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“"Unequally Yoked "”

Thoughts for Today:

When Paul uses the term "yoked" he is reaching back to Old Testament Law (Deuteronomy 22:9-11): "Do not plant two kinds of seed in your vineyard; if you do, not only the crops you plant but also the fruit of the vineyard will be defiled. Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together. Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together." Why should believers not be yoked with unbelievers? Because our natures are different. One will be motivated by the Spirit of Christ within, the other by the spirit of the world. Another analogy would be like trying to mix oil and water. It can't be done.

The emphasis is on the word "together". Marriage is an example of yoking together. Paul unequivocally states: A child of light cannot be yoked or have true fellowship with a child of darkness. How can a believer become "one" with a partner who does not love the Lord? Today, there would be a lot more successful marriages if this had been a prerequisite before the first date.

Paul's instruction is not limited to only marriage. Business partnerships, friendships, church affiliations and other relationships all need to be evaluated. Why? Because believers and unbelievers are as different as: righteousness and evil; light and dark; Christ and Satan; faith and those who believe in nothing; and the temple of God versus the worship of the world (success, money, fame, etc.). Any Christian who does not see a potential conflict of interests and values is deceived. (1 Corinthians 15:33: "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.'")

However, it is not God's will for His people to live completely separate lives -- it certainly was not the example of Jesus. If we are to be the "salt of the earth", then we need to be out in the world interacting and sprinkling our "salt". Believers must deal in the world, its systems, and with those in it, but also maintain a degree of separation in order to achieve the proper balance. How do we do so? By avoiding relationships in which we are being more influenced by their "negatives" than they are by our "positives".

Questions to Ponder:

If you are already "yoked" as in marriage to an unbeliever, our passage today is not a command to end the relationship. However, it is a warning to all of us to not enter into any form of partnership when there is an imbalance in our belief systems. Conflicts will arise in life, and without a fundamental faith-based foundation from which to make decisions, it will be much more difficult to follow God. Does your approach to associations, both personal and business, reflect God's command? Is it one of your relationship prerequisites?

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About the author

Pocket Devotions are written by Mike Brooks. A retired businessman, he is Moderator of South Shores church, leads the Deacon Board, serves on the finance committee, and he teaches a Men's Bible study and the Men's Ministry. Mike has a passion for evangelical missions. He is the husband of Sherry; the father of Ryan, Natalie, Krissy, Rebecca, and Amanda; the father-in-law of Ariel; and the grandfather of Conner and Christian.