What is the Doctrine of Separation

 The PBCC follow what they call the doctrine of separation. The scriptures they base this on are from the John Nelson Darby New Translation Bible. 

John 17 v 14 I have given them thy word, and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, as I am not of the world. 

Matthew 16 v 24-26 Then Jesus said to his disciples, If any one desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever shall desire to save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what does a man profit, if he should gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 

Mark 10 v 28-30 Peter began to say to him, Behold, we have left all things and have followed thee. Jesus answering said, Verily I say to you, There is no one who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, [or wife], or children, or lands, for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, that shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time: houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the coming age life eternal. 

2 Timothy 2 v 19 Yet the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, [The] Lord knows those that are his; and, Let every one who names the name of [the] Lord withdraw from iniquity.

2 Corinthians 6 v 14-18 Be not diversly yoked with unbelievers; for what participation [is there] between righteousness and lawlessness? or what fellowship of light with darkness? and what consent of Christ with Beliar, or what part for a believer along with an unbeliever? and what agreement of God's temple with idols? for ye are [the] living God's temple; according as God has said, I will dwell among them, walk among [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be to me a people. Wherefore come out from the midst of them, and be separated, saith [the] Lord, and touch not [what is] unclean, and I will receive you; and I will be to you for a Father, and ye shall be to me for sons and daughters, saith [the] Lord Almighty. 

Isaiah 7 v 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and to choose the good. 

The scriptures are used to support a doctrine that demands people who are a part of the church remain separate from outsiders. They believe themselves to be, as written in Titus 2 v 14, a peculiar people, zealous for good works. Members of the PBCC cannot eat or drink with people they don't celebrate the Lords Supper with. Whether or not you are a Christian does not matter to them, what matters to them is if you drink the port and eat the bread they pass at a meeting every Sunday morning.  This means if you leave the church your family can no longer eat or drink with you. Under this doctrine if someone were to leave they would lose their family, friends, and in some cases their possessions and their jobs. In a majority of cases the person who leaves becomes as good as dead to the people still inside. 

This doctrine tears apart businesses, family's, and lives. The only real purpose it serves is to keep members of the PBCC in the dark as to what life could be on the outside. They have stories in there, what happens to people who leave. Sure, some of them are true or close to the truth. Life in there doesn't equip you for life on the outside. Some people, understandably, struggle with settling into the real world. On the other hand a lot of people flourish, but you never hear those stories. They cover those stories up with rumors or lies. Things that paint the people who flourish as poverty stricken or evil. They tell you no one can love you like they do. I desperately hope this is true because I don't want to experience that kind of love out here. I have learned since leaving what unconditional love is. I have felt unconditional love and that is the kind of love I want to experience now.