That’s No Yoke

2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1 CSB

14 Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God said: I will dwell and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. 17 Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you. 18 And I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty. 1 So then, dear friends, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

We cannot tie ourselves to those who are not also in Christ.

A better understanding is found in a word that is absent from the CSB - “unequally” which means mismatched.

The reality is that a believer and and unbeliever are already mismatched and therefore should not be tied together.

Our values, attitudes, and the authority we answer to is in opposition of non-believers.

This is not to say that we might not agree on some issues of morality but in the end there will be problems.

This truth carries into every relationship we have - marriage, work, friends, etc.

Again, you can have friends that are not believers but you should not use them as a source of wisdom, encouragement, or to speak truth into your life…

Call Daniel to come help with a visual example - hold it up high, then lower it to Daniel’s height.

We must not bend to meet the approval of the world.

We need to purify ourselves from everything that contaminates us before God.

God promises in Scripture to dwell among us, to be our God, let us be His people and He will be a Father and us HIs children.