was the ultimate in being anything but good, was due to Satan deceiving Adam by saying he was not like God, and that God did not want man to become like Him. The negative result was that Adam recognized he was now separated from God (compare Genesis 1:26 with Genesis 3:5-8). Adams decision to believe Satan rather than God was followed by another separation; God drove Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:23-24).

God told Noah to build an ark to separate him and his family from those He intended to destroy (Gen. 6:13-22). God told Abram to separate himself from his land and his family (Gen. 12:1-3). God separated Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:13-25). Etc., Etc., Etc.

More than six thousand generations later, believers await another "good division." We look forward to being separated from our corruptible, mortal bodies and to receiving our incorruptible, immortal bodies (1 Cor. 15:51-57). And at the time of Christ's return, there will be another division that is good. Believers will be separated from unbelievers. The Lord will separate the wheat from the tares (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-40), and the sheep from the goats (Matt. 25:31-46).

Yes, those of us who have trusted in the Father Who sent His Son to die for our sin (Jn. 3:16; Gal. 3:6), those of us who have trusted in the Son Who willingly took our sin upon Himself that we would not have to pay for them (Acts 16:31; Rom. 5:8), and those of us who have trusted in the direction of the Holy Spirit to live a life pleasing to God (Jn. 16:13; Gal. 5:16, 18, 22-25), will one day be separated from sorrow, death, pain, and sin (Rev. 21:4; 1 Jn. 3:2)! Now that is what I call the epitome of a good division! Praise God!

Unity is absolutely necessary for the winning of souls (Jn. 17:21-23), but unity must never be at the expense of compromising on the Word of God. The Apostle Paul wrote, “If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:9). We are to be one body, and a people set apart for God’s glory.

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