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?
- 2 Corinthians 6:14-15
Perhaps one of the most difficult hurdles for a Christian today is that of amicable association or that of choosing our friends. Ideally, we would have an abundance of friends and colleagues who are like-minded Christians. Unfortunately, that is not very often the case. We have childhood friends who chose different paths in their lives. We have associations and acquaintances through school or work who come from different backgrounds. In effect, not everyone we associate or socialize with share our Christian beliefs. It becomes even more tenuous when we include among that number members of our own families; people who we do not get to choose. So what are we supposed to do?
One of the first things we can do is to understand what the Apostle means in the title verse. In essence, he echoes Deuteronomy 22:9. “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.” The reason for this bit of Old Testament logic is manifold; the primary point being that each animal’s strength and gait is different or unmatched. Christians and unbelievers are different, unmatched. And so they should be. It is difficult to walk in the way of the Lord when we are bound with another who is constantly tugging and pulling us into the mire of sin.
I am of the school of thought that the great commentators have it right. Calvin, for one, says to be yoked with unbelievers means nothing less than to have fellowship with them. While we can seldom refrain from such fellowship completely we are in danger of appearing to “stand with them,” rather than “opposed to them.” Spurgeon takes it a step further when he suggests that we should not socialize with them by choice, nor seek pleasure with them. Kretzmann strikes home with the point that we should not associate with them in such a way as to “erase the essential difference between Christian and heathen.”
There is yet a more profound reason for Paul’s admonition to the Corinthian Christians - “Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?” - Proverbs 6:27. In our experience with unbelievers how much of their personal philosophies are rubbing off on us? Are we going to places that they choose to go? Are we doing the things they choose to do? Are we thinking thoughts that they put in our heads? The answers to these questions are exactly why Paul cautioned the Corinthians. And is the inverse ever true? Can we see the effect our Christian walk is having on them? Is our Christian example altering their behavior in a positive way? Have they expressed a desire to believe? To pick up their cross and follow Jesus?
So you see we do we have a duty to be the light-bearers of the faith. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” - Matthew 5:16. But we must remain vigilant even among our own family members. We must never allow the Gospel of Jesus Christ to become compromised by our words, deeds, or our associations, no matter who they are.
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” - Ephesians 5:11. May our words and deeds always glorify the Lord and let our light remain visible to all around us.
No comments:
Post a Comment