2 CORINTHIANS SERIES
YOKING NOT YOLKING
2 CORINTHIANS 6:1-18
2corandmore
PERSON FROM CONGREGATION READS 2 CORINTHIANS 6:1-18 (ESV)
“Working together with Him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We 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. 11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 13 In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also. 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. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.”
INTRODUCTION… research.lifeway.com/2020/02/21/4-reasons-why-we-should-preach-hard-texts/ [adapted]
Ya’ll, today is going to be a hard sermon.
I was tempted to skip it, but I decided not to.
I decided not to so that we, as a church family, rely on God’s power to apply His Word. The Words we read in the Bible are not man-made or natural, but are God’s Word and supernatural. Sometimes God reveals Truth we do not want to accept or see. We need to rely on the Holy Spirit to apply those Bible passages that hurt us or we do not understand completely.
I decided not to because God is good and wants the absolute best for us. There are wonderful Truths in God’s Word (Psalm 119:18). Seven times in Psalm 119 King David writes and sings, “Teach me Your statutes” (119:12, 26, 64, 68, 124, 135, 171) because we do not always understand God’s ways. By giving us some things hard that are hard to understand, God has unleashed to us the need for Him… for His help… for His guidance.
I decided not to because we need to be able to think hard about biblical passages. We need to pray through and think through the Bible in complete honesty. Prayer and thinking are not mutually exclusive activities. Not for the believer in Christ. In fact, the Apostle Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:7…
READ 2 TIMOTHY 2:7 (ESV)
“Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”
Yes, it is the Lord who gives understanding, but He does it through our God-given ability to think. With prayer, we are to think hard about what the Bible says. We are also to apply it.
I decided not to because at Cincinnati Christian Church we do not shy away from the Bible. Some Truths in God’s Word are difficult. Difficult does not mean they are not True. Difficult means we need to wrestle with them and I would not be helping you if I shy away from difficult Biblical Truth… I would be hurting you.
Ya’ll, today is going to be a hard sermon.
I was tempted to skip it, but I decided not to.
TRANSITION
We are going to dive into this passage in a moment, but before we do I want to first talk about the word picture that the Apostle Paul uses in the last half of the chapter. The word picture centers around yoking. Yoking not yolking. No I’m not mispronouncing the word joking, I’m talking about yoking not yoking. Got it?
THE WORD PICTURE USED: THE YOKE
The metaphor of a yoke in the Bible is rich with meaning, drawing from everyday agricultural life in the ancient world. A yoke was a wooden crosspiece fastened over the necks of two animals so they could pull a plow or cart together. Most of the time the two animals were oxen. The metaphor of yoke was used often in the Bible.
First, it is a symbol of bondage or oppression. In the Old Testament, a yoke often represents slavery, forced labor, or oppressive rule. For example:
READ LEVITICUS 26:12-13 (ESV)
“And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be My people. 13 I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.”
Another great example is the Prophet Jeremiah in chapter 28 who bore a yoke while he preached to make a point about Babylon’s domination over Judah. So first, a yoke is a picture of being controlled, weighed down, or subjugated by a power greater than yourself.
Second, the yoke is a symbol of partnership and obligation. Since a yoke bound two animals together, it became an image for partnership, covenant, or shared responsibility. Deuteronomy 22:10 commands the Israelites not to unfairly yoke an ox and a donkey together. I wondered about this and did a little digging.
This verse appears in a section of Deuteronomy that gives practical laws for daily life in Israel. Many of these laws are short, but carry deep theological meaning. The prohibition against yoking an ox and a donkey together when plowing is both practical and symbolic. The practical reason would be that an ox and a donkey are very different animals in size, strength, and temperament. Yoking them together would be cruel; the donkey would struggle under the unequal weight, while the ox might be hindered by the donkey’s weakness. It would also make plowing inefficient and frustrating. So basically, yokes with oxen and donkeys in them are in bad taste and aren’t very funny.
The theological reason is that this command reflects the principle that God’s people should not mix things that are fundamentally incompatible. The command to not yoke together an ox and a donkey parallels the commands just before and after: not mixing seeds in a vineyard (verse 9) and not wearing clothes of mixed wool and linen (verse 11). The theological principle behind these is to remind Israel of their calling to be set apart and not to blur the boundaries God established. The idea is not that difference itself is wrong, but that yoking two fundamentally opposed natures produces harm, strain, and disorder because a yoke shows that who or what you are tied to determines your direction, pace, and burden.
Third, a yoke is not always negative, but it can be a picture of loyal obedience and chosen discipleship. Jesus Christ defines the metaphor in a gracious way when He talks about following Him in Matthew 11…
READ MATTHEW 11:28-30 (ESV)
“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”
Here, in these words in red, the yoke is discipleship. The yoke is being joined with Jesus Christ as we learn to live life with Him. In Christ, the yoke becomes not bondage but freedom as we walk in step with Him. He carries us in His strength.
