And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Two together can stand against an attacker better than one alone, and three bound together make a cord that holds firm and is not easily snapped. Where there is union there is strength, safety, and victory, while discord, alienation, and division bring weakness and defeat. In shared work this means counseling together rather than acting alone on a high estimate of one's own plans, so that every plan is examined from different sides, deception is exposed, and mistaken decisions, confusion, and defeat are prevented. Safety requires several minds enlisted, since one mind alone may be warped out of its proper channel and even two who see alike may be overcome. Fellow workers and institutions must therefore press together in harmony and faithful cooperation, esteeming others above self and helping one another as true yoke-fellows instead of working independently, competitively, or in scattered efforts.
Strength in Union
Two joined together can hold their ground against an attacker where one alone would be overcome, and three bound together become a threefold cord that holds fast and is not quickly snapped. Those who stand together are stronger and safer than any one acting by himself, and the strength of the whole is built up by the faithful cooperation of each part. Three workers linked to help one another form such a cord, as when Willie, his mother, and Edson are connected together in the work.
Where there is union there is strength, safety, and victory, while discord, alienation, and division bring weakness and defeat. Those who follow Christ gain the victory by pressing together in union, thinking less of self and more of others, keeping in harmony and letting nothing separate them. No place is to be given to the alienation worked by the enemy, nor to despondency and discouragement that weaken effort and faith, but with faces set Zionward they are to cling more firmly to God and press on until the warfare ends. Safety is found when several minds are enlisted rather than moving independently from a high estimate of one's own plans, opinions, and labors, since one mind alone may be warped out of its proper channel and even two who see things in a similar light may be overcome, whereas when every plan is criticized from all sides and every advance carefully studied no enterprise ends in confusion, perplexity, and defeat.
The threefold cord also pictures the bond of three in a family joined together in a tie that is not quickly broken. When one member dies that bond is broken. The survivors are then left lonely.
Unity in Christian Work
In shared work the verse calls for counseling together instead of moving independently out of a high estimate of one's own plans, opinions, and labors. Counsel lets plans be examined and criticized from different sides and viewed from all sides, so deception is exposed and the risk of mistaken decisions is reduced. With every advance carefully studied in this way, no enterprise brings confusion, perplexity, and defeat to the work. Safety lies in enlisting several minds, for one mind alone may be moved to warp things out of their proper channel, and even two who view things in similar light may be overcome.
Fellow workers and institutions are to press together in union, harmony, and faithful cooperation, esteeming self less and others more, helping one another as true yoke-fellows, and acting together rather than independently, competitively, or in scattered efforts. Each person's faithful cooperation contributes to the strength of the whole, and where there is such union there is strength, safety, and victory, while discord and division bring weakness and defeat. That union requires being wholly consecrated to God and at peace among themselves, with each striving with all might to keep victory over self and over every besetment and every wrong word and action, so the enemy makes no inroads. Nothing is to separate fellow workers, giving no place to alienation worked by the enemy and no place to despondency or discouragement that would weaken effort and faith, but clinging more firmly to God and pressing on with face set Zionward until the warfare ends. As they thus unite, the Holy Spirit helps their infirmities, and God works among, by, and through His people.
For the church, unity strengthens it against opposition, while division weakens it, brings shame before its enemies, and hinders its growth toward perfection in unity. A husband and wife covenanted to the work of God carry that work forward much better united than separately. Sharing the study of Scripture and the saving of souls, they bear one another's burdens, help, encourage, and bless one another. By bringing together their experience and intense interest to cultivate their God-given talents to the highest account, and by staying connected with God, they blend together, strengthen one another, and carry forward the work intelligently with united power under the resting Holy Spirit. Three workers joined in the work with one helping the other form such a threefold cord that is strong and not quickly broken, namely Willie, his mother, and Edson connected together.
Two together can stand against an attacker better than one alone, and three bound together make a cord that holds firm and is not easily snapped. Where there is union there is strength, safety, and victory, while discord, alienation, and division bring weakness and defeat. In shared work this means counseling together rather than acting alone on a high estimate of one's own plans, so that every plan is examined from different sides, deception is exposed, and mistaken decisions, confusion, and defeat are prevented. Safety requires several minds enlisted, since one mind alone may be warped out of its proper channel and even two who see alike may be overcome. Fellow workers and institutions must therefore press together in harmony and faithful cooperation, esteeming others above self and helping one another as true yoke-fellows instead of working independently, competitively, or in scattered efforts.
Strength in Union
Two joined together can hold their ground against an attacker where one alone would be overcome, and three bound together become a threefold cord that holds fast and is not quickly snapped. Those who stand together are stronger and safer than any one acting by himself, and the strength of the whole is built up by the faithful cooperation of each part. Three workers linked to help one another form such a cord, as when Willie, his mother, and Edson are connected together in the work.
Where there is union there is strength, safety, and victory, while discord, alienation, and division bring weakness and defeat. Those who follow Christ gain the victory by pressing together in union, thinking less of self and more of others, keeping in harmony and letting nothing separate them. No place is to be given to the alienation worked by the enemy, nor to despondency and discouragement that weaken effort and faith, but with faces set Zionward they are to cling more firmly to God and press on until the warfare ends. Safety is found when several minds are enlisted rather than moving independently from a high estimate of one's own plans, opinions, and labors, since one mind alone may be warped out of its proper channel and even two who see things in a similar light may be overcome, whereas when every plan is criticized from all sides and every advance carefully studied no enterprise ends in confusion, perplexity, and defeat.
The threefold cord also pictures the bond of three in a family joined together in a tie that is not quickly broken. When one member dies that bond is broken. The survivors are then left lonely.
Unity in Christian Work
In shared work the verse calls for counseling together instead of moving independently out of a high estimate of one's own plans, opinions, and labors. Counsel lets plans be examined and criticized from different sides and viewed from all sides, so deception is exposed and the risk of mistaken decisions is reduced. With every advance carefully studied in this way, no enterprise brings confusion, perplexity, and defeat to the work. Safety lies in enlisting several minds, for one mind alone may be moved to warp things out of their proper channel, and even two who view things in similar light may be overcome.
Fellow workers and institutions are to press together in union, harmony, and faithful cooperation, esteeming self less and others more, helping one another as true yoke-fellows, and acting together rather than independently, competitively, or in scattered efforts. Each person's faithful cooperation contributes to the strength of the whole, and where there is such union there is strength, safety, and victory, while discord and division bring weakness and defeat. That union requires being wholly consecrated to God and at peace among themselves, with each striving with all might to keep victory over self and over every besetment and every wrong word and action, so the enemy makes no inroads. Nothing is to separate fellow workers, giving no place to alienation worked by the enemy and no place to despondency or discouragement that would weaken effort and faith, but clinging more firmly to God and pressing on with face set Zionward until the warfare ends. As they thus unite, the Holy Spirit helps their infirmities, and God works among, by, and through His people.
For the church, unity strengthens it against opposition, while division weakens it, brings shame before its enemies, and hinders its growth toward perfection in unity. A husband and wife covenanted to the work of God carry that work forward much better united than separately. Sharing the study of Scripture and the saving of souls, they bear one another's burdens, help, encourage, and bless one another. By bringing together their experience and intense interest to cultivate their God-given talents to the highest account, and by staying connected with God, they blend together, strengthen one another, and carry forward the work intelligently with united power under the resting Holy Spirit. Three workers joined in the work with one helping the other form such a threefold cord that is strong and not quickly broken, namely Willie, his mother, and Edson connected together.