Be Ye Not Unequally Yoked
Fellowship • Sermon • Submitted
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· 28 viewsA message that looks at Five Rhetorical Questions Paul asks to help us understand Holiness
Notes
Transcript
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Pre-Sermon Ice Breaker
Pre-Sermon Ice Breaker
A man arrives at the gates of heaven. St. Peter asks, “Religion?” The man says, “Methodist.” St. Peter looks down his list and says, “Go to Room 24, but be very quiet as you pass Room 8.” Another man arrives at the gates of heaven. “Religion?” “Lutheran.” “Go to Room 18, but be very quiet as you pass Room 8” A third man arrives at the gates. “Religion?” “Presbyterian.” “Go to Room 11, but be very quiet as you pass Room 8.” The man says, “I can understand there being a different room for different denominations, but why must I be quiet when I pass Room 8?” St. Peter tells him. “Well, the Baptists are in Room 8, and they think they’re the only ones here.”
Introduction
Introduction
Motivational speaker Jim Rohn famously said that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. When it comes to relationships, we are greatly influenced - whether we like it or not - by those closest to us. It affects our way of thinking, our self-esteem, and our decisions. Of course, everyone is their own person, but research has shown that we’re more affected by our environment than we think.
Someone once said, “If you hang around with doubters, you will doubt a lot. If you hang around with pouters, you will pout a lot. And if you hang around with pigs, you’ll stink.”
Today is Mother’s Day, and rather than preaching a message touting the virtues of motherhood, I decided to share a message that sounds like the kind of thing your mother might tell you. It is not so much a command, as it is wise advise.
In 2 Corinthians 6:14
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Paul draws from the Old Testament to bring us a principle from real life that we can apply to a spiritual truth. In Deuteronomy 22:10
Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.
This seems like an obvious truth to a farmer. An Ox and and ass have different heights, strengths, gaits, and temperaments. You will never be able to successfully plow a field with these two animals yoked together. In much the same way as Christians we will not be successful in our Christian walk if we are yoked together with someone who has a different worldview than we do as Christians.
A long standing principle of hermeneutics is that a passage of Scripture has “One interpretation, but many applications.
The interpretation of this phrase in verse 14 of our text clearly seems to indicate that as Christians we should not enter into a relationship, bond, partnership or endeavor that will compromise our Christian integrity or weaken our will for holiness.
Paul continues by asking five Rhetorical questions. These questions are questions that we might ask ourselves as we seek to live holy, separate lives for Christ. Let’s look at these questions and their answer this morning.
Body
Body
I. What Fellowship has Righteousness with Unrighteousness?
I. What Fellowship has Righteousness with Unrighteousness?
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Fellowship - Met-okh-ay (Greek)
This Greek word is only used here in this passage in the New Testament. It means Partnership.
In the Opening Cast and Credits of the Chosen they show an animation of fish swimming in one direction. but then there is first one and then another, and then another going against the tide. but most go the opposite direction.
In the previous chapter in verse 18 we read:
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
This speaks of God’s work of Evangelism.
We want to avoid yokes that would hinder us in proclaiming the Gospel of Christ.
Ask will this hinder my work in sharing Jesus?
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
II. What Communion has Light with Darkness
II. What Communion has Light with Darkness
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Communion - Koinonia (Greek)
This is the word we most often find translated Fellowship. It literally means to have in common.
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
look at
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Ask Is this fellowship bringing light or darkness?
III. What Concord has Christ with Belial?
III. What Concord has Christ with Belial?
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
Concord = Symphonesis (Greek)
We get the word Symphony from it. We picture a Symphony as music played in partnership with others that produces harmony.
I believe that it speaks specifically of Worship. There is nothing that has caused more division in the body of Christ throughout the History of the Church than has worship.
What harmony has Christ with Belial. Belial speaks specifically of the Devil, who is believed to be the Worship Leader the musician of heaven.
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Does this Yoke allow me to worship God in spirit and in truth?
IV. What Part has a Believer with an Infidel?
IV. What Part has a Believer with an Infidel?
Part = Meris (Greek)
Means portion or share.
Speaks of Discipleship. A disciple is a follower of Christ.
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
One place we see this is in our finances.
Ask Does this yoke make God my master or mammon?
V. What Agreement has the Temple of God with Idols?
V. What Agreement has the Temple of God with Idols?
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Agreement = Soong-kat-at-es-is (Greek)
Means a putting together or joint deposit.
It speaks of ministry
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
Does this Yoke help or hinder your ministry for God?
Conclusion
Conclusion
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
If we will be holy and stay separated from yokes with unbelievers then we will experience God’s blessing.
What this does not mean:
Divorce
No unsaved friends
No contact with unsaved family
What it does mean:
No Yokes - if you are a Christian, don’t marry a lost person, Don’t make an unbeliever your business partner. Don’t join secret societies and lodges. Don’t allow unbelievers membership in your churches or influence in your church practices.
Be separate - come out from among them.