Be Not Unequally Yoked - 20

This morning we come to the final section of the sixth chapter of Paul's second Corinthian epistle and we remind ourselves of what has gone leading up to this last section of chapter opens with an extended description of Paul's life and ministry Series III actual series of lists of things that pertain to his life and ministry among the Corinthians, and indeed throughout the Roman world. He tell something of the joys and sorrows of the trials and humiliations in the good and the bad that accompany his life as an apostle of Christ and indeed, to some extent accompany the lives of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and having done that, Paul then appeals to the Corinthians to open their hearts to him just as Paul's heart of love is wide open to them.

He finds that many of them have closed their hearts toward him and he appeals to them to open their hearts and to return it to him the same level of warm love, which she has toward them. But that raises the question as to why so many of them have closed their hearts to him and the answer, though it is not stated specifically, I think, is clearly indicated by what comes next which is our text for today.

It is at least in part because of on ye equally milks, it is because too many of them have unwarranted relationships with false teachers who are influencing them away from truth and righteousness and therefore away from Paul who is the representative of truth and righteousness in their lives and so we come to this closing admonition in second Corinthians chapter 6 be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.

It is a very important and significant portion of the word of God. What we have we have number one a basic command in verse 14. The first part of the verse we have number two. A series of questions in verses 14 through 16. A. And then thirdly, a collection of citations, scriptural texts drawn from the Old Testament that support what Paul is teaching in this section. So we begin by looking at the basic command at the beginning of verse 14 Paul says do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. That's the basic command do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Now we make note of the fact that many have pointed out, namely that the statement seems to be a rather abrupt transition in the flow of the chapter. Paul goes very quickly from gentle appeal in verse 13 to strong command in verse 14 verse 13 is his final appeal to them to open their hearts in a loving manner to him now in return for the saying that is for wide open loving heart that I have extended to you now in return for the same. I speak you will children be you also open very tender appeal and then followed by almost to him pound the pulpit be unequally yoked together with unbelievers, which are caused some Bible students to think that perhaps this is a misplaced insertion. This command to the unequally yoked because it changes so abruptly. It almost 2 to the minds of some seems to be out of out of place in this particular chapter and yet there is absolutely no objective evidence for this not belonging in this place. In this chapter in this book. Any question about that is entirely subjective. Consistently the opinions of those who are reading it. They come to this and they say while what a change to that be correct that. Can Paul really be acting that way maybe that indicates that this is a fragment from some other place that somebody took and inserted here or whatever all the different speculations.

It often, at times like this and I say it again, there is not a single manuscript anywhere that is ever been found of second Corinthians does not contain the section chapter 6 right words found here. No objective evidence, not one, not one manuscript in Greek or Latin or in any language there is not one manuscript anywhere that would indicate that this does not belong exactly where it is found and we know that in some cases we do deal with variations in manuscripts and we have to examine that but that is not the case here.

Therefore, the conclusion has to be that it is right where it is supposed to be. It is right where Paul put it is right where the spirit of God put it, and it's therefore purpose and instead of safe boy that's abrupt that must mean there's something out of place, we ought to say yes that's abrupt and what do we learn from that observation because indeed it is abrupt. What do we learn and we realize that this strong admonition fix the context as I've already tried to show you it talks about forbidden relationships which help explain the strained Christian Fellowship relationship that Paul was experiencing with the grist. Corinthians.

His relationship with many of them was not what it should have been why so because of this, at least in part, and it is a strong admonition because Paul doesn't consider this to be a trivial matter. He considers it to be a very important and essential matter. We really shouldn't be surprised. We find similar things all throughout the Bible we find similar things and other places in the epistles of Paul, were you find both gentleness and strength combined together back in back and it reminds us of both gentleness and strength are necessary for an effective ministry.

You really can't have one without the other, either without the other is seriously lacking. Those who are always gentle and don't seem to be able to arise to the to the need to be strong at times are not going to have a very effective ministry for Christ. Those who are always pounding the pulpit and never seem to have any gentleness in their approach. It all are not going to have a very effective ministry for Christ. But Paul had both I I am amazed at some of the passages that speak of such tenderness in the life of the apostle Paul, the tears that he shed for believers.

The love that he had toward believers the willingness to spend and be spent that he demonstrated toward other believers. How tenderly he approached them how greatly he loved them how patiently he taught them and appealed to them, but at times he also needed to say that stop that change course do right and to say that force and if that was true for the possible. That's also true for all ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's also true for all Christians in various settings in your life that's true parents. We want parents to be loving and tender, surely they must apparent that is never loving and tender is not going to have probably is not going to have a good result in his attempt to reach rear his children, but a parent who's never able to exercise strength and to exert authority over they will follow rebellious child when that is obviously needed is not going to be successful in their parenting either coming life is made up of these elements we are to be loving and tender. A great deal of the time. We must rise to string and forcefulness at times. And that's exactly what we see here. It really is an out of place at all. But if it is an abrupt transition, and indeed it is what we have here is an emphatic command. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers and emphatic command about a forbidden relationship. So let's look at it. First of all, what is the nature of this forbidden relationship and it is put in terms of a yoke. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. That certainly reminds us of Deuteronomy 2210 which Paul very likely had in mind. It was a command that Moses gave to the people of God when he said you shall not plow with an oxidant donkey together.

You don't yoked together an oxidant donkey and one yoked to try to do your work to carry out your your agricultural tasks doesn't work now. It strikes me that anyone who has any experience in farming would know that without having a command of the Bible.

So why did God put in the Bible was to help the people who maybe didn't have common sense or didn't have much experience and had to learn by trial and error and not accomplishing anything. When you put one animal that is of a different size has a different gait has a different temperament.

They just don't work together.

That doesn't work you put two oxen together and they pull the yoke and do nicely. You put a donkey and an oxidant together in one yoke and you're going to have a mess for sure we don't see that because we don't have oxen and donkeys. We have tractors, but why would God put that in the Bible, probably because he wanted us to learn a spiritual lesson not primarily an agricultural lesson the agricultural lesson is pretty self-evident. But the spiritual element seems to be elusive at times, but here we have it now in the New Testament using this very idea. The teacher spiritual truth, no doubt. That's why God put that in the law of Moses. This teaches us something. So many of those commandments and the law of Moses that to us seem a little bit puzzling and some even question that God should put anything like that in the Bible are missing, probably the main reason God put them there. They are to teach spiritual truths or illustrations of of elements of our lives as believers of what we should learn and here's a good example of it. The nature of the forbidden relationship to Paul is talking about is a yoke a working partnership to animals but he's really talking about persons.

Of course, to persons who are yoked together in a common endeavor, but they are partners that are not compatible. They can't really work together certainly not effectively. So that's the nature of the forbidden relationship a working partnership yoked together in a common endeavor. But what is the nature of the forbidden parties. Paul says you Christians you believers must not be yoked together with unbelievers.

That's the nature of the forbidden part believers. On the one hand, not to be yoked together with unbelievers on the other hand, in a common endeavor. The nature of the forbidden partners is those who are not Christians but because that were Christian which is not a very common word in the New Testament is from three times but believer and unbeliever. It is much more common because they were Christian is not universally understood the same way by everyone. A lot of people who claim to be Christians but who would fit the description of unbeliever from a biblical standpoint, so Paul uses the term unbeliever and what is that mean those who don't believe the gospel, you who believe the gospel must not be yoked together in a partnership with those who don't believe the gospel. That's the forbidden relationship you Put those two kinds of people together in a yoke in a common endeavor. Now that brings me before I leave this basic command to take up the con textual observation.

In other words, there are some things in the context in the chapter. I think also point to what Paul is saying here. False teachers are clearly in view that even goes back before the context of verse of chapter 6 the false teachers were no doubt people that were either we have now come to call Judaizers or at least were similar to them. In many respects we find them frequently in Paul's epistles.

They seem to showed up in every church that Paul founded or showed up Elise in the vicinity of the churches becoming members of the church if they were allowed to do so because they could do more damage from that vantage point. But what is a Judaizers a Judaizers is a person of Jewish lineage of Jewish religion who had professed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but was teaching a false gospel we find clear references to them elsewhere and maybe one of the clearest is in that chapter and verse in acts rather chapter 15 the great Council of Jerusalem where the leaders of the church is the church of Jerusalem and others like Paul from other places came together to talk about this problem that there were people that I got out from the church in Jerusalem to the Gentile churches and were teaching things like unless you be circumcised according to the law of Moses, you cannot be saved. What's that false gospel. That's not the gospel is a false gospel that's introducing a requirement of works into the gospel of grace at the wrong point there is a place for works as a result of the saving grace of God at work in the heart, but that doesn't come in on the front end and introducing something like that.

You can't be saved unless you are circumcised is absolutely contrary to the gospel of Christ. So here we have a pretty good example of what Paul is evidently talking about here. Here are people, the Judaizers, who actually if you asked him are you you a Christian would say yes and you say what you believe about the gospel and they would say we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and are circumcised. If you're going to be saved and that means that they are not believers because they don't believe the gospel.

They are not believers in the biblical definition of what a believer is a biblical of the biblically defined believer is one who believes the gospel of Christ we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, not of works lest any man should boast.

Therefore, what Paul is talking about in this unequal yoke is forbidden. Religious partnerships that's obviously the first thing that is in view religious partnerships which are forbidden God's people are forbidden to be yoked together in a common religious endeavor with those who bring another gospel. No matter what they call themselves no matter what label they may employ.

It's not that they are forbidden to be yoked together with St. Muslims or Buddhists in a common religious endeavor, but they are commanded not to be yoked together with people who call themselves Christians but don't believe the gospel is these kinds of mismatched associations that endanger truth. The basic truth. The truth of the gospel. That's the one truth you cannot mess up and still have Christianity.

That's the one truth you cannot mess up and help anybody out of their sins and to salvation in Christ.

So there is the basic command that's followed by a series of five questions beginning in verse 14, ending in the first part of her 16th five rhetorical questions a rhetorical question is a question that does not provide an answer and really doesn't expect a a an audible answer. It's up it's a question that is simply raised to provoke thought to him to make you think about something and this is a rhetorical leader's rhetorical questions, thought-provoking questions, clarifying questions and what are the for what fellowship is righteousness and lawlessness, lawlessness, what communion has light with darkness. What a court has Christ would be loyal what part is a believer with an unbeliever.

What agreement has the temple of God with idols there. They are five questions. Let's look at them. Number one, what fellowship is righteousness with lawlessness. Look at that we say what we do with the Wellesley.

Some of us would say one with the Greek word is underlying that word fellowship because normally when you find the word fellowship in your English Bible. It's a translation of the Greek word coined Anita is usually translated fellowship. Turns out that's not the word here. It is the Greek word Medicaid which means a share or partnership, but it is virtually a synonym with coin anneal when it's used for fellowship or partnership which it can be used that way, and the next the word of the next pair is indeed quantity of fellowships on just pointing that out.

These are similar works in Paul imposing these questions is using similar vocabulary but he's using using the those synonyms he's using different shades of meaning, so this first one. What fellowship what share of partnership is righteousness with lawlessness what is righteousness. Righteousness can be understood in terms of justification, but it also is often in the Bible, understood in terms of obedience to God's commands.

A righteous man is one was a reputation for being obedient to the word of God. So righteousness is obedience to God's commands. What is lawlessness.

That's the opposite.

Lawlessness is a persistent disobedience to God's commands, unwillingness to bend to the law of God, unwillingness to submit to the law of God, unwillingness to place oneself under the authority of God's law. That's lawlessness of what you have on the one hand to someone who has submitted themselves to the law of God.

We are committed to obeying God.

They are endeavoring to live a life of righteousness as defined by God.

On the one hand and on the other hand, you've got a person who's cast all of that often said, I'll decide for myself what's right and wrong.

I'll decide for myself. What's true and false. I'll decide for myself what I'm going to do and what I considered to be appropriate.

The question is how concurrent such completely opposite dispositions work together. That's like yoking an ox and a donkey together doesn't work makes a mess. Question two what communion has light with darkness, communion, coin anneal or fellowship, communion.

It means fellowship amines, community what communion has light with darkness, light, of course, represents truth, light represents righteousness light represents godliness what is darkness.

Darkness is the opposite.

Darkness represents error darkness represents sin. Darkness represents ungodliness so I don't and you got a person who is a child of the light because they believe the gospel saved out of darkness placed into the kingdom of light they are living according to truth, endeavoring to they are our advancing in truth and righteousness as they follow God's light dinner drawn ever closer into the circle of light which surrounds God himself and on the other hand, you got someone who still has a citizen of the kingdom of darkness. They have come out of that they haven't been rescued out of that they still live in this darkness this blindness to see in this Eric's ungodliness, and you're going to yoke those two together in a common endeavor and by the two of them pulling together you think you can accomplish something good for God are you crazy boss trying to get us to think this through. Question three what a court has Christ with I'll this the last time I give you Greek word accord. What is that symphony since what word do we get from that symphony symphony accord.

It means Concorde or musical harmony.

The beauty of the symphony is that all of the instruments are playing off of the same score. They're all led by one conductor and therefore there playing together there pulling together and what results from that is beautiful harmony.

Beautiful music beautiful Concorde but what Concorde has Christ with be loyal Christ. Of course, is the Savior. Christ is the sinless son of God. Christ is the head of the church who is the Lyle some manuscripts have a slightly different spelling and comes out the lawyer with the same person.

That's a word that is often used in the Old Testament of a worthless person a lawless person that we get to that lawlessness again and who had come to mean over the years Satan who has the ultimate worthless being the ultimate lawless person and who is of course the arch enemy of Christ.

So on the one hand you got Christ and on the other hand, you've got the archenemy of Christ and you try to put them together and make harmony or you going to try to put those who are committed followers of Jesus Christ. On the one hand, along with those who clearly are followers of the Lyle on the other hand, and put them together and make beautiful music, beautiful harmony that is honoring to the Lord. Of course not how crazy can you be such opposites cannot work together. Number four what heart part has a believer with an unbeliever word part their means portion. What part has a believer with an unbeliever and he would get back to these terms and I've already talked about believer refers to someone who believes in the gospel of Christ, a genuine Christian an unbeliever is one who does not believe the gospel of Christ is what it was no true Christian, whatever his belief system may be, and what part what portion have these two together.

What portion in this life to believers and unbelievers have together. Do they have the same philosophy of life to. They have the same goals in life. Do they have the same principles of life, absolutely not. What portion of this life and certainly what do they have in common. What partner they have together in the life to come. Well, they're going to be as far apart as it's possible to be one's going to be in heaven was going to be in hell. You can try to put them together in the same yoke to accomplish something in this life that's crazy.

And finally, what agreement has the temple of God with idols agreement is a word I will give you the Greek word here.

I'll just tell you what it means it's a it's a word that can be translated consent or it really has the idea of voting together mutual consent to people who are going to vote the same way because they think the same way they live by the same principles they evaluate life by the same principles that are there both operating according to the same principles of truth and righteousness and therefore there is mutual consent. They are people who can work together because they have the same goals and they they live by the same principles and they are following the same Savior and their there guided by the same truth. The same Bible and those people can work together beautifully but how can those who are on opposite sides of all of this work together what agreement we read has the temple of God with idols. The temple of God is course of the Old Testament was where God was worshiped. It was even in a literal sense, where God dwelled.

