Shalem IPC NJ

Scripture: 2 Cor. 6:11-16

Subject: Characteristics of Christian Life and Service -12

Theme: Uncompromising Life and Service.

   Introduction

·         Apostle Paul talks about Christians’ life and service in Chapters. 2 -9.

·         What kind of a life we as believers are supposed to live?

·         What is the nature of the service we do?

·         Paul taught us that:

·         We have a victorious life and service.

·         Ours is a sincere life and service.

·         We have a result-oriented life and service.

·         We have a competent life and service.

·         Ours is a glorious life and service.

·         We carry out a powerful life and ministry.

·         We lead a life and service of faith.

·         Then Paul said we live out a hopeful life and ministry.

·         He further said that ours is a life and ministry of reconciliation.

·         Last time we talked about a well-balanced life and ministry.

·         In our text today, Paul says that our life and service is uncompromising one.

A.    Paul cautions the Corinthians against mingling with unbelievers.

·         Paul is a making a plain talk over the issue of believers mingling with unbelievers.

·         That’s why he says in v.11 that, “"I'm expressing myself to you. My heart is just enlarged for your sakes."

·         He asked them to open wide their hearts also so that they would be able to think about some common issues in life in the   

          light of God’s Word.

·         It is wrong for good people to join in affinity with the wicked and irreligious people.

·         Sometimes we may have our own justification that the good will benefit the bad.

·         But there is more danger that the bad will damage the good than hoping that the good will benefit the bad.

·         As believers we have to be careful in many areas of life:

       1.      In Marriage Relationship

             ·  Many young people come in and say that they are so in love. Oh, he's the man of their dreams.

             ·  There's only one thing wrong: he isn't a Christian. "But I know that as I live the life of Christ before him and I walk in love                   and in meekness and all, I know he'll come to Jesus."

             ·  What the Bible says is this: 'Be not unequally yoked with an unbeliever.'"

             ·  They would say, "Oh, but you know, we love each other. And I know he's going to change."

             ·  Finally they are determined to marry in spite of the counsel of the word of God otherwise.

             ·  After one or two years, in many cases, we see the same young lady who is completely torn up. "Oh, I wish I had listened                   to the counsel. I'm living in a hell. I don't think I ever really loved him. Oh, this is horrible. Do I have to stay in this state?"

             ·  And their lives messed up because they thought that they could go against God's command and win and come out                           ahead.

             ·  "Be not unequally yoked together with an unbeliever."

             ·  Now, this does not and is not limited to just marriage.

             ·  This goes to many different types of yokes where we are brought together with an unbeliever, and we are always in an                     unequal situation. 

     2.      In Common Conversation

             ·  We should not yoke ourselves in friendship and acquaintance with wicked men and unbelievers.

             ·  Though we cannot wholly avoid seeing, and hearing, and working with such people, yet we should never choose them                     for our close friends.

     3.     In Business Relationship

            ·  Believers in business face the same problem.

            ·  It is that their partner wants to do that which is illegal.

            ·  Their common complaint is this: "They don't want to report all of the profits. They want to keep a double set of books.                      What shall I do?"

            ·  They've entered into an unequal yoke. "What fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? What communion has                   light with darkness?"

     4.     In Religious Worship

            ·  We should also be careful in joining with them in religious practices.

            ·  We must not join with them in their idolatrous services, nor be together with them in their false worship, nor any                                abominations.

            ·  We must not confound together the table of the Lord and the table of devils, the house of God and the temple of idols.

            ·  If you are in a situation where you are caught up and cannot avoid them, we can be there as an observant, but not as a                    participant.

B.     What does it mean to be an uncompromising life and service?

·         It is a life that cannot compromise with the standard of this world.

·         A service that cannot be done according to the standard of this world.

·         We are not against culture.

·         We are supposed to know the customs and norms of our society, but we cannot copy everything that is there in the culture.

·         When we live in a given culture, we must know three things about it:

·         There are negotiable things – Cultural elements that can be negotiated. For example, dress – we can make it modest; food              –  We can make it our own way; dialects and slangs- give new meaning into it; Festivals & carnivals – understand its                          cultural significance and remove evil elements; music-remove the evil elements.

·         There are non-negotiable things: Things we cannot accept in the light of the gospel. For example, sexual laxity and moral              depravity in the society; culturally accepted practices that are against Biblical teachings; etc.

·        There are neutral things – Cultural elements that are neither bad nor good. For example, arts, sports, games, music,                          educational system, etc.

Conclusion

·         Watch it, dear people of God. We are always in an unequal situation if we are yoked with an unbeliever.

·         We are trying to bring together unequal things. The results are always disastrous.

·         You see, they don't follow the same rules that we follow.

·         They don't live by the same ethic that we live by.

·         They have opposite interests and designs, so that it is impossible there should be any concord or agreement between them.

·         And to lie won't bother them. To cheat won't bother them. To fudge won't bother them; but it will bother us.

·         Paul concludes this session by saying, “For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and               walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."

·         May the Lord help us to continue to walk with Him and avoid anything that contaminates our life and service!

·         Remember, we have an uncompromising life and ministry.

Mathewphilip©2011