"How can two people walk together unless they be agreed? That is, how can they walk together in harmony unless they are of the same opinion with respect to the road they travel, the calls they make and a good many other matters relating to the jouney." William Booth
I am initially drawn to 2 Corinthians 6:14 with this quote;
"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?"
But also, in all fairness, it's not just a marriage thing - which is how it is generally interpreted, but it's also a parnership thing.
Check out verse 16:
"What agreement is there between the Temple of God and idols?
Where in the Army do we come into agreement with other 'organizations' -who worship idols- just to increase our pool of resources? God have mercy on us, for what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?
What agreement is there between the Temple of God and idols?
Absolutely none.
No big deal you say?
What are the consequences to these sorts of alignments? The Old Testament is fraught with examples of the Israelites -a people set apart for God to display His love and righteousness to the nations- settling in and rubbing shoulders with the locals who worshipped all sorts of gods and who were involved in all sorts of dodgy and detestable worship practices (not just sacrifices of animals and children, but perverted sex acts, cutting their own flesh (bloodlust) and the list goes on). Jews were marrying into these families, taking on their rituals and generally becoming a people desecrated, all for the sake of increased land ownership, more exotic women...larger herds or maybe just because they were there. Do you catch my drift? Yahweh was prepared to meet every need His chosen people had forever. Instead, they chose to be yoked with unbelievers and have fellowship with darkness.
All very well and good you say Heather...but what are you getting at?
I suggest that there are occurences today in our Church where, in the interest of money and resources and distinction, we have partnered with people groups who worship false gods, who operate in ungodly business practices and support the promotion of lifestyles that Yahweh finds detestable.
It's not about being self-righteous. It's about being the Temple of the Living God. For God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God and they will be my people. 'Therefore come out from them and be separate says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you and you will be My sons and daughters' says the Lord Almighty." v16-18
He will be a Father to us - that means He will protect us from the one who comes to accuse us and to destroy us as we stand firm on His foundation. He will meet all of our physical needs as a Church - He won't deny us any more than a mother would deny her newborn the breast for nourishment.
Just as the Israelites made a hundred little decisions over time that led to their defilement, so have we made those same decisions. However, in the same way, through godly sorrow that leads to repentance, and then standing firm in Holy Spirit's resurrection p ower, we can break off alliances with the ungodly, and as we do, He will use us to display His love and righteousness to the nations.
posted by:
Heather Wright
The War College
Death and Glory
