2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 says:
One of the most pervasive themes in the Bible, from the Old Testament to the New Testament, is that Christians are and are to be distinct from the world. God has set us apart, so we must live as those who are set apart. One of the ways in which this distinctness manifests itself most clearly is our relationships. In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul speaks about the hope we have in Christ because we have been reconciled to God because of what Christ did. He tells them that he, along with the other Apostles, had been given a ministry of reconciliation. In Chapter 6 he addresses them candidly, calling them to return his affection and his service to them by responding properly to his admonitions.
In Verse 14a we see Paul’s wish for the Corinthians. He says, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” The Greek word translated “unequally yoked” is heterozygountes. It’s combines the Greek words hetero (different) and zygos (yoke—we get zygote from this word). It referred to the practice of plowing with two different animals yoked together. You can imagine how difficult it would be to plow a field with a horse and a cow yoked together! Few of us know what it’s like to plow a field these days, so you might think of a three-legged race. Imagine a 6’5” person running a three-legged race with a 5’2” person. It wouldn’t work very well, would it! Keep that picture in mind as you read through this passage.
Paul specifically says not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. This word translates the Greek word apistois, which combines the prefix “a” (not) with the word that means to believe or have faith. Paul is telling the Corinthians not to be unequally yoked with those who do not have faith or are not of the faith.
What does this actually mean? Well, it does not mean that we must flee the world physically or run away and live in commune. Paul is not telling us that we must have absolutely zero interaction with nonchristians. Let’s be clear about that. Paul is not telling us all to join a monastery or a convent. Contextually, most commentators agree that Paul is referring to the Corinthian Christians joining in with the pagan religious ceremonies that they had previously observed. They had previously been pagans, but had converted to Christianity. It was not okay for them to continue to join in with the feasts and rites of their former faith. More broadly, it refers to being united to nonchristians in covenant or practice in a way that causes us to abandon our principles and focus. It forbids our being one with them in purpose or mind.
In Verses 14b-18 Paul gives us two basic reasons for his command. They take the form of five rhetorical questions. The first four questions can be summarized under one idea: the dissimilarity between God’s people and this world. Let’s take a look at his questions:
#1: What partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?” The word “partnership” means “a sharing, communion, or fellowship.” It was a term used in the business word. He’s telling us that we are those who are right before God and have submitted to God’s rule. Therefore, we are directly opposed to those who are still in rebellion against Him. How can we be united to them?
#2: What fellowship has light with darkness? The word “fellowship” translates the familiar word koinonia, which refers to “participation, sharing, or communion” (it is used of Christian communion). Light and darkness are polar opposites, by definition. The second the light comes on, the darkness is gone, and vice versa. If we are the light and in the light, we stand in opposition to darkness.
#3: What accord has Christ with Belial? The word “accord” refers to musical harmony. The word “Belial” refers to the wicked or lawless one, specifically Satan. When we are unequally yoked with unbelievers, we are telling Jesus Christ that He has to harmonize with Satan. There can be no neutrality. You have to pick a side.
#4: What portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? The word “portion” referred to part of an inheritance. For the Christian it refers, of course, to Heaven. Paul had spoken in Chapter 5 about the inheritance that awaits us. Now he reminds us that nonchristians do not have this hope, and, therefore, are living their lives in a way that is motivated differently at a fundamental level.
All four of these questions emphasize the polar opposition between Christians and the world. We have different standards and different motivations. Given this sharp contrast, how can we join in with the world in their pursuits?
Paul’s final question reminds the Corinthians that Christians are the temple of God. He says, “What agreement has the temple of God with idols?” The word “agreement” was a legislative term that meant approval, assent, or agreement. Think of Congress coming together and coming to an agreement on a piece of legislation. To place an idol in the temple would have been the highest form of blasphemy. God refuses to come together with idols. He will not compromise His singularity in our lives! This was true of the physical temple in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament we are the temple of the living God!
