Unequally Yoked

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

This entire passage is built upon the one simple command, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers”. Most interpret this phrase as a warning about with whom you associate with. The basic premise being that you get fleas if you hang around dogs.

But according to Adam Clarke, the 19^th century British Methodist theologian, biblical scholar and commentator, the term, “unequally yoked together” is a military term meaning to, “keep in your own ranks; do not leave the Christian community to join in that of the heathens.” (Adam Clarke)

The Greek word for unequally yoked together is, “heterozygeo”. It is a verb showing action and is the only time it is used in the Bible, which should lend weight to its usage. This being a military term would be consistent with Paul’s writings. He often used metaphors and similes involving military, sports and games in his teachings.

Many believe that unequally yoked is a direct admonition against marrying a non-Christian. A yoke in the literal sense was a wooden bar that connected two beasts of burden together intending to haul a heavy load. This is a good metaphor for marriage. Life is heavy enough on its own. Marriage introduces additional weights and challenges that would never be encountered if single. But here’s the wonderful thing about being yoked in marriage.

It was found that one horse could pull a maximum of 8,000 pounds on its own. Logically you would assume that two equal horses would be able to pull double that, or 16,000 pounds when yoked together. But what was discovered was that the two horses can actually pull 3 times that the weight, or 24,000 pounds!

Amazing, right? And this type of exponential strength is needed for married couples. You have a spouse, mortgage, kids and their illnesses, school and associated activities. Your career, your spouses career, more bills, church, social life, etc., It all adds up. Two must become one and work as one.

But the key to the yoke is that one word, “equal”. The whole thing comes screaming to a halt if the horses are unequally yoked. Instead of 24,000 pounds being pulled by the two, you will be lucky if they both could pull 8,000 pounds. Why? If one is stronger than the other then it will end up pulling the weaker one, thus adding weight to the overall load for the one. Or if one horse won’t pull or gets distracted and goes in a different direction, or if a horse is lazy, etc. There are countless reasons as to why the task becomes more difficult if the two horses are unequally yoked, making the yoke a hindrance and not a help.

The same thing applies to marriage. If one is a Christian and the other not, there will be conflict and friction. Each will work against the other. Each will be carrying an additional load and if not, then one is conceding to the other. A Christian does not concede their values and beliefs, if they do, then they aren’t a Christian for, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20).

A common theme throughout the Bible, particularly in the Books of Moses is what happens when God’s people become unequally yoked through marriage and intermingle with pagan’s and apostates. In Revelations 2:14 Jesus speaks of the, “doctrine of Balaam” sometimes called the error of Balaam. This is a reference to Number 22-24 when Balaam showed Balak how to entice God’s people, the Israelites, into committing sexual immorality (and other things) with pagans and strangers. Jude 11 and 2 Peter 2:15 refer to it as well. This commingling, or yoking God’s people with pagans ruined the Israelites. Sex and idolatry were the enticement. Disaster was the outcome.

As early as Genesis 6 do we see commingling of God’s people with strangers and the problems it creates.

“That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” (Genesis 6:2-3)

Notice how immediately after Paul says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” that he follows it up with a half dozen questions. These are great questions that we need to ask our self, answer, and understand.

What fellowship does righteousness have with unrighteousness? None!

What communion does light have with darkness? None!

What concord does Christ have with Belial (devil)? None!

What part has he that believeth with an infidel? None!

What agreement does the the temple of God have with idols? None!

Sex was the attractant for the Israelite to the pagans. They allowed lust to defeat them and yoke them to pagans and their idolatrous ways.

Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are the temple of the living God, that God lives in them. Paul beseeches them to separate from the unclean, unyoke yourself, break the bond that binds them to the pagan. Do not touch the unclean and God will receive them. God will be a Father unto them, and you will be the sons and daughters to the Lord Almighty.

Marriage is not the only yoke that binds. Friendships and partnerships do too. The thing to be aware of is what you can control. You have control over who you marry, who your friends are, and who your business partner(s) are. You can determine who these people are, so choose wisely, choose according to scripture.

There are circumstances that go beyond your control. For example, you can’t determine who your co-workers will be, who your classmates are or who your roommate (School) or bunk mate (Military) will be. The same goes for your next-door neighbor. You can’t always decide who you will be yoked with.

So, what do you do? Simple. You always have control over you, not necessarily your environment. But you definitely have control over how you react to your surroundings and circumstance.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had control of themselves, even though captured and held by an army. The reason for their capture was due to their refusal to bow to the huge idol of the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. So, all three were to be thrown a fiery furnace. Due to the king’s anger, the furnace was heated up to seven times its normal strength. It was so hot that the heat killed the guards that held Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they approached the furnace. The three men were thrown in the furnace. Out of the bottom, King Nebuchadnezzar noticed something. The king noticed a fourth person standing with them amidst the blaze.

He said, “Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” (Daniel 3:24b-25). 

Their faith saved Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the flames of the furnace. They knew all along that Jesus was with them. Jesus in response to their faith, made himself manifest in the flames, at the worst time for the three.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had no control over their environment or the flames of the furnace, but they did have control over themselves. They could have gone against their faith and bowed to the idol as law mandated them to do. Everyone would have understood. But they didn’t. They could have folded to peer pressure and do what was popular and in vogue. They didn’t. These three men didn’t have control of anything but themselves. So, that’s what they did. They stayed true to themselves and their religion.

I’ll leave you with this thought. Two yoked together can pull not twice, but three times the weight, but with the opposite effect if unequally yoked. Sometimes this means being equally yoked, but in a bad way.

All too often we grow weary with the fight and concede. After all, sin is easy. Sin has no standards or principals. You don't have to do anything for sin other than to exist and to lust. You don’t even have to think, sin will gladly think with or without you. Add all of this to someone you love immensely, deeply, with someone you are yoked too. What you get are two in sin in tandem. Think of the possibilities!

Why fight against the delayed gratification of Christianity when you can have your cake and eat it right now?

Yes, sometimes it works the other way around. Sometimes Christianity wins out. Sometimes. But usually not. Usually the Christian falls back into the embrace of the world. It's easy and will always win approval from the world.

If we will just, “come out from among them, and be ye separate....and touch not the unclean thing" then God, "will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17).

As we just talked about, we have control over our self. If from the outset we associate only with God’s people, then we won’t find our self yoked, in love or in a marriage with the unclean. Beware of the “doctrine of Balaam”. Do not be involved with those in error of Balaam!

Choose God and allow Him to be a, “Father unto you”. He will surely let you be, “sons and daughters” unto Him!

Bill Hitchcock