The Daily Word: Friday, September 3rd, 2021
Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7
Psalm 47:1-9
Proverbs 22:16
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? – 2 Cor. 6:14
We hear this verse employed all the time in church in relation to dating. Don’t be unequally yoked! Date someone who is a Christian. If you join yourself to a man or woman who doesn’t run after Jesus the way you do, you’ll simply run around in circles!
This is true? But what about friendships? The Apostle Paul is not talking specifically about dating in 2 Corinthians 6. The context is an exhortation to be holy in every area: not just your romantic relationships. So while the application of this verse to dating is absolutely correct, it is not complete. We must apply it to every area of our lives.
Are your friendships holy? An “unbeliever” is one who is “unbelieving [or] incredulous [and] without trust in God.”[1] Do the people you spend time with trust in God? Or do they mock and ridicule you for your faith? Sooner or later those relationships will cause you to question your own relationship with Jesus!
If you’re spending time with the wrong people – whether romantic or otherwise – it’s time to reconsider. Build relationship with people who are going to pull you closer to the Cross, instead of pushing you away! Cultivate holy friendships, and watch how the presence and the power of God flourish in your life.
Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” – 2 Cor. 6:17
Prayer:
Father, I pray You would fill my life with people who love You with all their heart! Help me never to settle for anything less than holy, healthy friendships. Help me to prune what needs pruning, and water what needs watering, in Jesus’ name!
© Michael D. White, 2021. All rights reserved.
[1] Strong’s G571; apistos