What is a temple? A temple is a place dedicated to a deity. It is defined by the presence of that deity. Pagan temples had idols physically present in them, but the temple of Yahweh could not contain Him! God gave a manifestation of His presence over the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant. Just as God dwelt in the temple in His Shekinah glory, so He dwells in us through the Holy Spirit.
This is both corporate and individual. Paul says that “we” (plural) are the “temple” singular. The Holy Spirit indwells the Church in a special way. However, also see throughout the Bible that each Christian is indwelt by the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:27 says, “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” We are corporately the Temple of God, but we are also individually temples of God. To join together with nonchristians in covenant or practice is, therefore, to defile the temple of God, just as truly as it would have been to place an idol in the Old Testament Temple! As Albert Barnes puts it, “The sense is, that for Christians to mingle with the sinful world; to partake of their pleasures, pursuits, and follies, is as detestable and hateful in the sight of God as if his temple were profaned by erecting a deformed, and shapeless, and senseless block in it as an object of worship."
In the first verse of the following chapter, Paul comes to this conclusion: “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” Because we have been rescued from our sin and set apart to God, we must be holy. We must strive for holiness.
Note that Paul says both body and spirit. Our entire being must be dedicated to God. He also tells us that we are to bring holiness to completion. What is holiness? Holiness is consecration. It refers to being set aside or dedicated to a specific purpose. Paul wants us to dedicate our lives wholly to God. There is no part of our lives that God’s will does not cover. God wants total consecration!
This is a heavy passage to read. How can we apply it? Let me offer two ways:
#1: We must live with the awareness of God’s presence in our lives. Ephesians 4:30 says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” If you are a Christian, you are a temple! Adam Clarke said, "God intends to make the heart of every believer his own house." Would you bring an idol into God’s temple? Would you commit a heinous sin in the Temple? To sin in your body is just as much a slap in God’s face!
#2: We must choose our relationships wisely. Albert Barnes summarizes this passage this way, “The idea is, that on the subject of religion there is no union; nothing in common; no participation. They are governed by different principles; have different feelings; are looking to different rewards; and are tending to a different destiny. The believer, therefore, should not select his partner in life and his chosen companions and friends from this class, but from those with whom he has sympathy, and with whom he has common feelings and hopes.”
This applies to so many of our relationships. The most obvious is marriage. To marry outside the faith is to unite oneself covenantally and permanently to someone who does not share your morals, worldview, or hope. Even if it were not forbidden by Scripture explicitly, it would make it difficult to live the Christian life and is, therefore, unwise. Adam Clarke said, "Such persons [those who marry unbelievers] cannot say this petition of the Lord's prayer, Lead us not into temptation."
Marriage is even more significant than other relationships because sexual intercourse unites us spiritually. It is not simply a physical act, which is how so many people view it. 1 Corinthians 6:15-19 describes as a Christian having sexual intercourse with a prostitute as vicariously uniting the prostitute to Jesus Christ! In the same way, marrying an unbeliever unites that person to Jesus Christ! If we are united spiritually to Christ, how could we become spiritually united to a child of Satan?
This passage also applies to our business relationships. We must do business with the world, but we should avoid partnerships or industries that will make it difficult to maintain Godly business practices and principles. It makes me think of Christian rappers being featured on albums and songs by secular artists. Maybe the lyrics that they are rapping are clean, but they are associating themselves with material that is objectionable (many times in the same song!). We should not associate ourselves with unbelievers in a way that causes us to support their unsavory art.
Finally, this applies to our friendships. 1 Corinthians 15:33: “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.” We should avoid friendships that tempt us compromise our principles. It’s an unavoidable principle that we become like those with whom we spend large amounts of time. How can those who are set apart to God place themselves under the continual influence of those who are fundamentally opposed to God? How can we share the pleasures and pursuits of those who hate God?
Choosing how to interact with unbelievers can be emotionally painful and confusing. It’s not always black and white. It’s not always easy to tell where to draw the line, but Christianity is not a part-time thing. If our faith does not affect our relationships, we need to consider the implications of that. We are distinct—our relationships must show that.
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
One of the most pervasive themes in the Bible, from the Old Testament to the New Testament, is that Christians are and are to be distinct from the world. God has set us apart, so we must live as those who are set apart. One of the ways in which this distinctness manifests itself most clearly is our relationships. In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul speaks about the hope we have in Christ because we have been reconciled to God because of what Christ did. He tells them that he, along with the other Apostles, had been given a ministry of reconciliation. In Chapter 6 he addresses them candidly, calling them to return his affection and his service to them by responding properly to his admonitions.
In Verse 14a we see Paul’s wish for the Corinthians. He says, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” The Greek word translated “unequally yoked” is heterozygountes. It’s combines the Greek words hetero (different) and zygos (yoke—we get zygote from this word). It referred to the practice of plowing with two different animals yoked together. You can imagine how difficult it would be to plow a field with a horse and a cow yoked together! Few of us know what it’s like to plow a field these days, so you might think of a three-legged race. Imagine a 6’5” person running a three-legged race with a 5’2” person. It wouldn’t work very well, would it! Keep that picture in mind as you read through this passage.
Paul specifically says not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. This word translates the Greek word apistois, which combines the prefix “a” (not) with the word that means to believe or have faith. Paul is telling the Corinthians not to be unequally yoked with those who do not have faith or are not of the faith.
What does this actually mean? Well, it does not mean that we must flee the world physically or run away and live in commune. Paul is not telling us that we must have absolutely zero interaction with nonchristians. Let’s be clear about that. Paul is not telling us all to join a monastery or a convent. Contextually, most commentators agree that Paul is referring to the Corinthian Christians joining in with the pagan religious ceremonies that they had previously observed. They had previously been pagans, but had converted to Christianity. It was not okay for them to continue to join in with the feasts and rites of their former faith. More broadly, it refers to being united to nonchristians in covenant or practice in a way that causes us to abandon our principles and focus. It forbids our being one with them in purpose or mind.
In Verses 14b-18 Paul gives us two basic reasons for his command. They take the form of five rhetorical questions. The first four questions can be summarized under one idea: the dissimilarity between God’s people and this world. Let’s take a look at his questions:
#1: What partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?” The word “partnership” means “a sharing, communion, or fellowship.” It was a term used in the business word. He’s telling us that we are those who are right before God and have submitted to God’s rule. Therefore, we are directly opposed to those who are still in rebellion against Him. How can we be united to them?
#2: What fellowship has light with darkness? The word “fellowship” translates the familiar word koinonia, which refers to “participation, sharing, or communion” (it is used of Christian communion). Light and darkness are polar opposites, by definition. The second the light comes on, the darkness is gone, and vice versa. If we are the light and in the light, we stand in opposition to darkness.
#3: What accord has Christ with Belial? The word “accord” refers to musical harmony. The word “Belial” refers to the wicked or lawless one, specifically Satan. When we are unequally yoked with unbelievers, we are telling Jesus Christ that He has to harmonize with Satan. There can be no neutrality. You have to pick a side.
#4: What portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? The word “portion” referred to part of an inheritance. For the Christian it refers, of course, to Heaven. Paul had spoken in Chapter 5 about the inheritance that awaits us. Now he reminds us that nonchristians do not have this hope, and, therefore, are living their lives in a way that is motivated differently at a fundamental level.
All four of these questions emphasize the polar opposition between Christians and the world. We have different standards and different motivations. Given this sharp contrast, how can we join in with the world in their pursuits?
Paul’s final question reminds the Corinthians that Christians are the temple of God. He says, “What agreement has the temple of God with idols?” The word “agreement” was a legislative term that meant approval, assent, or agreement. Think of Congress coming together and coming to an agreement on a piece of legislation. To place an idol in the temple would have been the highest form of blasphemy. God refuses to come together with idols. He will not compromise His singularity in our lives! This was true of the physical temple in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament we are the temple of the living God!
