Against the Tide

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 10
Do you sometimes feel, young person, as if you are standing alone in your classroom, in your home, among your friends? If you are one of God's dear children, saved by Jesus' precious blood, then you are walking on the narrow road. "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matt. 7:1414Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:14). You have chosen to be with the few, and this choice involves a life of separation unto God. But separation is not a popular topic, especially for young people who want to be a part of the crowd and who are under great pressure by their friends and loved ones to conform.
If our love for Christ is what it should be, separation will be for us a positive action, never negative. As we study the Bible, we find that Christians are to be separate from the world and from sin. As individual believers, we are IN the world, but we are not OF the world system. We have important decisions to make because of this. There will be times when we will have to decide NOT to go with the crowd, because there are some things we as God's people should not do. We may be tempted to listen to unwholesome talk, to smoke, to take drugs or strong drink, to go to places of entertainment not fit for a Christian, or to fellowship with a group that would not be helpful. But those who have been born again have nothing in common with unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:1414Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)). Christians are to be separated to Christ, "that they... should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again." 2 Cor. 5:1515And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:15).
We may often find it necessary to mix with unsaved people in the business realm, but we are never to mingle at the spiritual level. Scripture admonishes us that those who abide not in the doctrine of Christ are not to be received into our homes (2 John 1:10, 1110If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. (2 John 10‑11)). Many passages in the Bible warn us about those who are counterfeit Christians and false teachers, and we are not to have anything to do with them.
Separation unto Christ will give us no problem in our Christian lives if our heart attitude is right. We can sum it all up by quoting 1 John 5:33For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. (1 John 5:3): "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous."