What Fellowship Light and Darkness?
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2Corinthians 06:14–16 The Context: Corinth was a worldly city. God was rescuing people out of all manner of evil. Many of the churches problems involved their continuing to think and act like the non-believers they lived around. Paul was challenging them to realize that while the Christian life is extremely challenging, God "listens and helps" (6:2) in every moment. Paul described his own hardships, sacrifices and joy in representing Jesus accurately. He says that he and his team of servants of Jesus are: "treated as impostors, and yet are true; :9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; :10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything." (6:8-10) Urging them to remember that "we are the temple of the living God," (6:11) through Paul...
God Asks Us:: 14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 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."
JNE: One of the most amazing things (actually it would be very unwise if left to our own abilities) God has ever done is to leave it up to people like the Corinthians (me and you) to accurately and effectively represent Him to a broken world. But God in His amazing grace has chosen to do it by living in us to display Himself to a watching world. How unthinkable is it then that we would think that it is okay being yoked, in partnership, in fellowship, in accord, sharing, in agreement with unbelievers, lawlessness, darkness, the Devil, or idolatry.
Our natural question is how can we live in this world without being part of it, at least to some degree. Jesus answered our question when He prayed: "I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." (John 17:14) Jesus lived in the same world we live in, and He did it with truth and grace. But He was, and is, hated for it. Paul did it (with God living in him) and he too was hated for it.
The question I must ask myself is do I realize that if I want to accurately and effectively represent God to the world, I too must live with God's Truth and Grace. And, I can do it because God has given me His LIFE and lives in me, His Temple.
What challenges are we willing to accept for the joyous privilege of having God "dwell among us, walk among us, be our God, and us being His people?" In this challenging world we, God's people, His Saints, have the privilege of being "yoked with believers, in partnership with righteousness, in fellowship with light, in accord with Christ, being believers, in agreement with the Temple of God." Of what are we afraid? These are things that "the Lord Almighty" has said. (6:18)
Read "The Gospel?"
2Corinthians 06:14–16 The Context: Corinth was a worldly city. God was rescuing people out of all manner of evil. Many of the churches problems involved their continuing to think and act like the non-believers they lived around. Paul was challenging them to realize that while the Christian life is extremely challenging, God "listens and helps" (6:2) in every moment. Paul described his own hardships, sacrifices and joy in representing Jesus accurately. He says that he and his team of servants of Jesus are: "treated as impostors, and yet are true; :9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; :10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything." (6:8-10) Urging them to remember that "we are the temple of the living God," (6:11) through Paul...
God Asks Us:: 14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 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."
JNE: One of the most amazing things (actually it would be very unwise if left to our own abilities) God has ever done is to leave it up to people like the Corinthians (me and you) to accurately and effectively represent Him to a broken world. But God in His amazing grace has chosen to do it by living in us to display Himself to a watching world. How unthinkable is it then that we would think that it is okay being yoked, in partnership, in fellowship, in accord, sharing, in agreement with unbelievers, lawlessness, darkness, the Devil, or idolatry.
Our natural question is how can we live in this world without being part of it, at least to some degree. Jesus answered our question when He prayed: "I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." (John 17:14) Jesus lived in the same world we live in, and He did it with truth and grace. But He was, and is, hated for it. Paul did it (with God living in him) and he too was hated for it.
The question I must ask myself is do I realize that if I want to accurately and effectively represent God to the world, I too must live with God's Truth and Grace. And, I can do it because God has given me His LIFE and lives in me, His Temple.
What challenges are we willing to accept for the joyous privilege of having God "dwell among us, walk among us, be our God, and us being His people?" In this challenging world we, God's people, His Saints, have the privilege of being "yoked with believers, in partnership with righteousness, in fellowship with light, in accord with Christ, being believers, in agreement with the Temple of God." Of what are we afraid? These are things that "the Lord Almighty" has said. (6:18)
Read "The Gospel?"