Fellowship....

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (2 Corinthisnans 6:14)

Oy, is that a catch 22 for the believer or what? Most of us in the Body use this verse in terms of marrige. And while that is a very accurate application, I've run into way too many believers who take this verse and run right out of the bar with it.

The bar? Yup. That is what I said.

Let me 'splain, Lucy.

I have dear friends who don't know the Lord. People I genuinly love. Some of them sit on the hill with me during football practice. Others I've served with in PTA or worked with. Still others I grew up with and some are family.

"what fellowship can light have with darkness?" Paul asks us. The question began to haunt on me after a Christmas party we had that was made up primarily of non-believers.

If we are to have nothing to do with someone who is un-equally yoked, does that mean that we only associate with the Body? Do we only go to church sanctioned events? Do we only hit the chile cook off for a night out? And in my world, do we only invite believers to our Christmas party?

Every commentary I could find on this verse explained it in terms of marriage. Why? It is related to intamacy. Okay, got it. But lets take it another step shall we? Are we girls not intamite in our friendships as well? I am not talking about anything French here. Duh, family friendly blog people.

But we woman have an ability to be intamite with other woman in a way that men don't get. We do share our hearts and our souls. But when we are friends with unbelievers, and I would maintain that we should be, the level of intamacy in that friendship is what should not be un-equaly yoked. And perhaps even more deeply, if we are friends with a believer who is still only on milk, our level of intamacy should not include steak. (1 Corinthians 3:2)

Now I am not suggesting doing shots with unbelievers either. But I am suggesting that should you happen to have the pagean side of the family over for Easter dinner or you find yourself at the next family wedding, we are still required to be genuine and transparent. But I don't think we are to share our deepest soul with those who simply cannot understand. Even a milk fed believer will not understand a steak dinner. Some believers realy do prefer the darkness for a season. It is not up to us to deliever them from it by shining a spot light or throwing steak at them. God will wean them onto solids soon enough. And who knows, maybe you will get to share a steak together...if not here, perhaps in eternity.