This might seem like an easy question at first. In fact, I'm fairly certain most would quickly conclude the answer to Paul's question to be "none." But then, after considering the way we live, we would probably change our answer to "some." I'm afraid there's far too much agreement between the two, as proven by the way we too often appease our sinful nature and act like the world.

When Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees as working on behalf of Satan, he basically said the same thing, "every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand." (Mt 12:25b) In other words, there is absolutely no way, Satan is working for the good of anyone or anything except to benefit his own cause. Why then do we have such a hard time separating good from bad and Satan's work from God's work?

Separation is an ugly word in today's society. In fact, anyone using that politically incorrect term is guilty of intolerance to this "new" age. But God has told his people to be separate right from the beginning. Look at Genesis and you'll find God told Adam to avoid eating the fruit. You can be sure he wouldn't have been seduced if he and Eve had not willingly walked up to the tree of Life and stared at its fruit. Of course, sin would have poked it's ugly head up somewhere else, but separation is the first step of being holy.

If you want to be clean, avoid getting to close to anything that will get you dirty. That applies to people, places and events. The earliest pilgrims in America were called Separatists. Why? Because they avoided association with things that would lead them astray. The "Puritans," as they were also known maintained that separation was the key to staying pure and they were right.

The Puritans were largely responsible for creating this "one nation under God" that we today enjoy. It's not surprising then that our country now stands on the brink of self-negation. We've surrendered the values of our founding fathers and turned to embrace a more tolerant view of sin. The reversal of conservative Christian value in our nation, is nothing more than fruit of a wrong choice.

Holiness, a dirty word to some but to God the only way to approach Him. It's not perfection, but rather determination to choose wisely between what belongs to God and what the other "side" has to offer. Have you ever considered that this surrender might be the very reason many will not pray today? But not you, right?

1 Developed from Read the Bible Thru ( Ec. 4:1-6:12 2 Co. 6:14-7:7 Ps. 47:1-9 Pr. 22:16 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

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