The second epistles insist on separation in a day of ruin.

Having established this fact, I can say that God certainly would like all those who belong to His people to walk together in practice, as one family. But He has also told us that when the Christian testimony becomes corrupted and ruin takes over, we should apply the further truth of the New Testament, which was given to us in the second epistles. These epistles speak of the ruin that would be introduced into the Christian profession and teach how the believer should act in relation to it. Someone who asks this question is reading his Bible without checking the second epistles.

There are two things that are made clear in each of the second epistles: first, the evidence of the abandonment of true Christianity in its doctrines and practices; second, the importance of the believer separating himself from error and corruption -- not only individually, but also collectively.

The second epistle to the Corinthians deals with a worldly movement among them, which was corrupting their doctrine and practice. The answer to this is: "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; and do not touch anything unclean, and I will receive you" (2 Cor. 6:17). The second epistle to the Thessalonians deals with a movement that had been introduced and denied the coming of the Lord and other eschatological (prophetic) events. The answer to this is "that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly, and not according to the tradition that he received from us" (2 Thess. 3:6).

The second epistle to Timothy deals with erroneous doctrinal teachings and profane corruptions that were being introduced into the house of God. The exhortation here is: "Nevertheless the foundation of God stands firm, having this seal: The Lord knows those who are His, and let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some for honor, but others for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone purifies himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, and prepared for every good work" (2 Tim. 2:19-21).

The second epistle of Peter deals with the inevitable abandonment of practical godliness and warns the believer: "Be on your guard so that, being carried away by the error of abominable men, you do not fall from your own steadfastness" (2 Pet. 3:17).

The second epistle of John speaks of how serious it is to abandon the doctrine of the Person of Christ. He admonishes us to remain separate from those who teach such errors, going so far as to say that we should not even receive them into our house. In fact, we are told not even to "greet" such people (2 John 8-11).

We say again that God desires all the members of the body of Christ to be together in practical fellowship (Eph. 4:1-16). This is God's ideal. But since ruin has spread throughout the Christian testimony, the Word of God (in the second epistles) indicates that we should take a position of separation from the disorder. The second epistle to Timothy 2:19-21 is particularly useful in guiding us in these difficult times. It indicates that we should dissociate ourselves from everything in the house of God that is stained with error, turning away from those things. This includes any kind of error, whether doctrinal, moral or ecclesiastical.

As was mentioned, the second epistles serve to modify the application of the truth given in the other epistles. It is not a case of the Word of God contradicting itself, but rather of indicating another way of acting for when times of ruin should come. To illustrate this point, suppose you worked in a large factory or industry where there were specific instructions to be followed in the normal performance of the function. But if certain problems arose, you would receive a different set of instructions to be followed in case of emergency. It is the same way when the Scriptures teach regarding how to act in the day of ruin. There are certain instructions given in the second epistles that modify the application of the principles presented in the teaching of the other epistles. They do not invalidate the truth of the other epistles, but they alter the believer's path in the ecclesiastical matters of Christendom. All of God's truth can be practiced today, but it must be practiced in separation from the confusion. For example, we can still gather on the ground of the "one body" (Eph. 4), but we cannot put this into practice with all the members of the body, as God initially planned.