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"Unequally
Yoked"
Message summary: The Bible says we 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'." Today let us recommit ourselves to living a life worthy of the calling we have received from Christ Jesus.
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"Do
not be
unequally
yoked together
with
unbelievers.
For what
fellowship has
righteousness
with
lawlessness?
And what
communion has
light with
darkness? And
what accord
has Christ
with Belial?
Or what part
has a believer
with an
unbeliever?
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'" (2
Corinthians
6:14-16).
Living among
the Amish
provides an
opportunity to
experience
"living
history".
During this
season we
often see our
Amish
neighbors out
doing field
work with a
team of
horses.
Each
summer growing
up
Brooksyne
spent a week
with her
grandparents
in the
mountains of
northwest
Arkansas. Her
grandfather
(photo on
left) didn't
own modern
equipment but
still farmed
his land using
a plow pulled
by two mules.
He
joined them
together with
a yoke before
hitching them
up to the
plow. The yoke
prevented the
mules from
going two
directions and
provided
double the
strength of a
single mule.
The
Amish farming
methods are
undoubtedly
closer to the
Bible period
than the
modern period
with the use
of yoked
animals rather
than tractors.
Yet today we
still have a
reminder of
the initial
source of
power with the
term
"horsepower"
still applied
to modern
engines.
Today let us
consider a
verse that
many of us may
first recall
since it was
often applied
to dating
relationships
and marriage.
It begins, "Do
not be
unequally
yoked together
with
unbelievers"
(2 Corinthians
6:14).
The phrase
"unequally
yoked
together" is
the
translation of
a single Greek
word,
heterozygountes.
This is a
compound word
that means,
"to yoke up
differently;
to associate
discordantly;
unequally yoke
together." It
is used only
this one time
in the Bible.
The word
"yoke" means a
coupling as
when two oxen
are coupled or
yoked together
by a pulling
beam to do
work such as
plowing a
field or
pulling a
wagon.
Essentially,
the yoke
united the
mules for one
singular
purpose. This
analogy helps
me to remember
why Paul
cautions
believers to
be wise in
their
relationships
because light
and darkness
cannot be as
one – their
purposes for
existence are
completely
opposite.
Trying to
blend two
contrasts and
make them one
would bring
about complete
chaos,
confusion, and
weakness.
Paul follows
this command
"Do not be
yoked" with a
series of
questions,
each requiring
the negative
answer:
* For what
fellowship has
righteousness
with
lawlessness?
* And what
communion has
light with
darkness?
* And what
accord has
Christ with
Belial?
* Or what part
has a believer
with an
unbeliever?*
* And what
agreement has
the temple of
God with
idols?
This section
ends with "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'."
Today
let us
recommit
ourselves to
living a life
worthy of the
calling we
have received
from Christ
Jesus.
Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Jesus, You
call us to
come unto You
and find rest.
We are to take
Your yoke upon
ourselves so
that we are
not walking in
our limited
strength, our
imperfect
wisdom, or our
inadequate
abilities.
Instead we are
yoked together
with You,
learning to
walk in Your
ways,
following Your
commandments
which are
holy, just and
good. We are
learning
self-denial
and how to
overcome
difficulties
as we trust
You in all
Your ways. It
is a yoke of
pleasantness
as we find
that Your
assistance
daily checks
our attitudes
while
navigating our
duties as we
walk in the
light of Your
Holy Word. We
are one with
You as we
daily walk in
Your Spirit.
Amen.
Additional
teaching
thought:
The apostle Paul calls believers, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers". As we mentioned above, this verse is often used in the context of dating and marriage and certainly applies to those kinds of relationships, but in this context Paul does not limit it to a physical relationship.
*
As we compare
this verse to
others in the
Scripture he
seems to be
speaking of
the
friendships
and
partnerships
we build in
our lives.
Paul is not
speaking of
mere contact
with those not
of the faith,
for that's an
essential part
of our
reaching the
lost in this
world. Earlier
in 1
Corinthians he
acknowledges
that
inevitably we
will have
contact with
people who
live in
darkness,
otherwise "you
would have to
leave this
world"
(5:10).
Yesterday
our pastor
illustrated
his message by
contrasting
two lives:
In the spiritual realm the Bible clearly instructs us to leave the life of darkness and to walk or live in the light. Today as we are surrounded by spiritual darkness let us again remember God's call. We are to move out of the darkness, walk in the light and stay in the light. Don't be caught lurking in the shadows, fearful of taking a stand, whether it's at our workplace, in our neighborhood, or even within our own family.
We
read of the
outcome of
Peter's denial
of Christ when
he, along with
other
disciples,
moved away
from Jesus and
observed from
a distance,
even hiding in
the darkened
shadows.
Instead let us
be bold in our
walk and take
a stand in
this age where
there is great
temptation to
"blend in" so
that everybody
is
comfortable.
Jesus stood
apart and He
challenges us
as well, "Be
ye holy, even
as I am holy."
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version and a variety of other versions.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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