Not that he can be confined in any one place with his Shekinah glory descended upon the temple is an indication that he was dwelling there and his people came and worshiped him. There so the temple of God is where God dwells and where God is worship. But if you introduce idols into the temple of God, what have you got what you can't worship Jehovah God in the temple of idols. One of his commandments is thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. Thou shalt not bow down myself to them, nor serve them.

It can't worship God with idols. If you take idols that represent other gods false gods and bring them into the temple where people are supposed to be worshiping the invisible God, the God that cannot be detected by by images and you line the walls of that temple with images so the people who worship those gods can come in and bow down to the their idols and worship them, and presumably the people that worship Jehovah can also come to the same place in they can worship Jehovah in their heart. The invisible God. Nope, that doesn't work because the introduce reduction of the idols renders that temple no longer a temple of Jehovah to understand once you bring the idols. The other becomes an idols temple is no longer the temple of God. So what agreement has the temple of God with idols the following those five rhetorical questions. We have a collection of citations in verses 16 through 18 there are many in fact, there so many that it's impossible to tell exactly how many there are. They are, we might say proof text that Paul pulled pulls out of the Old Testament Scriptures and supporting evidence for what is said here and they are pulled from many different places and what you have and in many cases is just two or three words of the phrase that you can actually find in different text in the Old Testament so it's hard to know in some cases which particular one. Paul had in mind but notice all of these are sourced in God.

That's what were told in verse 16.

Again, verse 16 of what agreement has the temple of God with idols or you are the temple of the living God. And then this phrase very important as God has said as God has said and what follows that phrase as God has said a series of quotations from the Old Testament I will dwell in them and walk with them and be their God and they shall be my people, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you and I will be a father to you and you shall be my sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty. All of those are citations from the Old Testament Scriptures. Now please understand this opening point that I'm trying to make all of these are attributed to God who said these things, you can look at them and you say well let's see here is a quotation from Leviticus. Here's one from Jeremiah accusing Ezekiel leaders rose up Hosea is Isaiah. Here's a second Samuel, who said these things, Moses did Isaiah did José idea Jeremiah did, but who does Paul say said them. God did as God hath said, were back to the doctor and the inspiration of Scripture is God has said opens this section and says the Lord Almighty closes this section, God is the source of all of these statements from the Old Testament Scriptures, God is the source of the Bible, God is the source of Scripture.

This is Paul's testimony to the nature and the source of Scripture that we have testimonies like this all throughout the Bible, but some people miss them altogether and they say he will. This is what Moses said this is what David said this is what Isaiah said, but will have to pick through to figure out if God had anything to say in this or not. Maybe did maybe didn't and were the ones who are wise enough to sorted out. Nope, you're just as foolish as to what is driving to Europe together lever with unbeliever, listen to the word of God.

Listen to the testimony of Paul, the inspired apostle of God. Listen to what he says, ask, who has said God has said center it's all the word of God and what we have is the promise in verse 16. The requirement in verse 17 and the reward in verse 18.

What's the promise here again a blend of many Old Testament text. The most prominent being. Leviticus 26, 11 and 12 I will set says God I will set my tabernacle among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God and you shall be my people, is a promise of God to live among his people and Paul applies this to the church at Corinth, he saying this is God's promise in the Old Testament it was God's promise to walk among his people. First of all to be in the temple, which was erected for his worship.

But even the Old Testament, it is clear is talking about walking among his people, living people, but here it is applied to the church. The church of Corinth. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ's the you is plural not singular. In other words, the church is the temple of the living God.

Now I emphasize that because nearly all believers understand that your body is the temple of the living God. There are other texts in the Bible talk about that sometimes we miss this corollary this this equally true statement and that is that the church made up of ultra-born-again believers, the church collectively as the temple of God, God dwells among his people, which is one of the reasons why the assembly of the saints is important. Yes, if your Christian God lives in you.

