Verse 14 Fellowship-Greek: Metoche (Met-okh-ay): Participation, communication, fellowship (A
Friday, June 6, 2014
Yoked-Unequally
Bible Questions Answered:
“My girls and I received the Lord
together three years ago, but I am afraid that they are going back to
old ways. What should I say...”
Melanie/ Baton Rouge, Louisiana U.S.A.
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
II Corinthians 6:14-18 KJV
14 Be ye not unequally yoked
together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath
Light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath
Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with
an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath
the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of The Living
God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I
will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 Wherefore come out from among
them, and be ye separate, saith The Lord, and touch not the unclean
thing; and I will receive you.
18 And will be a Father unto you,
and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith The Lord Almighty.
Some would tell us
that this writing by the apostle, refers only to Christian people who
have gone back on their Christian faith, but in truth, it refers to
any and all who are “not,” living for or serving The Lord Jesus
Christ, in holiness!
We are known by
the friends we keep, Christian or not!
The Christian is to
be something special in the world, a new creation!
II Corinthians
5:17 KJV
Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.
Romans 6:4;11-13
KJV
4 Therefore we are buried with Him
by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the
dead by the glory of The Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of life.
11 Likewise reckon ye also
yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in
your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as
instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto
God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as
instruments of righteousness unto God.
Let us ask the
Apostle Paul, what he means by “unequally yoked.”
And he tell us
in ...
II Corinthians
6:14-18 KJV
Verse 14 Fellowship-Greek: Metoche (Met-okh-ay): Participation, communication, fellowship (A
friendly association with common interests.)
Communion-Greek: Koinonia (Koy-nohn-ee-ah): Partnership,
participation or social
communication, fellowship.
Verse 15
Concord-Greek: Sumphonesis (Soom-fo-nay-sis): Accordance (in
agreement), concord.
Part-Greek: Meris (Mer-ece): A portion, i.e. a share.
Participation: part.
Verse 16
Agreement-Greek: Sugkatathesis (Soong-kat-ath-es-is): A
deposition (of sentiment) in
company with i.e. accord with: agreement.
II Corinthians
6:14 KJV
Be ye not unequally yoked
together with unbelievers...”
What is the Apostle
saying?
The Apostle Paul,
(not this writer), says that Christian people, should not have a
fellowship, partnership, or close social communications with
unbelievers.
Why, that sure
sounds awful cruel? Yes of course we are to witness to them in love!
But, why not the
buddy fellowship, partnership or social exchange, with unbelievers?
Because we can by our very
presence, encourage them to go on living the way they are, right up
to the very gates of hell. And others who see us associating with them, may think we endorse their life styles!
Matthew 5:13 KJV
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if
the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is
thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden
under foot of men.
“Pastor, was
there ever a time when Christian men and women, lived this way?”
Answer: yes!
But a strange and
sinister event has crept up upon the church of The Lord Jesus Christ,
called lukewarmness. To be accepted by the world, she has become, as
the world. And our Lord has a message for us today, as He did for the
Laodiceans.
Revelation
3:14-22 NLT The Lord speaks to the Church in Laodicea
14 “Write this letter to the angel
of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from The One Who Is
The Amen—The Faithful And True Witness, The Beginning Of God’s
New Creation:
15 “I know all the things you do,
that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the
other!
16 But since you are like lukewarm
water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth!
17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have
everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize
that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
18 So I advise you to buy gold from
Me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also
buy white garments from Me so you will not be shamed by your
nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.
19 I correct and discipline everyone
I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.
20 “Look! I stand at the door and
knock. If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in, and we
will share a meal together as friends.
21 Those who are victorious will sit
with Me on My throne, just as I was victorious and sat with My Father
on His throne.
22 “Anyone with ears to hear must
listen to The Spirit and understand what He is saying to the
churches.”
The Apostle Paul
warned of evil without the church
and in the church. We are to “shun” those who say
they are Christians but are far from it, living in sin!
I Corinthians
5:11-13 NLT
11"... you are not to
associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges
in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or
is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.
12 It isn’t my responsibility to
judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge
those inside the church who are sinning.
13 God will judge those on the
outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil
person from among you.
I Timothy 6:3-5
KJV
3 If any man teach otherwise, and
consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but
doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy,
strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of
corrupt minds, and destitute of The Truth, supposing that gain is
godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
God's people,
called to a life of holiness.
I Corinthians
3:16,17 KJV
16 Know ye not that ye are the
temple of God, and that The Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of
God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which
temple ye are.
I Corinthians
6:9,10 NLT
9 Don’t you realize that those who
do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool
yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or
commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality,
10 or are thieves, or greedy people,
or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will
inherit the Kingdom of God.
II Corinthians
7:1 NLT
Because we have these promises, dear
friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our
body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we
fear God.
Hebrews 12:29
KJV
Follow peace with all men, and
holiness, without which no man shall see The Lord:
Christians, in the
world, but not a part of the world.
John 17:13-21
NLT (The Lord's prayer for His
people.)
13 “Now I am coming to You. I told
them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be
filled with My joy.
14 I have given them your word. And
the world hates them because they do not belong to the world,
just as I do not belong to the world.
15 I’m not asking you to take them
out of the world, but to keep
them safe from the evil one.
16 They do not belong to this
world any more than I do.
17 Make them holy by your Truth;
teach them your Word, which is Truth.
18 Just as you sent Me into the
world, I am sending them into the world.
19 And I give Myself as a Holy
Sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your Truth.
20 “I am praying not only for
these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in Me through
their message.
21 I pray that they will all be one,
just as you and I are one—as you are in Me, Father, and I am in
you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent
Me.
In the world, but
not a part of the world and its godlessness. In the world to win the
lost, and to be a light, a shining light of the greatness of The
Living God.
Matthew 5:14-16
KJV
14 Ye are the light of the world. A
city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle,
and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light
unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven.