"Since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" -1 Peter 1:16
Is it possible to be separate from the world and not be a separatist? I pose this question because over the last two years of being at seminary I have witnessed a large number of professing Christians indicating a desire to be insulated from the unbelieving culture. Furthermore, I have sensed in my own heart the subtle and surreptitious way in which the urge to be different or distinct from others has consumed me. Thus, I think it right to ask ourselves the question at what point is separation from the culture Biblical and intrinsic to God's command for us to be a holy people?
Before we go further, it is important to note that within Reformed communities, we often do not think of ourselves as having a proclivity towards separatism. Separatism is the problem of fundamentalism not Reformed Christianity or so we think. The reality is, however, that just as we can be guilty of a kind of Reformed Fundamentalism (Reformed people complaining to Reformed people about non-Reformed people), we can also be guilty of what I will call a Reformed Separatism (in actuality, there is nothing "Reformed" about it). For the sake of illustration but at the risk of caricature, let me mention two areas where such a phenomenon often occurs: homeschooling and Sabbitarianism.
Let me preface by saying that while these two things are not bad in themselves, they are bad by themselves. I would still consider myself a Sabbitarian (but, for those versed in such discussions, I'd be more of a Continental Sabbitarian when it comes to questions of casuistry) and I do see the value of homeschooling. However, when Reformed individuals propagate their view of how to observe the Sabbath and their belief in the primacy of homeschooling as essential then this is at best characteristic of a kind of theological factionalism.
But what about 1 Peter 1:16 quoting Leviticus 19:2? Isn't intrinsic to our status of believers this notion of our being set apart and distinct? The answer to this is a qualified yes. We are to be separate from the world but not so that we can form our own sheltered communities. In the ancient world, the word "holy" was a term often applied to instruments that had been placed aside for a special task or service. In much the same way, we are to be separate from the world precisely for the purpose of serving the world with the gospel of Christ. With this particular truth in mind, let me offer five simple ways in which I think we can keep our separateness from becoming a separatism.
1. Be evangelical.
This may seem to be an overused injunction in Evangelicalism, but we need to be reminded nonetheless. If your homeschooling or Sabbitarianism is keeping you from sharing the gospel to your neighbor, then it is an unbiblical separateness (ironically, Sabbath-keeping ought to be a sign to unbelievers of the believer's devotion to his covenant God). The purpose of Sabbath observance and the purpose of homeschooling is not to shield yourself or your kids from the things of this world, but the purpose is to equip you and your family to be witnesses to the world.
2. Believe in common grace.It is amazing to me how many Christians refuse to acknowledge the worth of books, film, art, and music that is produced by unbelievers. Naturally, participation in these things does require discernment. Yet the amount of believers that want to only read Christian literature, for example, is a bit alarming. This is nothing more than a tacit denial of common grace. As John Calvin said, "All truth is God's truth." Receive and respect the beauty and truth evident in even an unbeliever's contribution to culture. This is related to the first point because when we expose ourselves to these things we will be interacting with unbelievers which provides opportunities for evangelism.
3. Work together with those who disagree theologically.I began by writing "have tolerance for" and quickly changed it to "work together with" because it is not enough to simply have an abstract tolerance for those who are different theologically from us. We must strive for greater cooperation with those across the doctrinal divide. I am not espousing a kind of eccumenicism here. I am simply saying that we in the Reformed community should be more inclined to partner with other Christians within the bounds of orthodoxy. We have much more in common than we have in difference. And in an increasingly secularized world, that axiom is becoming even truer.
4. Engage sinners sinlessly.Modifying an Augustine quote in which speaking about God's decree he said, "God uses sin sinlessly," I am, much in the same way, encouraging us to mirror God in engaging sinners in a sinless way. In other words, we should seek to foster relationships with as many unbelievers as we can. The implication to this then is that we will go to where unbelievers are. Now, I recognize that there are certain places that a believer should never go, because even his mere presence would already constitute him as sinning. But what I am saying is that for those of us who spend most of our time surrounded by other Christians, we should make an effort to participate in activities where unbelievers will be. Go to a concert. Join a recreational league. Attend poetry readings. Live life and these opportunities will certainly appear. The necessary caveat to this point though is to do so in a way that does not undermine your holiness. Have a beer with an unbeliever but don't become intoxicated. Listen to his struggles with his boss but don't join in on his complaining. Being involved with the lost without sharing in their sin is the difference between cultural engagement and compromise.
5. Allow Scripture to draw the boundaries.The Bible is the standard for all Christians. When we venture beyond the Word to define what Christianity consists of, we venture into error and even heresy. And while we can blatantly add to Scripture by making an addendum to the gospel, we can also be guilty of add to God's revelation in a more subtle way. When we imply or suggest, however subtly, that our views of Sabbath-keeping and homeschooling are reflective of the most pristince and true form of Christianity, we are nothing less than self-righteous and Pharisaical.
