SATURDAY July 1, 2017
Unequally Yoked
Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. - Nehemiah 9:2
In obedience to God’s Word, the people separated themselves from the foreign people among them. God’s people were commanded not to intermarry, as those people from other nations would influence them to worship other gods (Deuteronomy 7:3-4). The Lord wanted His people to be set apart. They were to be His special people:
“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth(Deuteronomy 7:6).
What happens when you are unequally unyoked together with a non-believer? If you are in a relationship with a person who is not a Christian, you will eventually become influenced by them. There is no middle ground; either you are being an influence to others, or others are influencing you.
Christians in Corinth lived in a city full of idolatry and temple prostitution. The Apostle Paul reasoned this important truth with them:
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For youare the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
It is God’s perfect will that you marry a Christian. If you are dating a non-believer, ask the Lord to help you obey His Word and separate from them. Why? God has called us to be separate.
Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
~2 Corinthians 6:17-18~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit Somebodylovesyouradio.org!