Today’s BDBD continues a BDBD from three days ago. Paul, in the first letter to the Corinthian congregation, had told them not to marry an unbeliever (chapter 7). Since he repeats it here, some must have disregarded his direction at the direction of false apostles who were undermining Paul’s ministry of reconciliation.
Paul contrasts a believer in Jesus with those who reject Jesus. A believer is righteous, light, filled with Christ, and a temple of the living God. An unbeliever in Jesus is wickedness, darkness, filled with Satan, and the temple of useless idols. Belial means useless, of Hebrew origin, and refers to the devil.
As water and oil do not mix, a believer and an unbeliever will never mix. Eventually, the devil will ignite the unbeliever, and the believer will be left alone, most likely heated to a boil as a result. Water cannot clean oil. We cannot change people. Only God can do that. Don’t get burned waiting for the unbeliever to change.