But you can't get the fullness of God's presence with his with you and with his people. Unless you are also assembling together at the appointed time with other believers in experiencing this reality that God walks among his people. He walks within the church find that referred to in Revelation, where Christ is among the candlesticks among the churches. So here's the promise that God will walk in a special way among his people. But there's a requirement for 17 therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean requirement to have the special presence of God is to separate yourself from defiled religion. What is unclean. That is religiously unclean. The Old Testament there were laws that stipulated certain things were ceremonially clean and certain things were ceremonially unclean and they want to touch unclean things.

For example, if you touched a dead body you were ceremonially unclean for certain period of time till you could be cleansed from that and then you could be accepted into into the worship of God once again like an assistant a picture of a spiritual truth. These are Old Testament laws. The teachers higher truths and here's the higher truth. If you want the presence of God. The requirement is that you separate yourself from unclean religious practices and give yourself wholly to worshiping God in the way that he has commanded. It's as simple as that. But it is as fundamental as that separate yourself from defiled religion, whatever is unclean, that whatever that what is either masculine or neuter you can refer to unclean practices or to unclean people separate yourself from defiled religion be clean, for the purpose of God honoring worship you can't worship God. If your hands are dirty. You can't bring an acceptable sacrifice into the temple with dirty hands to use the Old Testament analogy you got to first get your hands cleansed so there ceremonially clean acceptable before God before you bring your your ex sacrifice. Otherwise, it's unacceptable and as new covenant people. We don't come into the presence of God to worship him with unclean relationships that we have not been willing to divest ourselves.

What going to clean forgot, honoring worship disobedience in this area forfeit center for intimate fellowship with God requirement is that you do this and then we come to the reward. If you do this, what I will receive you, I will be a father to you, you shall be my sons and daughters. If you do this, God will receive you this, by the way is a quotation from Isaiah 43 I will and won't quote it and the I is emphatic about come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you, it's it sounds like God is saying something like this. You want to be received by by unbelievers is that your goal you want to be received by defiled godless apostate religion is that where you want to find your acceptance and Reese.

We received or are you willing to obey me and cut off your your yolks of fellowship with those things so that I the Lord God Almighty will receive you, God will receive you, God will be a father to you, you will be his sons and daughters know it's interesting doesn't say God will become your father and you will become his sons and daughters. He's talking to people, presumably, who already saved, but he saying you will find God acting in his father's relationship to you in a level of love and intimacy that otherwise you can experience you will enjoy your your position is sons and daughters of the living God in the wonderful relationship that is involved in that in a way that otherwise you cannot, you will experience the full richness of the believers fellowship with God Almighty, but only if you are willing to obey this injunction do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers to enjoy sweet and satisfying fellowship with God require separation from alliances that oppose God so let me see now if I can summarize what I think this tells us about the biblical doctrine of separation. This is a biblical doctrine, the biblical doctrine of separation does not mean isolation from everything in the world that there is no contact or interaction.

No how do we know that's not what's being talked of here. Well, this look at the life of Jesus. He was known as a friend of sinners. He went in and ate with them and talk with them and fellowship with, and cultivated relationships with them for the purpose of evangelism will you say he was God in the flesh. Well, what about Paul who said, I am all things to all men. He was willing to change his diet and changes customs when he was with the Gentiles. He ate like a Gentile and dressed like a Gentile live like a Gentile. He developed relationships among unconverted Gentiles for the sake of the gospel raise when he was with Jews. He took a different posture because those things are not there neutral or not, since there is not a requirement that you eat one way, as opposed to another way that you dress one way, as opposed to another way so that tells us it doesn't mean isolation, far from a just the opposite. Christians are commanded to go into all the world world of sinners and preach the gospel to them. We got in contact doesn't mean isolation in the biblical doctrine of separation does not mean separation from fellow believers over secondary issues.

That's not what's being referred to here is very clear on believers. Do not be unequally yoked together with on believers doesn't mean separation over secondary issues. It doesn't mean separation over non-gospel issues. This is not teaching what some call the doctrine of secondary separation. That's a whole other subject I won't go into it now it has occurred to me over the years as I've examined that question, the most of the text that are used to support that idea in context have to do with local church discipline, they very seldom understood. In that context but this text is no friend of the idea of separation from believers who believe the same gospel, but it is commanding separation from those who don't believe the gospel. What does this mean no working partnership with unbelievers.

Certainly, first and foremost, no religious partnerships no religious partnerships with non-Christians, no religious partnerships with apostate Christians. Those who claim to be Christians don't believe the gospel. How about marriage does this apply to marriage. That is obviously not the primary application.

But it's hard for me to escape that correct application.

I can't conceive of the marriage of a believer being anything less than it's not. This is in all of what it is but isn't anything less than a religious endeavor, particularly the children come along. What are you doing husband and wife working in partnership together to train them up in the nurture and admonition mission of the Lord your pulling together in the same meal for the same goal.

How can you do that if one partner is not in the same direction not of the same nature not of the same opinion, not of the snout of child of the light, not a believer in the gospel.

You can't.

You can't and elsewhere. The Bible is clear we are to marry unbelievers look at the last couple of verses of first Corinthians chapter 7. Beyond that, I won't go have some other things here, but time is catching the short, the question is why is this so important. Of course it's important because God said so. We are to be obedient or why is this so important I give you three reasons. Number one he gives this to us here in the text for the sake of fellowship with Christ if we do this we are rewarded for our obedience if we don't do this, we will forfeit intimate fellowship with Christ because of our disobedience number two for the sake of our own spiritual fidelity are being able to remain faithful to the truth of the Christian religion because these kinds of of unequal yolks in religious endeavors corrupt our thinking that's what was happening to the Corinthians in the relationship with Paul, and suffer the sake of our own ability to remain true to God. We've got to obey this instruction and number three for the sake of our influence upon others. We want to send a clear message about what is the gospel and what's not the gospel and therefore when were unequally yoked together with those who don't believe the gospel is if we are pulling together in the same Christian yoke. We are sending a confused message to other people about the gospel, we seem to be endorsing that which is not the gospel. We seem to be approving false religion. I mentioned this to you know much of as quickly as an illustration how I came to the place some years ago struggling struggling struggling with whether I could conscientiously continue participating in right to life endeavors. I am right to life half Opposed to abortion. I appreciate what they're doing, but what bothered me was that there is a a teaming up with others who call themselves Christians who don't believe the gospel of Christ, and there I found myself in rallies where an apostate preachers preaching at the rally and were all there saying Amen and hallelujah Tele preach it brother I found myself lining the sidewalk with representatives of apostate Christianity, who represent a false gospel in their IM and in the religious garb so that everyone knew who they were and there I am standing beside them as people drive by and see this demonstration, I came to the place where I decided I couldn't do that and continued to have a clear conscience with this text of Scripture.

I must say I think we got to be careful due to be patient toward those who are struggling with difficult situations, even though I've come to that conclusion.

I'm not going to denounce other born-again believers if they haven't come to that conclusion yet until the what I do and why. This is why, but am I going to make that secondary separation is you if you don't stop doing what I was doing not too long ago that I separate myself from you.

No no no no no no see what I'm saying but this is a critical text which must not be ignored must not be misunderstood and must not be sinfully abused but it must not be ignored. No godly ungodly. Rather, ecumenism. There is a biblical ecumenism. Let's enter into it enthusiastically.

There is an un-biblical ecumenism. Let's not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.

Let's pray help us father with this important but challenging area of truth to be faithful followers of Christ we pray.

Amen