I sat with a local pastor this morning, a real brother in the Lord. This guy gets it. He's on the journey, a real teacher to me. I am looking forward to years of trench work with him.

In our conversation, we crossed some ground where the treading is tricky. We were talking about how we're supposed to be "in the world" but not "of the world". How God calls us to "come out from among them", and how we're to walk that out.

My answer to him was, "right next to them", "right in front of them", "among them".
We are to walk out holiness boldly, in the darkness, shining as lights. We are to be salt, causing change, bringing grace. We are to be peacemakers, IN the war. You can't be a peace "maker" without conflict to "make" it out of. Otherwise, you're not a "maker". You are a talker, a maintainer, a... not a doer of the law, but a judge of it...

Here's a scripture:
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1 Corinthians 5:9-11 (New American Standard Bible)

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation


9I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;

10I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.

11But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one.
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We are to separate from someone, alright. But not from the people of the world who don't know God. They're following a very understandable course. They are dead in sin, and sinning is their nature, so far. But someone who is a believer is held to a very strict standard. We are supposed to follow this standard in our brotherhood with each other. We are to call out people who are fake, using religion to cover their darkness. We are to separate from false brethren. This is a thing that will show the world, looking on, what it means to be a christian.

It is tolerable for a person in darkness to stumble, for those who reject the truth to follow lies. Not pleasant, not truly tolerable in an eternal sense--we pray and work that they be loosed from the devil's bondage--but it's at least understandable. They are treated with mercy, at a distance.

But for a person to tread Christ underfoot, using religion as a cover, claiming to follow Christ, yet willfully, persistently indulging in sin, rejecting the help of the Spirit, Word and Body... this is unacceptable and will be met with Truth in Love, resulting in separation.

Now, if it's a person that's caught in a sin, but truly desiring freedom, and willing to pay the price of walking out repentance when they are offered the help of the Spirit, Word and Body, that's different.
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Galatians 6

1Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
2Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

3For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
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Restoration is the name of the game, but there are many who have no taste for the cross, who bewail their sins, not turning from them. To them, their sins are like golden, diamond studded chains. They bring bondage, but are "precious"... Gollum reference...

So, if there were a community of saints, walking this out in intensity, with the readiness to be active in this, as a Body, with the Spirit leading and teaching them to abide in Christ... That would be a very interesting group. They'd be thought of as strange, within present Christendom, I think.

There are so many more scriptures to look at for this. These two are insufficient for a deep articulation of these important relational dynamics in the Body. But the truth will strip us. And fill us, and bear us fruit... fruit that will last...

So hit the dirt... repent... become filled with the Spirit by believing this incredible Grace. Remember that those who restore others are referred to as "nothing" in that Gal.6 thing. We are his beloved children, but it is He who does all our works. Let's get broken hearted.