Dangerous Alliances

Verse of the day: Exodus 33:11-13 Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I am driving out from before you the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 12 Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst. 13 But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images

We already know that the Lord is being very specific with Moses about the sin of idolatry because this is the sin that the people have just committed. However, as we read this passage, and these verses, it is very applicable to life today. There are two extremes that many of us take in our walk and relationship with Christ. We either become Pharisaical or worldly in our Christianity. Neither extreme will prove to be beneficial to us in our desire to serve the Lord effectively. On the one hand, in our attempts to not be influenced by the world, we will close our circle of influence, and only surround ourselves with other Christians, failing to befriend any unsaved people. Who then do we lead to Christ? Sadly, another byproduct of living like this is that we become extremely judgmental, and take on that “holier than thou” attitude that only reveals our hypocrisy when we become blind to our own faults. The other extreme is that, for the sake of “winning the lost” and not being too offensive, we live so much like the world, using their language, practicing the things they do, that no one can tell the difference between us, who have Christ, and those who do not. Our testimony is garbage at best, and people get the idea that they can become a Christian and not change their behavior. Christianity is about balance. How do we find that balance? Well, it begins with Christ. When we read this passage, God is very clear that He does not want His people to be intimately intermingled with the idolatrous people of that land He is leading them to. Today, we take little care to protect our Christian walk, thinking that we will be the influence in a circle of unsaved friends. The Apostle Paul made it clear in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’” We must not forget that God was not only clear with the Israelites as to what He expected from them in return for what He was going to do for them, but He was also clear with us as to how we are to represent Him here on earth once we receive eternal life in Christ. We are in this world, but not of this world (John 17:14-15). We are here physically, but the world’s values and morals are not to be ours. In 2 Corinthians 6, the Apostle Paul quotes Old Testament Scripture when he writes to them and says this in verses 16-18, in respect to being unequally yoked with unbelievers, “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’” 17 “Therefore, ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. 18 I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.’” Here, he is quoting Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:27; Isaiah 52:11; Ezekiel 20:34, 41; and 2 Samuel 7:14. What does this mean for us in our relationships? Does it mean that we cannot interact with any unsaved people? No, it does not. We will encounter unsaved people every day of our lives. Many of our co-workers will be unsaved. Rather than isolate ourselves, and come across as if we are unapproachable and better than everyone else in our workplace, we can make our testimony shine by being one of the best workers in our place of employment. We can be responsible and diligent. We can be the one person who refuses to use foul language or cheat our bosses of time we are supposed to be utilizing to get work done, by arriving on time, leaving when we are supposed to, and finishing the work we are being paid to do. We can intermingle with those who we work with, as far as having lunch together, using that opportunity to seek openings to share Christ, or at the very least find out what is going on in our co-workers’ lives so that we can let them know that we are praying for them, or even offer help. Our workplace can be our mission field. We can take the same approach in times when we have the opportunity to interact socially. Some of us have opportunities to attend weddings, family gatherings, and other social events where we can attend, and be a testimony for Christ. This means not cussing like everyone else or drinking to get drunk like everyone else. These are just a couple of examples. The bottom line is that we can be in the world, enjoy some of the opportunities to interact with others, using those occasions for open doors to share Christ, yet not pollute ourselves with the ways of the world. We must have our most intimate relationships with those who are of like faith, but have enough unsaved acquaintances that we give ourselves opportunities to win some to Christ while we are here, for this short time, on earth.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).