BAD CONNECTIONS, GOOD CONNECTIONS
2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-18
2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-18 NKJ
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
17 Therefore
“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
18 “I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.”
OBSERVATION:
All of us have experienced bad connections. Maybe it was a phone call or a Zoom meeting. And because the connection was bad, the ability to interact with the other person was hampered.
But even in the ancient world, before the advent of cell phones and Wi-Fi, connections were important.
Paul is writing to the Corinthians church, who had come to Christ from an intense pagan background. These believers were living in the middle of a morally bizarre town, and the Holy Spirit, through Paul, is warning them.
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. A yoke was a strong piece of wood placed on the neck and shoulder of oxen. It would connect them together so they would pull together and get more work done. But you could not yoke an ox and a donkey. That is an unequal yoke and would not work.
In the same way, the Lord is instructing these believers not to be in close relationships with unbelievers. Notice the instruction involved close relationships, and Paul did not say any relationship. The Lord is not advocating isolating from unbelievers. We are to reach them. He is warning of too close.
Immediately, marriage comes to mind. I believe business partnerships can also be included.
The Holy Spirit, through Paul, goes on to give the reasons why the avoidance of bad connections. Because believers are different. Not better, not superior, but because of the work done in them by the Lord, very much different.
Righteousness versus lawlessness. Light versus darkness. The temple of God versus the temple of idols. These are not human distinctions but rather the work that has been done in our spirits. Spiritual distinctions, spiritual differences.
And then Paul quotes the prophet Ezekiel making the clearest distinction of all. God lives and walks in us. He wants us to be separate and live as His children. To have a close connection with HIm and other believers. To be separate requires that we choose good connections.
APPLICATION:
We need to reach a lost world. We need to shine our light for those who sit in darkness. We need to be the salt of the earth. But our best connections are to be with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
As it pertains to unbelievers, our ultimate goal is to influence them for Christ. Not be so closely connected that it hinders our relationship with the Lord.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, help me be one who is an influence for You. Help me make good connections.