Be Not Unequally Yoked 2 Corinthians 6:14

Paul the apostle exhorted the church members in Corinth, “ for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be you also enlarged”, and in chapter six and verse fourteen of Second Corinthians, Paul told the church members, “be not unequally yoked” where we read:

Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness?

The verse begins, “Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: ...” Paul began with the words, “be you not” which means “the church members were in no way to be” “unequally yoked together” which is all one Greek word “heterozygeō” that means “to come under an unequal or different yoke or to have fellowship with one who is not an equal” “with unbelievers” or “with unfaithful, faithless, not to be trusted, perfidious and incredulous trust in God”. Paul exhorted the church members not to be linked or connected together with people who did not have a faith believing relationship with God.

The verse continues, “... for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness?” Paul questioned, “for what” which means “even, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore what kind of “fellowship” or “sharing, communion, intercourse or participation” “has righteousness” which refers to “the state of a person who is as he or she ought to be and the condition acceptable to God” “with unrighteousness” or “not possessing the state of him who is as he ought to be and the condition acceptable to God?” “And what” or “what kind of” “communion” which means “fellowship, association, community, joint participation and intercourse” “has light” or “a lamp or torch that brings brightness” “with darkness” which refers to “darkened eyesight or blindness and ignorance respecting divine and human duties and the accompanying ungodliness and immorality together with their consequent misery in hell”. Paul questioned the church members concerning the relationship between “righteousness and unrighteousness” as well as “light with darkness”.

When we consider these words of Paul, we see how emphatic he was concerning having intimate relationships with people who do not believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. In addition to forbidding Christians to have intercourse with idolaters, he shared how “righteousness and unrighteousness” and “light and darkness” have nothing to do with one another. They are diametrically opposed. Jesus Christ desires a “pure and holy” people, and when compromise is made in critical relationships such as marriage and business, the Christian is not to enter into binding agreements with them. Too many people who were well-meaning Christians have entered into marriages, business relationships and other “contract-like” agreements with unbelievers and felt the horrific results that come from them. This does not prevent the Christian from being around unbelievers, Jesus demonstrated how He could manage that, but rather how entering into “committed relationships” with them are extremely dangerous. May all who read take note and obey.

Next time Paul asks the church members, “what concord has Christ with Belial” and “what part has he that believes with an infidel?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then,

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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