FRIDAY 5TH JUNE 2020 MORNING
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 New International Version (NIV)
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? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will live with them
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”
17 Therefore,
“Come out from them
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”
18 And,
“I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
This text speaks especially to the issue of influence. Paul is not suggesting that Christians never associate with unbelievers (he makes this clear in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13). The principle is that we are to be in the world, but not of the world, like a ship should be in the water, but water shouldn't be in the ship!
We all like to believe that we can be around ungodly things as much as we want, and that we are strong enough to ward off the influence. But we must take seriously the words of Scripture: Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits" (1 Corinthians 15:33).
IJUMAA TAREHE 5 JUNI 2020 ASUBUHI 2 WAKORINTHO 6:14-18
14 Msifungiwe nira pamoja na wasioamini, kwa jinsi isivyo sawasawa; kwa maana pana urafiki gani kati ya haki na uasi? Tena pana shirika gani kati ya nuru na giza?
15 Tena pana ulinganifu gani kati ya Kristo na Beliari? Au yeye aaminiye ana sehemu gani pamoja na yeye asiyeamini?
16 Tena pana mapatano gani kati ya hekalu la Mungu na sanamu? Kwa maana sisi tu hekalu la Mungu aliye hai; kama Mungu alivyosema, ya kwamba, Nitakaa ndani yao, na kati yao nitatembea, nami nitakuwa Mungu wao, nao watakuwa watu wangu.
17 Kwa hiyo, Tokeni kati yao, Mkatengwe nao, asema Bwana, Msiguse kitu kilicho kichafu, Nami nitawakaribisha.
18 Nitakuwa Baba kwenu, Nanyi mtakuwa kwangu wanangu wa kiume na wa kike,
Kifungu hiki kinazungumzia zaidi hali ya kuzidiwa nguvu. Mtume Paulo hafundishi kuwa Wakristo kamwe wasijihusishe na watu wasio amini (analiweka wazi katika 1Wakrorintho 5:9-13). Kanuni ni kuwa, sisi tuko katika dunia hii, lakini siyo wa dunia hii, kama ilivyo kwa meli, inahitaji kuwa kwenye maji, lakini maji hayatakiwi kuwa ndani ya meli.
Tunafika mahali tunaamini kuwa tunaweza kuchangamana na vitu visivyo vya kimungu kadiri tupendavyo, na kuwa tunao uwezo wa kutosha kuhimili nguvu hizo. Lakini ni vyema tukazingatia sana jinsi maandiko yanavyosema: "Msidanganyike; Mazungumzo mabaya huharibu tabia njema." (1 Wakorintho 15:33).