2 Corinthians 6:14-18
The Temple of the Living God
14 Don’t continue to team up with unbelievers in mismatched alliances, for what partnership is there between righteousness and rebellion? Who could mingle light with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and Satan? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What friendship does God’s temple[c] have with demons? For indeed, we are the temple of the living God, just as God has said:
I will make my home in them and walk among them.
I will be their God, and they will be my people.
17 For this reason,
“Come out from among them and be separate,” says the Lord.
“Touch nothing that is unclean, and I will embrace you.
18
I will be a true Father to you,
and you will be my beloved sons and daughters,”
says the Lord Yahweh Almighty.
In our passage today, the Apostle Paul encourages all Christians to pay attention to the relationships we may form with unbelievers, because being with them can sway our own commitment to Christ. When we associate with people who do not share our goal to remain in the integrity of Christ, we can find ourselves compromising just to avoid conflict. Paul is not saying we should leave our unbelieving spouses. He is not advocating that we isolate ourselves from unbelievers. He is revealing the issues that can arise and encourages us to be careful to remain loyal to Christ in the midst of them. Sometimes we have to limit the amount of time we spend with certain people in order to stay close to God. Sometimes, we cannot go to the same places others go, because we know it displeases God. We can never dismiss our responsibility to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others, but we must pay careful attention to any relationship that tries to divide our loyalty to Christ.
Prayer: Father, thank you for the reminder that we must be careful with the company we keep and the relationships we cultivate. Please continue to surround me with people who love you and remain committed to you, so I too remain strong in faith. Help me to be a blessing and witness to others who need to know Jesus. In Jesus’ name. Amen.