Hello friends! Last week we have witnessed some typical cases that the author experienced during his service as a pastor. With God in the centre, Christian and non-Christian partnerships may very well succeed, but sometimes it may also fail. What principles should we keep to deal with unequal yoke?

Perhaps the story of Nehemiah will give us some inspiration and help us preserve our boundary lines as people belonging to God.

保罗首次在他的书信里直接向读者提到捐款给耶路撒冷的问题。保罗在第三次旅行布道中着意提到耶路撒冷的筹款事宜。一方面耶路撒冷的确有此需要，另一方面，保罗希望借着这个需要来促进耶路撒冷教会与外邦教会的合一。由于耶路撒冷教会有些人排斥外邦教会，他们也以为保罗教导外邦人是违法了摩西律法，甚至摒弃了律法，因此对保罗产生了种种误会。为此保罗也希望借着捐款这一实际性的关怀去化解这种敌对与紧张的关系。保罗顾念耶路撒冷的需要，因而不论在哪里都鼓励信徒为耶路撒冷做捐献。外邦信徒从耶路撒冷信徒得到了福音的好处，所以捐款帮助贫困中的信徒也是理所应当的回馈。保罗此举也是为了促进犹太教会与外邦教会的联系，加强信徒间的一体感情。