No Covenants with Unbelievers

[HerbLeisure]

I have heard several explanations for 2 Corinthians 6:14, but to date none has been completely satisfactory to me. This verse seems to say that no Christian should ever enter into any covenant relationship with an unbeliever. Some have acknowledged the wisdom of not entering into a marriage or partnership with an unbeliever, but Paul's statement does not seem to be limited to marriages or partnerships. This verse seems to say that believers should not enter into any contractual agreement with any unbeliever, thus preventing a Christian from buying a car or a house, having a credit card or even checking the box required to use software on a computer. Was Paul speaking to the members as individuals, or was he possibly speaking to the church as a whole--to the church as the body of Christ?

[George]

Shalom HerbLeisure,

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[AdHoc]

25 minutes ago, HerbLeisure said:

I have heard several explanations for 2 Corinthians 6:14, but to date none has been completely satisfactory to me. This verse seems to say that no Christian should ever enter into any covenant relationship with an unbeliever. Some have acknowledged the wisdom of not entering into a marriage or partnership with an unbeliever, but Paul's statement does not seem to be limited to marriages or partnerships. This verse seems to say that believers should not enter into any contractual agreement with any unbeliever, thus preventing a Christian from buying a car or a house, having a credit card or even checking the box required to use software on a computer. Was Paul speaking to the members as individuals, or was he possibly speaking to the church as a whole--to the church as the body of Christ?

Hi and welcome to Worthy Forum. I hope your stay here will be a great blessing.

Your thoughts on 2nd Corinthians 6 are correct. The Chapter starts with "MINISTRY". The statements of this Chapter point back to Ezra and Nehemiah as they struggled with obstacles in building God's House. The main opposition came from local residents - namely Samaritans. And the way they opposed God's House was to try to join the 48 thousand Jews who had come back from Babylon to build the House and City that would herald Jesus. From 1st Corinthians we can easily see that our job is not primarily to give to the poor and help drug addicts. The job of every Christian is primarily to build God's House on earth into a corporate Body of mature Christians (see Ephesians Chapter 4).

In the process of doing this, our Lord Jesus purposefully does not take us out of the world, but prays to the Father to keep them (Jn.17:15). In an ideal world we would all fall in love with born again Christians. And if you marry an unbeliever, there will be some drawbacks. But marriage was instituted long before Israel and long before the Church. The cement of a good marriage is "Eros" and then a growing mutual "Philadelphia" were there is mutual love and respect. Marrying a Christian is good, but the divorce rate in Christian marriages is only slightly lower than the world. In business, the same applies. In the world you will deal with unbelievers in the market place. In this case you must exercise your spirit (Jn.4:24, Rom.8:14) and ask God for wisdom (James). There are many successful Christians business men out there, but many of them use worldly tactics. Doing business with a Christian is no guarantee.

[Michael37]

48 minutes ago, HerbLeisure said:

I have heard several explanations for 2 Corinthians 6:14, but to date none has been completely satisfactory to me. This verse seems to say that no Christian should ever enter into any covenant relationship with an unbeliever. Some have acknowledged the wisdom of not entering into a marriage or partnership with an unbeliever, but Paul's statement does not seem to be limited to marriages or partnerships. This verse seems to say that believers should not enter into any contractual agreement with any unbeliever, thus preventing a Christian from buying a car or a house, having a credit card or even checking the box required to use software on a computer. Was Paul speaking to the members as individuals, or was he possibly speaking to the church as a whole--to the church as the body of Christ?

Hi @HerbLeisure

This thread was moved from the WELCOME section as you already had a welcome post going there.

The thought is of being unequally yoked with unbelievers who tend to pull in different directions and operate by a different code of conduct from Christians.

This applies to every area of life. It doesn't mean you can't mix with unbelievers or do any business with them, but it does mean that tying yourself into binding relationships that require trust and cooperation on a long term basis is ill-advised and contrary to Christian NT doctrine.

