Another Story for My Book

Separation 101 (-)

We had a couple of friends at church that were both single guys and were a part of our life when we got married. Tim and Steve. Tim really loved Steve and clung to him; you could say they were best friends.

There was some trouble at our church over the issue of music at that time. Some people were getting upset that the music seemed to be “changing” at the church. They felt that it was wrong to introduce drums and electric guitar into the service, among other complaints. This story is not about that, however. (That may be for another discussion.)

Because of this “turmoil,” both of these young men left the church. We did not. We saw them both from time to time, but as the months went on, less and less. Steve moved to another end of town and Tim stayed behind. Steve got married. Tim did not. Steve began going to a Reformed-thinking church and called us one day to tell us that he had just now gotten saved. He had not made Jesus the Lord of his life previously so he could not have been saved; this was the conclusion he had come to when attending this new church. (That idea may also be for another discussion.)

During this same period of time, Tim became less and less interested in finding another church. Ever since he left our church, it just never seemed to click with him anywhere else. He was really going downhill socially. He became almost hermit-like. He had several computers in his apartment and I do believe he was up to no good in there, but I am not sure exactly what was going on. Well, whatever it was, his best friend Steve finally decided that the right thing to do was to stop having anything to do with Tim. Tim was disobeying the Lord in his morals and life, so Steve felt he had to separate from the brother.

This totally crushed Tim! Tim had no other friends. He was not close to his own family and Steve’s family had become like family to him. Steve’s kids were one of the few joys for Tim. Seeing this young family was the highlight of this otherwise reclusive man’s life. Now he was going to lose that connection.

The two talked it over. Steve explained that it was important to obey the Word of God in regards to fellowshipping with a disobedient brother. You were supposed to have nothing to do with them.

Tim asked Steve if this meant that it was only right to associate with Christians; what about usaved people and reaching out to them? After Steve's answer...

Tim declared about himself that he was not really a brother. He then claimed that he really wasn’t saved, but that he was insincere about having been a believer.

Steve then was free to continue his friendship with Tim. Tim was happy.