why did God instruct us not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers?

why did God instruct us not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers?



A yoke is a wooden bar that joins two oxen to each other and to the burden they pull. An “unequally yoked” team has one stronger ox and one weaker, or one taller and one shorter. The weaker or shorter ox would walk slower than the taller, stronger one, causing the load to go around in circles.


When oxen are unequally yoked, they cannot perform the task set before them. Instead of working together, they are at odds with one another.


a yoke steers the oxen. the believer and the unbeliever are going in two different directions


God has called us to purity we should pursue purity in our relationships


it is important to recognize that God's goal for our relationships is much more than that they make us happy . God wants our relationships to be equally yoked God wants our relationships to help us become more Holy with that in mind we ought to regularly  evaluate  our relationships to honestly consider whether or not they are drawing us closer to God or further away from God.


we ought to ask God to give us the courage and wisdom to set boundaries in our relationships to protect ourselves from people who might tempt us to sin or draw us away from God. our relationships should be spiritually edifying building us up in the faith exhorting one another and admonishing one another.


the Key to pursuing purity in relationship to our self is to make sure that everyday  we choose God's will over our own will. we need the humility and help from God to discern between our wants and our needs . we need to focus more on what God wants for us than what we want for ourselves.


purity means choosing to love God more than we love anything or anyone else, and expressing that love by whole heartedly devoting our life to God.  it is important to pursue purity because the more pure we become the more we will grow into the person that God intends us to become.


it is important to ask ourselves what is the purpose of the relationships that we have with others. is it God's pleasure my pleasure or their pleasure ?


when we decide everyday to give all of our devotion ( not just part of it ) to God placing our relationships with God at the center of our life and revolving all other relationships around it doing so will help us avoid double - minded relationships that are partly focused on serving God but partly focused on serving ourselves or other people which are impure and unstable.


when the word of God is obeyed from the heart it will realign the focus of those who obey and in the realigning of focus we will begin to think of God's plans of purpose opposed to our preferences we will begin to think in term of responsibilities opposed to our rights and in turn think of long term affect as opposed to short term enjoyments .


we cannot afford spiritually to compromise being unequally yoked together with unbelievers conforming to the ways of the world fashioning ourselves alike giving the same form with improper living . for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion has light with darkness ?


fellowship is participation . communion is the act of partaking sharing because of common interest . participation or social intercourse


John 8:12 12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.




1 CORINTHIANS 5:9-13) 9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators.10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.





2 Corinthians 6:14-18) 14 Be ye 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.




Ephesians 5:3-18) 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints. 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 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 are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light. 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
 14 Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.



Romans 13:11-14) 11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof


1 Thessalonians 5:21-22) 21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.




ONLY THROUGH CHRIST
when we submit to the Righteousness of God by Faith, then we can stop trying to produce our own righteousness. No flesh shall Glory in His presence.  no work of the flesh no self efforts.  we will wear ourselves out trying to do things in our own strength. only through Christ can we overcome sin