Biblical Separation

What in your POV is the best book on Biblical Separation? I have the Dividing Line, but have thought about purchasing one of the following books that may be more practical rather than historical.

Be Ye Holy

Set Apart

Set apart was written by a Conservative Evangelical and not a Fundamentalist, so am not sure how well he will communicate the subject. But the book looks to be good. The doctrine of separation is such a needed and unfortunately not touched very much in most churches (outside of Fundamentalist circles).

Thanks,

John

Discussion

I read part of the dividing line. It was interesting.

I can’t suggest any books, so my post may be useless to you.

I’ve seen those books, and if memory serves correctly (AND IT MAY NOT), those books take an extreme IFB view of separation. Personal separation over non-essentials, i.e. what genre of music you listen to, which is sin (note my comment on 1Co). The IFB uses chiefly around 3 verses that could easily be taken either way, such as the one speaking about a heretic after the first and second admonition. If I have the right verse in mind, the greek word for heretic there is only used once in the NT. It would be wise to look at other verses.

1Co talks about personal separation over a specific set of things. Fornication, drunkenness, etc.

The Bible often speaks about maintaining unity. You don’t break unity unless you have another command to do so.

So, tread with extreme caution.

~

If I’m wrong about those books, please correct me.

I agree that separating over Bible translations and music is foolish. This may be one reason why the Set Apart book may be the better buy, as its written by an evangelical and not a Fundamentalist.
[J Johnson] I read part of the dividing line. It was interesting.

I can’t suggest any books, so my post may be useless to you.

I’ve seen those books, and if memory serves correctly (AND IT MAY NOT), those books take an extreme IFB view of separation. Personal separation over non-essentials, i.e. what genre of music you listen to, which is sin (note my comment on 1Co). The IFB uses chiefly around 3 verses that could easily be taken either way, such as the one speaking about a heretic after the first and second admonition. If I have the right verse in mind, the greek word for heretic there is only used once in the NT. It would be wise to look at other verses.

1Co talks about personal separation over a specific set of things. Fornication, drunkenness, etc.

The Bible often speaks about maintaining unity. You don’t break unity unless you have another command to do so.

So, tread with extreme caution.

~

If I’m wrong about those books, please correct me.

Right on. Hopefully someone else can give you more relevant info.

The two books you mention aren’t talking about the same thing. I assume you are talking about Set Apart by Kent Hughes. I haven’t read it, but have read other things by Hughes. He has a lot of good things to say, but he is an evangelical as you say, so he isn’t addressing separation as such.

According to Amazon, Set Apart is about worldliness. It is certainly a worthy topic and Hughes’ take on it is probably worth reading.

But if you want to understand separation, you have to read what Fundamentalists say about it. So Dr. Moritz’ book would better serve you there. In addition, here is a list I recently sent to a correspondent:
Read Ernest Pickering’s Biblical Separation, available from Regular Baptist Press. Read David Beale’s In Pursuit of Purity available from Bob Jones University Press. Both men have other books that are well worth reading if you can find them. Also read Fred Moritz, Be Ye Holy and Contending for the Faith. Also Roland McCune, Promise Unfulfilled.
All of these books will address separation from a Fundamentalist perspective. One more to add to that list would be Ernest Pickering’s The Tragedy of Compromise.

Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

I have Promise Unfulfilled and David Beales book. But I want a book with a practical insight and not just a historical view.