The Dilemma of Collaborating with Unbelievers

The profound words of Jesus Christ, “They are in the world but are not of the world,” present a thorny paradox for the Church. We are called to withdraw from the world and set ourselves apart for service to an infinitely holy God. But we are also urged to be the salt of the earth, to be exceptionally shrewd and flexible

, wisely adapting to our social context so that, as Paul says, “by all means [we] might save some” (see 1 Corinthians 9:19–23).

Without a doubt, we children of God are called to cultivate opportunities to share our testimony and our faith with those who do not know the gospel. This will inevitably bring us into contact, and sometimes even into collaboration, with institutions and people who do not share our Christian values.

On the other hand, the Bible warns us again and again against intimate association with unbelievers. Amos 3:3 asks rhetorically, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” The obvious answer is “No.” In 2 Corinthians 6:14–16, the apostle Paul gives us this solemn warning:

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers; for what fellowship does righteousness have with unrighteousness? And what communion does light have with darkness?

15 And what accord does Christ have with Belial? Or what part does a believer have with an unbeliever?

16 And what agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For you are the temple of the living God, as God said: I will dwell and walk among them, And I will be their God, And they shall be my people.

Between these two dimensions of the Word—collaboration and separation—there will always be tension for the believer. Inevitably, as we move through the world, there will be occasions when the biblical boundaries concerning collaboration with unbelievers are not entirely clear or well defined.

The church I lead, for example, has social-service ministries that bring it significant amounts of funding from the United States federal government, as well as from private philanthropic agencies with profoundly secular values. Our social involvement has enabled us to present a very positive testimony to the secular community, making an impact on our city’s authorities as well as on other sectors of the society in which we carry out our ministry.

I am well aware that our moral and spiritual values are frequently diametrically opposed to some of the values these institutions hold. At all times, both our staff and I are clear that we will never allow our Christian values to be compromised in order to receive or retain any kind of assistance from the secular world. Nevertheless, the tension is always there, and we continually have to ask ourselves whether we are holding firmly to our values amid this inevitable collaboration with the world.

I believe that part of the solution to this dilemma lies in distinguishing between people who simply do not share our values and whose stance toward Christian values is more or less neutral or even skeptical, and those who take a militantly anti-Christian stance, holding values openly opposed to the tenets of our faith.

In the passage from 2 Corinthians 6:14–16 cited earlier, Paul uses very vivid, forceful words to describe the people with whom believers should avoid becoming intimate. The apostle seems to have principally in mind that segment of society clearly committed to the world of darkness: those who openly worship idols and demons (“What fellowship does righteousness have with unrighteousness? And what communion does light have with darkness? And what accord does Christ have with Belial?”). Moreover, Paul seems to be referring above all to a kind of intimate association with unbelievers. That is why he uses terms such as “unequal yoke,” “fellowship,” and “accord”—words that suggest a close relationship rather than a limited collaboration that does not require the believer to sacrifice spiritual values.

Having said all this, we must recognize that even so, collaboration with nonbelievers, however cautiously and carefully undertaken, will always be a very delicate and uncomfortable matter for the children of God. It will require great spiritual discernment, much prayer and reflection, and continual reassessment of our relationships with that sector of society. At all times, the overriding concern must be to remain faithful to God and never compromise the values of our faith.

If the foremost aim motivating our actions is to glorify God and save souls, and we first entrust ourselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we undertake our evangelistic efforts, we will be protected when we make the daring leaps that inevitable collaboration with unbelievers demands.