What agreement?

Wesley Wright

Lighthouse Bible Church

Sunday, April 19, 2026

 

Title: What agreement?

 

2Co 6:11-16

 

As a reminder:

• We are in the day of salvation
• Remember the paradoxes? Poor but making many rich, unknown yet well known, etc.

 

Paul reminds his readers that the apostles’ love for their readers

(2Co 6:11-13) is what drives their behavior towards the people of Corinth.

 

He implores them to open wide also, which means that they should be unrestrained in their love toward him in the same way that he was toward them.

 

Notably, Paul’s direction to the Corinthians was that they not be bound (yoked) with unbelievers in 2Co 6:14. What does that mean?

 

His direction does not mean to end any contact with unbelievers.

 

1Co 5:9-13;

1Co 10:25-31

 

Paul recognized that the two would be at odds. Look at the OT for a clue.

Deu 22:10;

Lev 19:19

 

There are relationships we can have with unbelievers that have no bearing on our relationship (and duty) in service to our God, and the body of Christ.

 

We must also be wary of the relationships that can infringe upon our service to God. Could be a prospective marriage, a friendship, a business relationship, etc.

 

The rhetorical questions all make the same point — there is no agreement between God and satan, righteousness and lawlessness, temple of God and idols, etc.

 

It’s us believers who are imitators of God, not the world: 1Co 15:31-34; Eph 5:1-13

 

Paul writes that we (believers) are the temple of the living God in 2Co 6:16. How did the people of Israel treat their temple?

 

Strangers were forbidden from parts of the temple, too: Num 3:10, 3:38

 

God made it clear that no Gentile could enter the sanctuary: Eze 44:6-10

 

Jews from Asia stirred up a crowd against Paul. The allegations? That he brought an unbeliever into the temple: Act 21:27-30

 

Another time, the accusation was that he desecrated the temple:

Act 24:1-6

 

The Jews were devoted to treating their temple the right way, which meant limiting access. That’s the larger relationship point where unbelievers are concerned — don’t compromise.

 

We’re in this world, but we believers are not of this world. Be careful that you don’t get tied up with someone who is a unbeliever if it means that you compromise your own ministry.

 

Next week we’ll discuss the benefits that come from doing exactly what the Lord’s will is, and being His sons and daughters having cleansed ourselves.