Separation

SEPARATION

OBSERVATION: THE ISSUE OVER LAND IS NOT A NEW ISSUE. ABRAHAM (ABRAM) EXPERIENCED THIS REALITY WITH HIS NEPHEW, LOT. ABRAHAM WISELY AVERTED THE DISPUTE.

INTERPRETATION: GENESIS 13:9 (NKJV) IS NOT THE WHOLE LAND BEFORE YOU? PLEASE SEPARATE FROM ME. IF YOU TAKE THE LEFT, THEN I WILL GO TO THE RIGHT; OR, IF YOU GO TO THE RIGHT, THEN I WILL GO TO THE LEFT.

ISSUE 1-BOTH PARTIES WERE WEALTHY.

ISSUE 2-ISSUE OVER CHOICE GRAZING LAND

ISSUE 3-ABRAHAM’S AND LOT’S HERDSMEN WERE SCRAPPING OVER GRAZE LAND.

ISSUE 4-CANAANITES AND PERIZZITES, ENEMIES OF ISRAEL, INHABITED THE GRAZING LAND. THEY WOULD LIKELY CAPITALIZE ON A GOOD FEUD.

ABRAHAM MADE A WISE CHOICE. HE WANTED PEACE WITH LOT. HE AVERTED A FAMILY FEUD TO KEEP PEACE. THIS HAS APPLICATION TO THE CHURCH! ISSUES WITHIN THE CHURCH SOMETIMES CAUSE DIVISION.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:11 (NKJV) FOR IT HAS BEEN DECLARED TO ME CONCERNING YOU, MY BRETHREN, BY THOSE OF CHLOE’S HOUSEHOLD, THAT THERE ARE CONTENTIONS AMONG YOU.

1 CORINTHIANS 3:3 (NKJV) FOR YOU ARE STILL CARNAL. FOR WHERE THERE ARE ENVY, STRIFE, AND DIVISIONS AMONG YOU, ARE YOU NOT CARNAL AND BEHAVING LIKE MERE MEN?

APPLICATION: SHOULD SEPARATION OCCUR, BE BIBLICAL, COURTEOUS AND CONSISTENT.