So, what does that mean? No joke, the “yoke” (not the “yolk”) in the Bible is a flexible metaphor that can mean oppression and slavery when imposed by enemies or a covenant-partnership when shared with others or submission when talked about toward God.
TRANSITION
Let’s re-read the portion of Scripture that is our focus today. We are going to re-read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 and then add 7:1 because it goes with it. The monk (Robert Estienne, 1551, was not a monk but a printer) who divided up 2 Corinthians 6 was asleep or something because 7:1 clearly goes with chapter 6.
RE-READ 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-7:1 (ESV)
“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. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty. 7:1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”
TRANSITION
I believe the Apostle Paul has Deuteronomy 22:10 in mind as he speaks to the Corinthians about their intimate associations and he gives them (and us) a command and a warning. He warns the Corinthians and us not to be unequally yoked. Let’s talk about the “how” and the “why.” This is a difficult passage, but one worth thinking through and praying over.
HOW THIS MAY BE DONE
How might a believer in Jesus Christ be yoked together with someone who is not a believer in Jesus Christ? Most of the time we think of it only in one way, but there are several answers as to “how.”
This could happen in religious fellowship. For the Corinthians, their entire culture and city was dedicated to Apollo, Aphrodite, Poseidon, Hera, Athena, and Asklepios. Even the Egyptian gods Isis and Serapis were worshipped as well as the Roman imperial cult that worshipped the emperor. There might be some aspects of idolatry that was attractive for the Corinthians when it came to these other beliefs, but the Apostle Paul was warning them against closely associating with them because Jesus is light and those idols are darkness. We must be careful what we combine with our belief in Christ. The Apostle Paul says elsewhere in Ephesians…
READ Ephesians 5:11 ESV
“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”
This could happen in marriage. For the Corinthians, their entire culture and city was dedicated to idols and so as believers looked for husbands or wives, most were not believers. For a believer in Jesus Christ, the first question we should ask a potential dating partner or potential spouse is: “Do you believe in Jesus?” That is the first question that should be asked, but often it is not even considered. Life, marriage, finances, raising children, and health are all difficult and so God wants us to be yoked together with someone who believes as we do. There might be someone who attracts us as a mate, or for the Corinthians as a mate, but the Apostle Paul was warning them (and us) away from non-believers because we are the Temple of the Living God and an unbeliever simply is not. There is nothing of importance in common between the two.
This could also happen in friendships. The Apostle Paul says elsewhere in the letter of 1 Corinthians…
READ 1 Corinthians 15:33 ESV
“Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
Friends are great influences on us and so who we choose to surround ourselves with often impacts the trajectory and activities of our lives. Friendships have great power. If the closest people in our lives have nothing to do with Jesus, the Apostle Paul asks what “accord” can there be? For the Corinthians, their entire culture and city was dedicated to idols and so as believers lived life they would be tempted to have friends that might lead them away from God. Again…
RE-READ 1 Corinthians 15:33 ESV
“Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
Lastly, this could also happen in business. For the Corinthians, their entire culture and city was dedicated to Apollo, Aphrodite and so many of the businesses and merchants were dedicated to such idols. Partnership in commerce is a yoke that definitely determines direction. Partners in business should have the same worldview and goal. Paul wonders, and makes us wonder, what “agreement” or “portion” can there be between one who prioritizes Jesus Christ and one who does not.
SUMMARY/APPLICATION
Overall in this passage, the Apostle Paul sets up a division for the Corinthians as they think and pray about their lives. He shares with them the command “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers” and then asks 5 rhetorical questions to drive home his point.
For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? None.
What fellowship has light with darkness? None.
What accord has Christ with Belial? None.
What portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? None.
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? None.
Overall, those people with whom we are intimately connected, should share our faith in Christ. Our closest relationships, closest advisors, closest spiritual advisors, life mate, closest business partners, and those who speak into our lives should share our faith in Jesus Christ because they have influence over us. Whoever is hitched right next to you should share your love of Christ.
This means it matters as believers who we fellowship with in religious circles and who we allow to teach us about spiritual matters. It also means we should diligently ask our Heavenly Father if He approves of our spouse before we marry them… understanding that if they are not a believer… we already know His answer. Date only those you will marry. This truth also means it matters who your closest companions are in life. It also means it matters with whom you go into business. All of this matters! It all matters because as Paul says to the Corinthians in verse 13, we often close our hearts off to God and widen it to the wrong things.
TRANSITION
A great question to ask at this point is… why?
Why does it matter who I yoke myself to spiritually?
Why does it matter who I date or who I marry?
Why does it matter who my closes friends are?
Why does it matter who I do business with?
