seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will live with them
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”
17 Therefore,
“Come out from them
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”
18 And,
“I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
This is from the commentary.Says the LORD Almighty: The title Almighty uses the ancient Greek word pantokrater, which means, “the one who has his hand on everything.” In the whole New Testament, the word is used only here and in the book of Revelation. Paul wants us to understand that it is the sovereign God of heaven who offers us adoption as His children as we separate unto Him.
This little nugget was in the commentary for chapter 7.Cleanse ourselves from all filthiness: This is what we take away. There is a cleansing that God alone does in our lives, but there is also a cleansing that God wants to do in cooperation with us. Here, Paul writes about a cleansing that isn’t just something God does for us as we sit passively; this is a self-cleansing for intimacy with God that goes beyond a general cleansing for sin.
There are two sentences in these verses that I have been clobbered with almost my whole life. The first is in verse 14. Do not be unequally yoked.
Back in the days of Moses... there was actually a law [or Jewish tradition] against yoking a big animal with a small one. You'll find it in Deuteronomy 22:10. I heard this until I married my ex.... Then I was told "you made your bed, now lay in it". I don't think the bit about the bed is Biblical.
After I found out what and who my ex really was, they told me I had to stay in the marriage [unequally yoked] because I could teach him about Christ. I would be a great example to him. I guess I'm the ox and he's the stubborn donkey in verse 14.... right?
The second verse that bugs the fire out of me is verse 1 or chapter 7. "perfecting holiness out of reverence for God".
Humans get nasty with sin. We start sinning as soon as we can figure out how to steal a cookie and give a cute smile to get away with it. We lie... to ourselves and to God. Humans showed themselves to be sinners all the way back in the Garden. We haven't changed. It's our nature.
The only reason Christ had to get on the Cross was the imperfection of man. We cannot be holy on our own. Noah proved that.... God washed the world clean and still sin was ramped in no time. We are incapable of perfecting anything!!!!
So, our buddy Paul is putting yet another restriction on our Christianity. We don't have to have the thingy cut. We don't have to follow the Kosher traditions. But we are required to bring the tithe and get perfect! Jesus sat down with whores and tax collectors. But Paul says we have no business talking to the whores and tax collectors... It's as if he's saying, "What would people say?".
Jesus gave up His life for us because we are incapable of getting perfect. Paul says we have to "be perfect if you want to be a Christian". No wonder so many people put off accepting Jesus as our Savior. They are waiting until they can get perfect... and wear the right clothes... and bring the proper tithe. If we were capable of doing all that... Paul would probably put a restriction on which pew we could plop in. [IMHO]
Paul keeps adding restrictions. Paul says each of us is a Temple of God. I prefer to think of us as God's human kids.
God's human kids have two rules. Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. Love each other as you would have them love you.
God's human kids aren't perfect.
