Mixing And Matching? Series

Mixing and Matching? 2 Cor 6:14-7:1 WBC 26/5/5pm

I had an incredible dream! 3 people (Robin, Liz and I ) were in heaven. Robin had a monkey on his shoulders, bashing him on the head . I asked the angel "why?". Angel replied "he started off well , walked true and straight.... but later on he made a monkey of himself- and this monkey will remind him of that. Liz person had an ape on her shoulders. I asked the angel "why?". he said "She started of well, walked true and straight... but later on she made an ape of herself- and this ape will remind her of that. I thought- oh, okay!- because in this dream I had the most beautiful girl on my arm! Even more beautiful than Pam (if that were possible). I asked the angel "why? I mean I know I’ve been goooooood, and served Jesus!" The angel replied: "she started off well... walked true and straight......!!"

MIXING AND MATCHING- WHAT?

Well- what’s it talking about, here? Mixing what? Not being ’yoked together with unbelievers’- how?

Frequently you will find this applied primarily to courting and marriage (start perspiring now!) because

- we like hammering people in these areas. Classic stuff. Gets a good response

o but I have to admit- I don’t take pleasure in that kind of stuff because- I think if I were better at reaching men for Jesus some of my friends wouldn’t have the tensions, issues and REAL PAIN that they do.

" I feel that pain.

o No. I am not quick to point the finger.

o (though, let me clearly establish that Paul makes out that if you are looking to marry someone they ’should belong to the Lord’. 1 Cor 7:39)

- another reason marital/courting relationships are a common topic choice here is because of the word used which is literally ’mismated’

But actually the word doesn’t have to do with ’mating’ in that sense

- it has to do with ’mixing and matching’

- it’s the word used elsewhere about yoking 2 different animals together (in the Gk OT LXX, Lev 19:1(

- mixing them so they can’t plough

Old Paul is obviously telling us not to get mixed up in certain kind of partnerships with unbelievers. In fact to LEAVE them, now! But what kind of partnering? Mixing?

WORLD- with the WORLD? Unbelievers in general. Friendships with them?

- "come ye out from them and only have Christian friends!" Is that what he means?

- Wouldn’t that contradict 1CO 5:9 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people-- 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.

o No- there he is talking about people who say they are Christians! (who are more inconsistent than unbelievers!)

- And wouldn’t it contradict Jesus’ desire that we be ’salt and light’- which infers that we ARE different, set-apart (Gk holy, saint), but THERE with them.

o (classically- in the world but not of it)

No- it can’t be telling us to not have friendships with unbelievers

WEDDED- is it primarily talking about marriage? "Don’t marry an unbeliever"

- that might end up coming from here by wisdom and inference- but it can’t be the relationships he is primarily talking about

- why is that? Paul says "leave that kind of relationship, now"

o nowhere does the Bible approve of that. In fact THAT understanding of this text would contradict what Paul said earlier to the same guys in 1 Cor 7:12

1CO 7:12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

1CO 7:15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so

No- he’s not talking about marriage and courting here, primarily.

WORK- how about work? Is he talking that we shouldn’t have business partnerships with unbelievers? "And if you do- quit now!"

- well. Some do need to quit their jobs because they are being compromised/tainted by the morals of their colleagues/employers

- Illustr: it’s crazy that Christians should be so crypto at work! Chatting with someone recently who once it was known they were a Christian this other bloke wanted to say again and again ’I am too!’, while in the boardroom they had always been the most ’creative’ with the truth and their method was to withhold paying contractors etc as long as possible ’for the sake of the company’! In spite of them going bankrupt! (there was no evidence of their faith)