Yoked
SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 6:11-18 
Read the passage
BIO: Wil Brown
Love writing music and being with friends
My family is one of the rocks in my life
I was born in Oxford Mississippi
I lead worship for the Genesis service at First Pres of Orlando. I am thoroughly involved with the Worship Arts ministry of First Pres and thoroughly involved in the lives of our body here at this church.
KEY VERSE: 2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
CENTRAL TRUTH: We, as Christ’s followers, must live our lives in a way that allows us to support, encourage, and walk with each other to achieve our common goal and purpose… That purpose is Jesus and Christ likeness
DEVOTIONAL: At first glance, one might read this passage (i.e. me) and think that Paul is encouraging us to avoid non-believers at all costs but as I read more, I came to realize this was false. When I think of the word “yoked,” I think of oxen. Oxen are yoked together to perform a task and reach a common goal. If one doesn’t move toward the goal or tries to move in the opposite direction of its counterpart they gain nothing but frustration.
The perfect relationship for me to relate this passage to is the relationship that I have with my wife. Living life for each other with Christ as our center AND loving and pursing each other the way Christ relentlessly pursed his disciples and all people is our number one task. Natalie and I have recognized that God, by his grace and love, has bound us together under one yoke to march forward toward this goal. Now, are there times where we stumble? Yes, of course but because we share the common bond of Christ and fulfilling the work he’s called us to, we pick each other up when we fall and we encourage each other when we feel like there is no hope.
This is what I feel Paul is speaking to… Paul doesn’t want us to isolate ourselves from non-believers. I think Paul’s a smart enough guy to know that living in isolation from the lost would be pretty contradictory to how he knew Jesus lived. Paul is urging us to take caution about the relationships, and partnerships we enter into that could be detrimental to our spiritual integrity. I think he’s saying, “Be careful…” be careful in how we as Christians approach influential relationships and “big ticket” decisions that arise in our lives. We need to make sure we prayerfully discern God’s will for our lives when others around us might not be in agreement or even concerned about the Christ centered goals we’re focused on.
QUESTION 1: Do I fully understand the difference between "not being yoked with unbelievers" and being in community with unbelievers?
QUESTION 2: Can I remember a time when I made poor decisions due to the un-godly counsel of a friend or partner?
QUESTION 3: How can I avoid the un-godly counsel of a friend or partner in the future and how do I communicate that with them in a loving way and avoid the perception of being judging and condemning?
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