WHY THIS SHOULD NOT BE DONE
There are two primary reasons that answer the “why” when it comes to this difficult subject.
First, the Apostle Paul says that the differences between a believer in Jesus and someone who is not a believer is a difference on the most basic levels of life and worldview. There should not be so much in common with a believer and an unbeliever that they are equally yoked to make it intimately through life.
* A believer is partnered with righteousness while an unbeliever is partnered with lawlessness.
* A believer fellowships with light while an unbeliever fellowships in the dark.
* A believer’s Lord is Jesus Christ while an unbeliever’s lord is by default the devil.
* A believer’s life agreement is with God while an unbeliever has no such agreement.
* A believer is the temple of God while an unbeliever has not let God on the property.
* A believer is part of the people of God and an unbeliever by choice is not.
* A believer is spiritually cleaned by the blood of Christ while an unbeliever is guilty of their sin.
* A believer in Christ is a son or daughter of God; while an unbeliever belongs to Satan.
These are extreme statements that the Apostle Paul makes to drive home the point that when you and I become believers in Jesus, absolutely and fully the “old has gone and the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are different. Christ makes a human being completely different. The word picture of the yoked oxen is meant to make us consider those people who are closest to us in our lives and see if they are pulling in the same direction as us. The first reason why this is in 2 Corinthians 6 is because the difference between a believer and non-believer is vast.
Second, God commanded it. We see in the Old Testament and here as well in the New Testament that the identity of God’s people centers on Him and part of that identity is to be separated from the worldliness of the world.
READ LEVITICUS 20:26 (ESV)
You shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.
READ EZEKIEL 14:7 (ESV)
For any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, who separates himself from Me, taking his idols into his heart and putting the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to a prophet to consult Me through him, I the Lord will answer him Myself.
The People of God follow God. The people of God worship the Lord our God and serve Him only. We hold what God says as holy as holy and we live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Our citizenship is in Heaven for the Kingdom of God is not of this world. Those truths separate us from others in the world.
The complication with following this command is that we think the Bible says “be of the world but not in the world.” That phrase is sorta in the Bible. “In the world but not of the world” does not appear in the Bible exactly, but rather it is a phrase that joins several sayings of Jesus together:
READ JOHN 15:19 (ESV)
If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
READ JOHN 17:11 (ESV)
And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your Name, which You have given Me, that they may be one, even as We are One.
READ JOHN 17:14-16 (ESV)
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. 15 I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Whereas “in the world” was used by way of contrast between Jesus and his disciples, the phrase “not of the world” is used to show similarity. The disciples are not of the world just as Jesus is not of the world.
Jesus’ prayer and desire for believers is an identity rooted in divine unity. Part of what identifies a disciple of Christ is the receipt of the Word which sanctifies us in Truth (John 17:15-17). Those who follow Christ are in the world in a way that Jesus no longer is because He sits at the right hand of God. We, however, are still in the world and need to push, pull, and travel through this life. The Apostle Paul says that we need to hitch ourselves to those who follow Christ. Our closest companions and partners and influences should belong Him; not of this world.
APPLICATION
The application of this eternal truth from the Scriptures is difficult.
Be very careful to whom we yoke ourselves spiritually.
Be very careful with whom we date, flirt, and deem exclusive.
Be very careful with whom we enter into a covenant of marriage.
If we are already unequally yoked in marriage, follow 1 Corinthians 7 and pray for their salvation.
Be very careful who our closest friends are for their influence on us is great.
Be very careful with whom we do business because their ethics and ours must match.
PRAYER
INVITATION
CHILDREN’S SERMON
Good morning, boys and girls! Today I want to talk about a Bible verse from 2 Corinthians 6:14. It says, ‘Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.’ That sounds a little confusing, doesn’t it? What does yoked mean?
Well, a yoke is something that connects two animals, like two oxen, so they can work together. If the two animals aren’t the same size or strength, they can’t pull the plow very well. They’ll pull in different directions or one will drag the other.
Let’s try a little experiment so we can understand this better. I need one kid volunteer to come up with me. We’re going to have a short relay race and you and I are going to be partners. We have to run together side by side.
Do you think that will go well?
This is kind of what the Apostle Paul was saying in the Bible. If we are connected too closely to people who don’t love or follow Jesus, it can make it very hard for us to run our race of faith. They might pull us in the wrong direction or keep us from following Jesus with all our hearts.
Now, does that mean we shouldn’t have friends who don’t believe in Jesus? Of course not! We should love everyone, be kind to everyone, and be a good example. But when it comes to the closest closest partnerships; like who we look to for advice, or who we join together with to live life; we want to make sure we are ‘yoked’ with people who also love Jesus. That way, we can run the race of faith together, helping each other instead of holding each other back.
Remember: We run best when we run with Jesus and with friends who also want to follow Him.
