Be Ye Separate
By Larry Doyle Crenshaw
MeditationsInLight.blogspot.com
There appears to be an ever
deepening divide among the world’s inhabitants.
We see it in our own country, but also elsewhere. The division can be described in many ways –
the divide defined by light and darkness, good and bad, war and peace, love and
hate.
In recent years Churches and
their members have been called upon to “draw a line in the sand” as to where
they stand on many value-laden issues.
My own church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of
those leading the way in drawing such lines.
One of our Church leaders once
said, "The Church is pulling away from the world at a rate that would be
noticeable even if the world were standing still in its standards. But the
world is pulling away even from standards it once held. Thus the Church and the
world are parting company like two speeding cars going in opposite
directions." (Deposition
of a Disciple, Neal A. Maxwell, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1976, p. 63.)
There is an ancient prophecy that appears to
reflect the conditions of our day. "For
the time speedily cometh that the Lord God shall cause a great division among
the people…." (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 30:10) This separation is likewise discussed in the
Old Testament in Malichi 3:18 wherein it speaks of discerning “between the
righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him
not.”
This week’s meditation calls
out to us while also calling us out to “Be Ye Separate” as we become more guarded
and discerning of those with spiritually destructive and deadly motives. There is a time and place to reach out to
those who are not exactly like-minded – to befriend them – to agree to disagree
– and to maintain trusting friendships with those with whom our values coincide
but our creeds differ. However, there is
also a time to clearly discern the hearts and minds of others who have been,
are, and always will be bent on our ultimate destruction. We can and must unite with the first group and
fight the efforts of the second group when required.
“Be ye separate,” requires that
we know where we stand, and what we stand for.
It requires courage, commitment, and vigilance in the war that started
long ago. “7 And there was war in
heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought
and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in
heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the
Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the
earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation
12:7-9 And thus the war continues
here and now. Hence our charge,
Be ye separate from
the wicked
- A stern and
impassioned plea
For those spiritually conflicted
With laws designed to
keep us free.
Be Ye
Separate
And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow the
voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and be ye separate, and touch not their
unclean things; and behold, their names shall be blotted out, that the names of
the wicked shall not be numbered among the names of the righteous, that the
word of God may be fulfilled, which saith: The names of the wicked shall not be
mingled with the names of my people;
Book
of Mormon Alma 5:57
Be ye separate from the wicked
- A stern
and impassioned plea
For those spiritually conflicted
With laws designed to keep us free
Be ye separate, touch not the unclean
Nor the sinful, unworthy, and debased
Or risk being expunged - never to be seen
A name unnumbered, blotted and erased
Be ye separate and set apart
From worldly pursuits and pleasures
Spiritually strong of mind and heart
In pursuit of holy and eternal treasures
Seek the Good Shepherd and follow His ways
Be numbered among His faithful sheep
Obey Him and give Him glory and praise
And all His covenants keep
Be ye in
but not of the world
Seek a more exalted destination
Free from earth’s temporal whirl
Worthy of a heavenly habitation
Larry Doyle Crenshaw
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