Unequally Yoked

There is a scripture tells us do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14 ) What exactly does that mean?

First, what does the word "yoke" mean? A yoke, by definition, is a wooden bar or frame to join two animals (like oxen) to work together, sharing a load. Joining the two animals together makes it possible to complete tasks that are too much for just one animal.

The scripture tells us not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers, meaning Christians not to be yoked together or joined together with unbelievers or non-Christians. If you picture a pair of oxen, yoked together, walking together, pulling a load together, they are equally yoked. Picture those two oxen, both trying to pull different directions. Not only does the job not get done, but the animals are pulling against one another, each making it more difficult for the other.

We are told in Scripture not to be unequally yoked. Many already know this refers to marriage of a believer to a nonbeliever, but that's not all it refers to. It also refers to joining yourself to someone, as a business partner or partners in anything. If you go back to the picture of the two oxen both trying to pull in different directions, that is what it is like when you have two people with different beliefs each trying to steer their partnership in the direction of their own belief. What you end up with is two people pulling in different directions, not accomplishing their goal and causing a lot of stress and heartache along the way.

I recently was reminded of this scripture when I had to sever a business connection. Afterwards I realized how unhealthy this connection has been. The lesson I learned from all of this was to being more discerning and check things out more closely before taking on business partners or joining a home-based business.