2 Corinthians

1
2 Corinthians

• Lesson 6Do not be bound together with
  unbelievers2 Cor. 614-71

2
Introduction

• Paul warns the Corinthians not to be bound
  together with unbelievers
• In other translations, the warning is not to be
  unequally yoked together with unbelievers
• Does Paul mean we should isolate ourselves from
  those in the world and only have relationships
  with Christians?

3
Paul's Warning

• New American Standard Bible
• 2Co 614 Do not be bound together with
  unbelievers for what partnership have
  righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship
  has light with darkness?

4
Paul's Warning

• New King James Version
• 2Co 614 Do not be unequally yoked together with
  unbelievers. For what fellowship has
  righteousness with lawlessness? And what
  communion has light with darkness?

5
Paul Does Not Mean That We Should Isolate
Ourselves From The World

• 1Co 59 I wrote you in my letter not to
  associate with immoral people
• 1Co 510 I did not at all mean with the immoral
  people of this world, or with the covetous and
  swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would
  have to go out of the world.

6
Paul Does Not Mean That We Should Isolate
Ourselves From The World

• 1Co 511 But actually, I wrote to you not to
  associate with any so-called brother if he is an
  immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a
  reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even
  to eat with such a one.

7
What Is Paul Forbidding?

• Many have wrongly taught that Paul is forbidding
  Christians from marrying non-Christians
• But, this is not the case because Paul instructs
  Christians how they should live if they are
  married to unbelievers
• It may not be wise to marry an unbeliever but it
  is not sinful

8
Paul Does Not Forbid Marrying An Unbeliever

• 1Co 712 But to the rest I say, not the Lord,
  that if any brother has a wife who is an
  unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he
  must not divorce her.
• 1Co 713 And a woman who has an unbelieving
  husband, and he consents to live with her, she
  must not send her husband away.

9
Paul Does Not Forbid Marrying An Unbeliever

• 1Co 714 For the unbelieving husband is
  sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving
  wife is sanctified through her believing husband
  for otherwise your children are unclean, but now
  they are holy.
• 1Co 715 Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let
  him leave the brother or the sister is not under
  bondage in such cases, but God has called us to
  peace.

10
Paul Does Not Forbid Marrying An Unbeliever

• 1Co 716 For how do you know, O wife, whether
  you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O
  husband, whether you will save your wife?

11
What Is Paul Forbidding?

• From verses before and after the warning, we see
  Paul is forbidding Christians from having
  relationships with unbelievers where our faith in
  the Lord is compromised
• In other words, we are forbidden from having
  relationships with unbelievers where we either
  approve of or participate in their sins

12
What Is Paul Forbidding?

• Just like yoking two different kinds of animals
  together would be problematic, yoking a Christian
  and unbeliever together united in sin is
  unacceptable
• In the immediate context, Paul condemns approving
  and financially supporting those who teach error
• In the remote context, we become unequally yoked
  in any relationship that compromises our faith in
  Christ

13
Relationships With Unbelievers Where Our Faith Is
Compromised Are Forbidden

• 2Co 614 Do not be bound together with
  unbelievers for what partnership have
  righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship
  has light with darkness?
• 2Co 615 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial,
  or what has a believer in common with an
  unbeliever?

14
Picture of Unequal Yoking From Old Testament

• Forbidding yoking together clean and unclean
  animals
• Deu 2210 "You shall not plow with an ox and a
  donkey together.

15
Relationships Supporting and Approving False
Teachers Forbidden

• 2Co 611 Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O
  Corinthians, our heart is opened wide.
• 2Co 612 You are not restrained by us, but you
  are restrained in your own affections.
• 2Co 613 Now in a like exchange--I speak as to
  children--open wide to us also.

16
Relationships Supporting and Approving False
Teachers Forbidden

• 2Co 114 For if one comes and preaches another
  Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a
  different spirit which you have not received, or
  a different gospel which you have not accepted,
  you bear this beautifully.

17
Relationships Supporting and Approving False
Teachers Forbidden

• 2Co 1112 But what I am doing I will continue to
  do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those
  who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as
  we are in the matter about which they are
  boasting.
• 2Co 1113 For such men are false apostles,
  deceitful workers, disguising themselves as
  apostles of Christ.

18
Relationships Supporting and Approving False
Teachers Forbidden

• 2Jn 19 Anyone who goes too far and does not
  abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have
  God the one who abides in the teaching, he has
  both the Father and the Son.
• 2Jn 110 If anyone comes to you and does not
  bring this teaching, do not receive him into your
  house, and do not give him a greeting

19
Relationships Supporting and Approving False
Teachers Forbidden

• 2Jn 111 for the one who gives him a greeting
  participates in his evil deeds.

20
Relationships With Unbelievers Where Our Faith Is
Compromised Are Forbidden

• Eph 511 Do not participate in the unfruitful
  deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them
• Eph 512 for it is disgraceful even to speak of
  the things which are done by them in secret.

21
Divine Promises Given To Christians

• 2Co 616 Or what agreement has the temple of God
  with idols? For we are the temple of the living
  God just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND
  WALK AMONG THEM AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND
  THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

22
Divine Promises Given To Christians

• 2Co 617 "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST
  AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT
  TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN And I will welcome you.
• 2Co 618 "And I will be a father to you, And you
  shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord
  Almighty.

23
Jesus Church Is The Temple of The Living God
Today

• 1Co 316 Do you not know that you are a temple
  of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
• 1Co 317 If any man destroys the temple of God,
  God will destroy him, for the temple of God is
  holy, and that is what you are.

24
What Must Christians Do To Please God And Still
Associate With Unbelievers?

• To avoid being unequally yoked or bound together
  with unbelievers, Christians must live holy
  (separate) lives, seeking to be cleansed of sins
  and dedicated to Gods service
• We must remain loyal to Christ in all our
  relationships
• We fear God above all knowing we will be judged
  by Him

25
What Must Christians Do To Please God And Still
Associate With Unbelievers?

• 2Co 71 Therefore, having these promises,
  beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
  defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting
  holiness in the fear of God.

26
Christians Must Be Cleansed From All Sins

• Mat 2628 for this is My blood of the covenant,
  which is poured out for many for forgiveness of
  sins.
• Act 2216 'Now why do you delay? Get up and be
  baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His
  name.'
• 1Jn 19 If we confess our sins, He is faithful
  and righteous to forgive us our sins and to
  cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

27
Christians Must Perfect Holiness In The Fear of
God

• Eph 525 Husbands, love your wives, just as
  Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up
  for her,
• Eph 526 so that He might sanctify her, having
  cleansed her by the washing of water with the
  word,
• Eph 527 that He might present to Himself the
  church in all her glory, having no spot or
  wrinkle or any such thing but that she would be
  holy and blameless.

28
Christians Must Perfect Holiness In The Fear of
God

• Rom 121 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the
  mercies of God, to present your bodies a living
  and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is
  your spiritual service of worship.
• Rom 122 And do not be conformed to this world,
  but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
  so that you may prove what the will of God is,
  that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

29
Christians Must Perfect Holiness In The Fear of
God

• 2Co 510 For we must all appear before the
  judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be
  recompensed for his deeds in the body, according
  to what he has done, whether good or bad.
• 2Co 511 Therefore, knowing the fear of the
  Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest
  to God and I hope that we are made manifest also
  in your consciences.

30
Do not be bound together with unbelievers

1. What is Paul forbidding?
2. What Divine promises are given to Christians?
3. What must Christians do to please God and still
   associate with unbelievers?