“Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 NLT
The Apostle Paul strongly, boldly tells the Corinthian believers not to be love entangled with non-believers because they would be trying to pull the “one” life in two different directions. I heard this phrase often as a young believer myself, “no missionary dating.” The idea was that casually dating someone who is outright opposed to Christ would lead to “falling in love,” and not being able to call it off when it got more serious.
Falling in love is serious and once emotions kick in and bonding takes place it becomes difficult to see the dangers of becoming one with an unbeliever. I’ve seen all kinds of relationships end in tragedy when a believer wants to lovingly lead their “friend” into a decision for Christ by marrying them. Isn’t it already a struggle to get this truth through our heads, “we cannot change another person’s heart.” One of the big challenges is thinking someone can fix a guy or gal by marriage! So many believe that love will win over an addiction or a character flaw or an unbelief in God. We don’t have that kind of power to change another person’s life! I’ve seen women date, fall in love and marry a non-believing man and the man never changes his heart towards God. I’ve seen the same with men hoping for the best in a woman. Of course, there have been miracles in the relationship, but it’s rare. Each person just thinks following Jesus or not following Jesus is some kind of phase or fad and that it will eventually change. Faith isn’t a fad. These are really dangerous situations for both individuals. Both thinking they can fix or change the other!
This phrase Paul uses, “unequally yoked,” is only found here in Corinthians. Bible commentaries tell us Paul is referring to a little known verse out of Leviticus 19:19 where God warns the Jewish farmers not to try to use two completely different animals to pull the field-plow. Leviticus uses the word, “mate” as in don’t crossbreed your livestock, but it was also commonly used to refer to “hitching up to the same yoke” when plowing a field together. So not only does God forbid trying to force an ox to mate with a donkey, but also don’t “yoke” them together either. A yoke is a tool or device that pairs animals together making it easier on both but also keeping them focused on working together. The humor is the picture of a ox just plodding through the field while the donkey is bucking and kicking trying to get away from his field partner.
Paul’s words are more than just a “marriage” warning. How close is too close, how intimate is too intimate in a friendship? When friends begin to share deeper experiences with each other the bond of love increases substantially. And, I’m not talking about a physical/sexual relationship, I am talking about a merging of values, hopes and dreams. Paul’s warning is that any relationship that pulls us away from or cools our affections from Christ is dangerous and wrong. These deep friendships, not even marital unions, are red flags to avoid.
In Paul’s day, the church folk saw nothing wrong with doing temple one day and going with a friend to a “idol sacrifice” party the next day. These Greek parties were often far more than just huge barbecues with lots of music and dancing. They were full on ancient raves filled with alcohol, drugs, sexual orgies with “temple prostitutes” along with lots of fruits, veggies and animals being offered to greek demigods.
The warning to the church was… this has gone on too long and TOO FAR for a friend! Stop it. We become a version of the people we hangout with. At some point either in a dating relationship or deep friendships, there will be a moment we will have to make a decision – will it be Christ or someone else? God is jealous over us and our relationship with him. He certainly does not want to share us with the devil, the slander, the liar.
Prayer
Dad,
I do not plan on sharing my life or wearing a faith-yoke with anyone or anything that takes me away from you. Help us stay vigilant in these last days. Help us stay faithful and focused. Keep us, hold us in your grace. Amen.