The danger in this is that if we consider no doctrines beyond the gospel important, eventually lack of clarity on those doctrines will weaken the gospel itself.
Most conservative evangelicals recognize the need to separate from unbelief, false teachers, and apostasy. Paul articulates this necessity clearly in 2 Corinthians 6:14–18:
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? . . . Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, . . .
Both as individual Christians and as churches, we must give care to distinguish ourselves and our beliefs from those who do not believe. This doesn’t mean we have no relationship with unbelievers—far from it. What it means is that we do not recognize unbelievers as Christians, and we do not partner with unbelievers in Christian ministry. The ultimate boundary of Christian unity is belief in the gospel.
Furthermore, we must separate from those who claim to be Christians, but who teach heretical doctrine. John states in 2 John 9–11:
Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.
John is clear: those who teach contrary to the teaching of Christ do not have God. Therefore, we must not “receive” these false teachers—we must not recognize them as Christians or embrace their teaching.
Continue Reading by Scott Aniol https://g3min.org/is-it-wrong-to-separate-from-other-christians/
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