Unequally Yoked
Being unequally yoked means that Christians are not to become involved in close partnerships or relationships with non-believers. This applies in many different situations including marriage, business, or even close friendships. We are called to be separate from the things and people “of the world.” This does not mean that we are to have nothing to do with non-believers. We are called to witness to them, and show them Christian love. The main reason we are to separate is because non-believers can lead us down paths that can cause us to stray from God’s path. God has set standards for us to follow in the Bible that many times conflict with what the world says is right. The following is what the Bible says:
(2 Cor 6:14-18) Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (16) 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. (17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
(Eph 5:6-8,11) Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. (7) Be not ye therefore partakers with them (8) For ye were sometimes darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk as children of the light: (11) And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
In the Old Testament, God told His chosen people to separate from the nations and people around them, so that their heathen ways would not affect them and cause them to stray from God.
(Deut 7:2-4) …thou shalt make no covenant with them… (3) Neither shalt thou make marriages with them: thy daughter shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. (4) For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods…
(Ezra 10:11) Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.
(Neh 9:2) And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
(Ezra 6:21) And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat.