“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness.” 2 Corinthians 6:14
What does it mean to be yoked to someone?
When you are yoked to someone you are joined to them; as far as matrimony goes, you are yoked to someone who you are married to. It is not necessarily applicable to marriage however, as you could be yoked to someone by simply being close friends with them.
What does the dictionary give as the meaning of yoked?
It is a wooden bar attached to two collars which is laid across the necks of animals, such as oxen to hold them together, and to which a plough, or other tool may be attached.
Another meaning of yoke is when someone is being oppressed.
A person who is yoked to someone is joined to them.
In the parable of the prodigal son, the younger son when he hit rock bottom joined himself to the citizens of the land. He was mucking out pig sty.
What this tells us is that his lifestyle choices led him to the bottom of life’s barrels. He would have gladly filled his stomach with what the swine ate but no one gave him anything. The lesson here is that you will only discover who your real friends are when you hit rock bottom, and the younger son in this parable chose friends who were only after his money. They were false friends.
The people who he joined himself to were not compatible with the values he was taught by his father and he became just like them.
You become more and more like the people you spend most of your time with.
What do righteousness and lawlessness have in common or light have in common with darkness?
If you have been taught the right values by your parents then you should be THE light in the darkness.
A believer should not form relations with an unbeliever; you may say, “I will change them.”
No you won’t, they will change you. When you form a relationship with someone you inherit their network of friends and you will gradually conform to their lifestyle.
This involves saying, “No,” to invitations to join others in doing stuff with you know you shouldn’t.
Some people will not like you for it but if they get upset then let them, that is their problem, not yours.
matrimony
Do Not Be Unequally Yoked With Unbelievers