What is a temple? A temple is a place dedicated to a deity. It is defined by the presence of that deity. Pagan temples had idols physically present in them, but the temple of Yahweh could not contain Him! God gave a manifestation of His presence over the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant. Just as God dwelt in the temple in His Shekinah glory, so He dwells in us through the Holy Spirit.
This is both corporate and individual. Paul says that “we” (plural) are the “temple” singular. The Holy Spirit indwells the Church in a special way. However, also see throughout the Bible that each Christian is indwelt by the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:27 says, “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” We are corporately the Temple of God, but we are also individually temples of God. To join together with nonchristians in covenant or practice is, therefore, to defile the temple of God, just as truly as it would have been to place an idol in the Old Testament Temple! As Albert Barnes puts it, “The sense is, that for Christians to mingle with the sinful world; to partake of their pleasures, pursuits, and follies, is as detestable and hateful in the sight of God as if his temple were profaned by erecting a deformed, and shapeless, and senseless block in it as an object of worship."
In the first verse of the following chapter, Paul comes to this conclusion: “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” Because we have been rescued from our sin and set apart to God, we must be holy. We must strive for holiness.
Note that Paul says both body and spirit. Our entire being must be dedicated to God. He also tells us that we are to bring holiness to completion. What is holiness? Holiness is consecration. It refers to being set aside or dedicated to a specific purpose. Paul wants us to dedicate our lives wholly to God. There is no part of our lives that God’s will does not cover. God wants total consecration!
This is a heavy passage to read. How can we apply it? Let me offer two ways:
#1: We must live with the awareness of God’s presence in our lives. Ephesians 4:30 says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” If you are a Christian, you are a temple! Adam Clarke said, "God intends to make the heart of every believer his own house." Would you bring an idol into God’s temple? Would you commit a heinous sin in the Temple? To sin in your body is just as much a slap in God’s face!
#2: We must choose our relationships wisely. Albert Barnes summarizes this passage this way, “The idea is, that on the subject of religion there is no union; nothing in common; no participation. They are governed by different principles; have different feelings; are looking to different rewards; and are tending to a different destiny. The believer, therefore, should not select his partner in life and his chosen companions and friends from this class, but from those with whom he has sympathy, and with whom he has common feelings and hopes.”
This applies to so many of our relationships. The most obvious is marriage. To marry outside the faith is to unite oneself covenantally and permanently to someone who does not share your morals, worldview, or hope. Even if it were not forbidden by Scripture explicitly, it would make it difficult to live the Christian life and is, therefore, unwise. Adam Clarke said, "Such persons [those who marry unbelievers] cannot say this petition of the Lord's prayer, Lead us not into temptation."
Marriage is even more significant than other relationships because sexual intercourse unites us spiritually. It is not simply a physical act, which is how so many people view it. 1 Corinthians 6:15-19 describes as a Christian having sexual intercourse with a prostitute as vicariously uniting the prostitute to Jesus Christ! In the same way, marrying an unbeliever unites that person to Jesus Christ! If we are united spiritually to Christ, how could we become spiritually united to a child of Satan?
This passage also applies to our business relationships. We must do business with the world, but we should avoid partnerships or industries that will make it difficult to maintain Godly business practices and principles. It makes me think of Christian rappers being featured on albums and songs by secular artists. Maybe the lyrics that they are rapping are clean, but they are associating themselves with material that is objectionable (many times in the same song!). We should not associate ourselves with unbelievers in a way that causes us to support their unsavory art.
Finally, this applies to our friendships. 1 Corinthians 15:33: “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.” We should avoid friendships that tempt us compromise our principles. It’s an unavoidable principle that we become like those with whom we spend large amounts of time. How can those who are set apart to God place themselves under the continual influence of those who are fundamentally opposed to God? How can we share the pleasures and pursuits of those who hate God?
Choosing how to interact with unbelievers can be emotionally painful and confusing. It’s not always black and white. It’s not always easy to tell where to draw the line, but Christianity is not a part-time thing. If our faith does not affect our relationships, we need to consider the implications of that. We are distinct—our relationships must show that.
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