“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 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. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6: 14-18).
FIRST, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE EXISTS AN ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE WHO ARE BORN OF GOD AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT.
The difference between the sons of God and the children of wrath is both great and conspicuous. It is the difference between light and darkness, pure religion and paganism.
SECOND, WE NEED TO REMEMBER THE DANGERS OF CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH THE MORALLY OR DOCTRINALLY IMPURE.
Unequal yoking- intimate associations between the people of God and the world ought not to exist.
There should be a separation in religious fellowship. The Apostle Paul cautioned the Corinthian church against fellowship with the doctrinally impure. The only sound basis of religious fellowship is truth.
There should be a separation in marriage. The question of religious equality ought ever to be the prime question. Among many professors of Christianity today the question hardly arises, and in direct disobedience to Holy Scripture, ministers unite such unequally yoked couples in marriage.
Reading material, the use of the media, time, energy, and pursuits are all matters about which the Christian believer needs to have great concern. “…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
There should be a separation in friendships. The power of friendship is great for good or for evil. “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27: 17). A wise man will choose his friends with care. Believers need friendships that will help and not hinder them.
There should be a separation in business.Business partners are closely yoked, their actions need to largely agree. Such partnerships between a Christian and non-Christian will always ultimately hit trouble. Stress and strain will build up in the relationship until both partners discover the wisdom of the question, “…what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” (2 Corinthians 6:15).
THIRD, WE NEED TO REFLECT UPON THE FACT THAT IT IS THE DUTY OF THE GODLY TO EXTRICATE THEMSELVES FROM ALL UNEQUAL YOKINGS.
The Christian must sever unscriptural ties and break away from all unprofitable bindings. Such separation is to be entire. “…touch not the unclean thing…“(2 Corinthians 6: 17). We are to have no contact with moral or doctrinal impurity.
The Christian is in the world. Christ did not pray that His people should be taken out of the world, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (John 17: 15). There may be relations that we find difficult to sever or are truly impossible to break, but in these situations the believer must be most careful and diligent in maintaining his independence as an individual carefully rendering to God the things that are God’s.
The Christian is not of the world. “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). Although the child of God is in the world, he does not adopt the principles, practices, or maxims of the worldly.
The Christian is to be above the world. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind …” (Romans 12:2). He is the temple of the Holy Ghost. Therefore through divine grace and gracious enablement he masters worldly principles and resists worldly influences. The children of God are not only to be separated from the world and theworldly by the careful watching of their actions and habits, but by an attribute of mind which brings a natural nonconformity. Having renewed minds, believers are enabled to discern the “… good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).