Genesis 2:18
Now the Lord God said, “It is not good (beneficial) for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [one who balances him—a counterpart who is] suitable and complementary for him.”
God created us to be in union with Him yet as we are here upon the earth God created us to be companions of one another. While we are in human form, here on earth, we need our own kind to be companions with. So God created Eve to be the companion of Adam. The first pair and the perfect pair. God created us to be in community and to have human companionship. God loves us so very much, in addition to His own union with us, He has given us one another. (I'll be speaking more about this tonight at church, so CLICK HERE and join me!)
Our union with God is THE most important and our relationship with one another is the second most important. Our union with God, and our relationship with Him, is the foundation of how we will act when in relationship with others. And when we start to think about this it makes perfect sense because we know that some people are really harsh and hard to love and most of the time they aren't Christian. Many times those people are the ones that no one wants to be around because they bring down the room they enter into. The ones who don't have a union with God don't make good companions.
I have several testimonies of how people have commented about how peaceful I am. Some who don't have a grid for the peace of Jesus have made comments to me that I "must have such an easy life." I always let them know that I'm only at peace because it's the peace of Jesus, the peace that comes from knowing Him and spending time in the Bible. Most of the time people can tell that there is something different about us, because we act differently, but they don't necessarily know that it's because of our foundation in Jesus. We have to make sure that we point it out to others so that we can testify to how Jesus makes a difference, a noticeable difference, in a person's life.
All of our relationships are built on whatever foundation we are standing on. If we are standing on sinking sand, our relationships will show it. But when we've made our union with the Lord a priority, because we understand we have to stand on a firm foundation, then our relationships will show that also.
Psalm 119:63
I am a companion of all who [reverently] fear You, And of those who keep and honor Your precepts.
These were the words of King David stating that he would be a companion of only those who knew the Lord and were standing on His foundation. Anyone not standing on the Lord is then standing with the enemy. King David understood that with God all things are possible and that no one could come against God so why stand with any other body of people. King David made sure that he was only companions with people who had the same ethics and beliefs that he did. King David built a Godly community around himself that had God at the center of his community.
There is a difference between being a companion to someone versus helping, serving, and ministering to someone. The Bible is clear that believers are to stay among believers yet as believers we are called to go into our own part of the world and spread the love of Jesus. We are told to go out and love others, sharing the love and truth of Jesus, but watch who we bring back into our community to journey through life with.
2 Corinthians 6:14
Do not be unequally bound together with unbelievers [do not make mismatched alliances with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
Many times we have a tendency to blur the lines of how the Bible instructs us to live. And because we have a need to belong, we overlook the sin of others so we can become a part of their life. But the Bible is clear - we are to be equally-yoked in community and then the function of that community is to minister to others. If and when we invite them into our community it's with the understanding that they have to be interested and committed to the way that the community of believers functions, with God's precepts at the foundation. Companionship among believers is precious to the Lord and He doesn't want those relationships to be tarnished by temptation of sin. God wants us to stay on track and stay in union with Him.
When we look at the instructions of Jesus, and how we are called to live New Covenant lives, many times we unearth ways of living which haven't been biblical. Instead of judging ourselves, or having feelings of guilt for doing it wrong, all we are required to do is ask Jesus for forgiveness and then take action to course-correct ourselves.
Here's the full scripture in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
Do not be unequally bound together with unbelievers [do not make mismatched alliances with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial (Satan)? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said:
“I will dwell among them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. “So come out from among unbelievers and be separate,” says the Lord, “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will graciously receive you and welcome you [with favor], And I will be a Father to you, And you will be My sons and daughters,” Says the Lord Almighty.
It's important for us to make sure that we don't place people ahead of God's ways. Let's embrace God's instructions and make corrective actions in our life. Let's make sure that we are equally-yoked in the way that God desires for us.
If you are looking for a community - I invite you to join mine. We gather in prayer and study the word of God every Wednesday over YouTube. CLICK HERE to find our next service and you can chat with the Tirzah Tribe and other attendees during church service.