Devotion 4 – Do not be Unequally Yoked
Not to be unequally yoked with an unbeliever in a romantic relationship is the one of the most important and fundamental biblical principle as a child of God.
2Cor.6:14 – “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?”
The idea of an “unequal yoke” comes from a farming analogy wherein two animals of differing kinds and strength are coupled together in order to plough a field, a practice which was forbidden to the Jews under the Old Testament law.
Deut.22:10 - “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.”
The yoke is a harness which joins two animals side by side, and obviously if a stronger, more dominant animal is joined with a weaker one, both animals are going to suffer, and in particular the weaker animal is going to be chaffed and damaged by the pull of the stronger. Imagine an ox and a donkey being yoked together to plough a field – what is going to happen? It’s going to be impossible for the animals to walks a straight line, to cut a straight furrow, because the strength of the one is going to cause the other to turn aside.
In the context of our spiritual life, we are speaking about the believer forming a bond with the unbeliever. The idea or principle is that the Christian is not to enter into any formal arrangement or any kind of binding partnership, and covenant or contract or tie with those who are not in the faith. Thus, this “yoked together” could mean close relationships, or even business partnerships and unions. Such a relationship will prove damaging to your spiritual life. However, in its context, this verse is most likely talking about the marriage relationship.
Gen.2:24 – “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
In a marriage relationship, a husband and wife are covenanted to stay together for the rest of their lives. In a way, the husband and wife should be working together like a unified team of oxen in a yoke. When two people are committed to each other but going in different directions, this can only lead to trouble as the believer and the unbeliever are driven by a different set of values and worldviews.
Amos 3:3 – “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” (NLT)
Moreover, Belial (also known as Beliar) is a term occurring in the Hebrew Bible which later became personified as the devil in Jewish and Christian texts – another name for Satan. Thus, Paul is warning us not to unite our spirit with the spirit of darkness. We cannot join Christ to Satan – they are uncompromising enemies. If our spirit is joined to the spirit of darkness though an unequal yoke, how then can we be one spirit with the spirit of light again?
If we enter into an unequal yoke relationship, we will end up departing from God’s chosen path. But when we walk with Him, He directs our path; where He goes, we go, where He leads, we follow – His yoke is easy, and His burden is light!
And that is what this principle concerning the unequal yoke is all about – it is God’s hedge of protection, a means whereby He safeguards us from heartaches and years of trouble, conflict of conscience, and confrontation. Every good parent sets boundaries for their children, not to spoil their fun but to protect them. If earthly parents do that, how much more our loving heavenly Father!
Satan said to God regarding Job, “Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? (Job.1:10)
That is how it is concerning the unequal yoke. The principle is there for our good, for our well-being. Yet there are always those who will want to stretch the boundary and break the hedge or walls set up by God to protect them. Take serious heed:
Ecc.10:8 – “He who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.”
Surely, “The Unequal Yoke” is one of Satan’s most effective and greatest devices to derail the children of God from their destiny and inheritance, and drag them down from their higher road in Christ to the lowest levels of the world.