2 CORINTHIANS 6 14

Contrary to the way most Christians interpret this verse today, it seems to me Paul couldn't have been talking about marriage. The reason I say this is due to that most important of rules when it comes to Biblical study: context.

Paul had spent the epistle up to this point refuting the claims of false apostles to whom the Corinthian believers had fallen prey. These false apostles were teaching what a lot of false teachers are today: that the Christian life is one of ease and accruing blessings for oneself.

From chapter 7 onward, Paul continues on this theme, rebuking the Corinthians for the lack of generosity engendered by these false brethren, rebuking the believers at Corinth for having listened to these silver-tongued devils in the first place, and standing up for himself against the false apostles' claim that Paul was the real false teacher in their midst.

Thus, it seems pretty clear that what Paul is saying in v14 and the rest of chapter 6 is that the Corinthians should kick out these false believers. Paul's true Christianity and the false Christianity described above were like a donkey and an ox trying to pull the same plow: it wasn't going to get anywhere.

This is the same as today. I have a real problem with so much of evangelical Christianity embracing Catholics in the name of "family values." Catholicism and true Christianity are indeed an ox and a donkey trying to pull the same plow. True Christianity is a relationship with Christ entered into through being born again (see Acts 2 38.) Catholicism, on the other hand, is a series of rituals, rules and traditions followed by their adherents and entered into through another series of rituals. (Though, I do realize there are some born-again Catholics.)

The church needs to start taking this contextual interpretation of 2 Corinthians 6 14 seriously.