I have been a businessman for nearly five decades and have stuck by this principle of not being unequally yoked to unbelievers. This doesn't mean I don't have them as clients but it means my company doesn't have board members or directors who are unbelievers, no matter how skilled or qualified some might be. 

[FJK]

FWIW, a little over 25 years ago I had a Lutheran Pastor explain such things this way:

If you make a batch of Brownies using all the finest of ingredients and using the utmost care to do it perfectly then add just a very small amount of dog poop to it, will it be still a fine batch of brownies you are willing to eat?

Adding something evil to something good doesn't make the evil good, it makes the good evil.

[farouk]

1 hour ago, HerbLeisure said:

I have heard several explanations for 2 Corinthians 6:14, but to date none has been completely satisfactory to me. This verse seems to say that no Christian should ever enter into any covenant relationship with an unbeliever. Some have acknowledged the wisdom of not entering into a marriage or partnership with an unbeliever, but Paul's statement does not seem to be limited to marriages or partnerships. This verse seems to say that believers should not enter into any contractual agreement with any unbeliever, thus preventing a Christian from buying a car or a house, having a credit card or even checking the box required to use software on a computer. Was Paul speaking to the members as individuals, or was he possibly speaking to the church as a whole--to the church as the body of Christ?

I think it's more generally about moral and spiritual separation. Philippians 3.20: "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: ... " (Sometimes 'conversation' there is rendered 'citizenship'.)

[Neighbor]

5 minutes ago, FJK said:

FWIW, a little over 25 years ago I had a Lutheran Pastor explain such things this way:

If you make a batch of Brownies using all the finest of ingredients and using the utmost care to do it perfectly then add just a very small amount of dog poop to it, will it be still a fine batch of brownies you are willing to eat?

Adding something evil to something good doesn't make the evil good, it makes the good evil.

And yet being in the unsaved world does not make one of the world.

 I am no less evil for being Christian than I was before being Christian. I am but called of the Holy Spirit to awareness of my falling short of the glory of God and of needing the saving  grace provided through Yeshua.  I receive that saving grace in awe of God's mercy from everlasting to everlasting.

[farouk]

1 minute ago, Neighbor said:

And yet being in the unsaved world does not make one of the world.

 I am no less evil for being Christian than I was before being Christian. I am but called of the Holy Spirit to awareness of my falling short of the glory of God and of needing the saving  grace provided through Yeshua.  I receive that saving grace in awe of God's mercy from everlasting to everlasting.

Psalm 73.26 sums up what the Psalmist thinks of himself but also how he regards his sure hope:

"My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."

[AdHoc]

1 hour ago, HerbLeisure said:

I have heard several explanations for 2 Corinthians 6:14, but to date none has been completely satisfactory to me.

Here's the Forum at its best. Four answers above that are essentially different. You get to choose. That's God's way.

29  Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. (1 Co 14:29)

 

[Cntrysner]

2 hours ago, HerbLeisure said:

I have heard several explanations for 2 Corinthians 6:14, but to date none has been completely satisfactory to me. This verse seems to say that no Christian should ever enter into any covenant relationship with an unbeliever. Some have acknowledged the wisdom of not entering into a marriage or partnership with an unbeliever, but Paul's statement does not seem to be limited to marriages or partnerships. This verse seems to say that believers should not enter into any contractual agreement with any unbeliever, thus preventing a Christian from buying a car or a house, having a credit card or even checking the box required to use software on a computer. Was Paul speaking to the members as individuals, or was he possibly speaking to the church as a whole--to the church as the body of Christ?

It says unequally yoked by entering covenants and mentions with idol worshipers and infidels which one does not do based on beliefs in what they believe. You believe differently even by contract. We have a new testament in Christ where in we are not required to do anything, it is like a will or inheritance where you are required to do nothing but receive it and it is totally different than a contract under law. God judges the heart.

Edited March 28, 2023 by Cntrysner