STATEMENT 4

BIBLICAL SEPARATION

The doctrine of separation from sin unto God is a fundamental principle of the Bible, one grievously ignored in the church today.
This doctrine arises out of the holiness of God, both the purity and righteousness of God (Luke 1:75) are involved. "Be ye holy, for I am holy," (I Peter 1:16, 3:11; Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 6:3; II Corinthians 7:1).

The Bible does speak of co-operation ("be of one mind," "that they all may be one", "labourers together," "keep the unity of the Spirit," "Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord," also I Corinthians 12:25). However, Bible co-operation is based upon truth. It involves the united effort of God's people. This is not a co-operation born of a spirit of undiscerning pluralism, or that of seeking "truth" in all religions, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3)
We maintain that the entire economy of God, as revealed in all Scripture, is for a separation that is based on the holiness of God, that produces purity in all life, personal and ecclesiastical.

The ICCC Constitution declares in its Preamble: "The commands of God to His people to separate from all unbelief and corruption are clear and positive; (the ICCC is an agency established) without compromise of evasion, unreservedly dedicated as a witness to "the faith once delivered unto the saints."

Article V of our Constitution further states: "The Council assures those individuals and congregations still in World Council relationship, but who, nevertheless, show interest in the testimony of this Council, that this Council appreciates their interest, cordially invites their presence as observers at World Congresses and hopes that they soon will be in such ecclesiastical relationship as will allow them to enter into membership in this Council."

Therefore, in loyalty to the revealed Word, we, as an organized portion of the people of God, are obliged to oppose all forms of Modernism, cultism, Romanism and New Evangelicalism. Dialogue with false religions is impious, unbiblical, treasonous and unfaithful to a holy God, as He revealed Himself to us in His infallible, inerrant Word. We are opposed to all efforts of the New Evangelicals and any others to obscure or wipe out the clear line of separation between these absolutes: truth and error, light and darkness. (See Jeremiah 5:20; II Corinthians 6:14-18).

Biblical separation is a clear command to "be…not unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (II Corinthians 6:14). It is a part of a great body of Scriptures on this topic. See Matthew 6:24; Romans 16:17; Galatians 1; Ephesians 5:11; II Thessalonians 3:6; II Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 3:10; II Peter 2::1-3, I John 4:1-3, II John 7:11; Jude 3:20-24; and Revelation 18:4.
We reach out to those who are part of any human system which involves compromise with error, and who thus ought to "come out from among them" (2 Cor 6:17), separate themselves unto the "Father…the Lord Almighty" (II Corinthains 6:18), thus "cleansing themselves" and "perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (II Corinthians 7:1).

We, the ICCC meeting in our 17th World Congress in Korea, June 8 - 14, 2005 call upon God's people to be clean and separate and call all of God's people to be true to God's commands. "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you," and "This is love, that we walk after His commandments" (John 15:14, II John 6).

In view of the command to "touch not the unclean thing" (II Corinthians 6:17) and the application of that principle set forth in the Constitution, that no church can be both in the WCC and the ICCC at the same time, all of our ICCC churches and leaders should take care that in any corporate co-operation in their churches or joint enterprises they do not have on their committees those who are in the WCC or in the WCC affiliates. However, a cordial relationship should be maintained with all to the end that all may be consistent with the ICCC principles and that no confusion in the witness be manifested. The fine lines of separations extend from the top to the bottom of our Christian witness in all of our countries and churches.
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