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Author: Christian NuesaFor: Sojourning Servants Bible Study, GCC Sun Valley CADate: 2/7/09PASSAGE2Cor. 6:14 ¶ Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousnessand lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?2Cor. 6:15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with anunbeliever?2Cor. 6:16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of theliving 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.2Cor. 6:17 “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says theLord.“AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN;And I will welcome you.2Cor. 6:18 “And I will be a father to you,And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”Says the Lord Almighty.
BACKGROUND
This is a letter to the Corinthian church.
-
The church was founded by Paul on his second missionary journey
-
He spent a year and a half (1.5 years) ministering there (Acts 18:1,11) before he returnedto Israel.The City of Corinth1.It’s an ancient city in a Roman province of Achaia.2.A prosperous city and a major trade city.
a.
How prosperous? They are prosperous enough to be able to host the
Isthmiangames
. Isthmian game is one of the two most famous athletic events of that day(the other is the Olympian games). This game causes more people traffic inCorinth. The more people traffic the better your economy.3.However, it is also rich in corruption and immorality (1 Cor 6:9)a.Fornication is rampant,b.Idolatry is everywhere,c.Adultery is not a shockd.Effeminate -- cross dressers, there.e.Homosexuals -- manyf.Incest is tolerated, and some other common sins such asg.Thievesh.Covetousi.Drunkards, j.Revilers – tells me that its an unfriendly city.k.Swindlers.This church in Corinth
was founded in this environment
and Corinthian believers lived
in thissinful culture
.This is the reason why they were
unable to fully divorce
themselves from the culture aroundthem.Most believers in Corinth have difficulties
separating
themselves from their old lives: corruption
 
and sexual immorality.In fact some of the
worst sins
are still found among some church members, such as
Incest
(5:1).Problems in Corinthian Church:1.Division2.Carnality3.Sexual Immaturity4.Boastful5.Selfishness6.Paganism7.WorldlinessThis is the reason why
Paul wrote the 1 Corinthians
. He wanted to address their issues and toaddress their questions to Paul.
AFTER THAT:
Paul received more news (possibly from Timothy), that Corinthians
have more problems
, andthe
arrival of false apostles.
The false apostles were trying to convince people to
turn from Paul
to them, from Paul’steaching to their teaching (false Christ, and false Gospel – 11:4).In attempt to move people out of Paul’s teaching
, they assaulted
the character of Paul (Just likeSatan assaulted the character of God to deceive Eve).So Paul temporarily abandoning the work at Ephesus and
went immediately to Corinth.
Paul described this as a
painful visit
(2:1) and was
not successful
in Paul’s perspective; for someone in the Corinthian church
openly insulted
him (2:5-8, 10; 7:12).Paul was
heart broken
from the Corinthian believer’s lack of loyalty. So then he
went back
toEphesus. From Ephesus Paul wrote a “
severe letter 
” to the Corinthians and sent it with Titus(7:5-16)When Paul met again with Titus, Titus reported that
majority of Corinthians
had repented of their rebellion against Paul (7:7). Well, the letter was severe.
This letter btw, was a lost. We never found any copy of it.
However, even if majority of them repented,
there were still rebellions
against Paul inCorinthian church – spread out.This is the reason why Paul wrote the 2 Corinthians to
put an end
to this rebellion once for all.Paul’s main concern on 2 Corinthians is to
defend his Apostleship
.
So our verse:2Cor. 6:14 ¶ Do not be bound together with unbelievers,Is in the context of Paul defending his Apostleship and confronting rebellion against him. [pause] 
Near context:
 
Let us examine the chapter:
2Cor. 6:4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God
, in much endurance,in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,2Cor. 6:5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,2Cor. 6:6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,2Cor. 6:7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the righthand and the left,2Cor. 6:8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report;
regarded 
as deceivers and yettrue;2Cor. 6:9 as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put todeath,2Cor. 6:10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yetpossessing all things.Paul is commending himself to the Corinthians as a true apostle or true servants of God. 2Cor. 6:11 ¶ Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide.2Cor. 6:12 You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.2Cor. 6: 
13
 
Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide
to us
also.
Paul is asking Corinthians to return a little bit of affection. He’s asking them to respond to hislove.Then Paul said:2Cor. 6:14 ¶ Do not be bound together with unbelievers;So then, do you think Paul gives this command to…
1.
Corinthian believers who want to
marry a non-believer 
? NO. This is not the issue inCorinthian Church.
2.
Corinthian believers who are already married to non-believer, and thus asking them to
divorce
their unbelieving wives? Of course not at all.
3.
Or Did Paul writes this command to Corinthian believers
who are in rebellion
againsthim? YES. Because that’s the concern. [pause]
WHAT DOES THE COMMAND MEAN in this context?
2Cor. 6:14 ¶ Do not be bound together with unbelieversBound together –
heterozugeo -
To come under an unequal or different yoke. In othere words,to be unequally yoked. A
Yoke
is a wooden piece that binds the neck of two animals together. The Yoke is attached to a plow so that the two animals could pull it together to farm a land.
This is the reason that some bibles render this as unequally yoke.NASB uses the English word
BOUND
together (because I guess its easier to understand). Someother translations use
partner together, or do not be miss-matched.
What is Unequally yoke really?This is
not
about yoking
two animals in different abilities, physical traits, or gender 
:
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