2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

Do not become unequally yoked to unbelievers. For what is the shared purpose between righteousness and lawlessness?  Or what is the fellowship of light with darkness?  Or what is the agreement of Christ with Belial?  Or what is the portion to the faithful with the unfaithful?  And what is the shared arrangement for the Law of God with idols?  For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said that, “I will live in them and walk among them and I will be God to them and they will be my people.  Therefore go out of their midst and be set apart,” the Lord says.  “And do not touch the ritually unclean.  And I will receive you all as a guest.  And I will be a Father to you all.  And you all will be sons and daughters to me,” says the Almighty Lord.  Therefore while having these promises, beloved, we should cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, while bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

In the first sentence, Paul talks about being unequally yoked with unbelievers.  Many people talk about this in the perspective of marriage.  And while there is a certain amount of truth in that perspective, we need to understand that Paul is not writing this verse in the context of marriage.  Paul is writing this verse in the context of how to live in the world such that one’s witness is valid.  So what Paul is telling us is that we shouldn’t put ourselves in positions of having to be submitted to those who do not have a Christian worldview.  From a Christian perspective, this makes sense.  If we have to submit – through work, through marriage, through volunteer opportunities, through home owners associations, through whatever – to those who do not have Christian agendas, then the time may come when we will be asked to do something contrary to what we believe.  That will make us live in a place of conflict.  But if we submit to those who have a Christian agenda, then we will always be asked to live out our faith as a witness.

To whom have you yoked yourself?  Which of those people are in a position of you having to submit to them?  Are those people living under a Christian worldview?

Second Thought:

In the second half of this section of verses, Paul paraphrases a bunch of Old Testament passages: Leviticus 26:11–12, Isaiah 52:11, Ezekiel 20:34, 37:27 and 2 Samuel 7:14.  Half of these passages talk about our relationship with God.  He will be our God.  He will walk among us – with the Holy Spirit He will literally walk among us!  But another portion of these passages refer to the Hebrew people coming out of captivity from Babylon and returning to the Promised Land.  God calls us to come out of the places of the world and live godly lives.  He desires that we be set apart for Him.

Are you set apart for God?  What in your life demonstrates this?  Why is it important for you to be set apart for God?

Third Thought:

In the second half of these paraphrased scripture Paul talks about God claiming us as sons and daughter while we are able to claim Him as God.  He welcomes us into family.  What an incredible proposition!  God will not just rule over us; He desires to make us His own personal family!  Therefore we should respond in like manner.  If we are to be a part of a righteous family, we need to learn to behave like it!

Where in your life have you cleansed yourself from impure actions and thoughts and brought yourself into rightouesness?  Where do you still have work to do in your life?

Passage for Tomorrow: 2 Corinthians 7:2-4