"UNEQUALLY YOKED!"
YOKE - A wooden framework for harnessing together oxen, mules or other draft animals, consisting of a crossbar with two U-shaped iron pieces that encircle the necks of the animals. To fit, join, or bind together.
When you yoke two animals together, supposedly they are:
1) Same kind of animal
2) Close to the same age
3) Same size
4) Equal in strength
For goal of accomplishing one purpose
Let's see the Apostle Paul’s Input:
II 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 (harmony) 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.
It seems to me that the prerequisite of pleasing the Father is a separation from the unclean things mentioned above.
The literal text above deals with those that are saved and those that are unsaved. However, this does not mean that just because two individuals are saved they now have a license to marry. Nor does is mean that the two people cannot be unequally yoked in other areas.
For example, if you are Mature in Christ and in a relationship with a Babe - then by virtue of the two of you being on two totally different levels you are unequally yoked as far as maturity is concerned. Am I saying that the two are not ordained of God to be together? No way! Here are my thoughts on this situation.
One - the man should be the most mature since God places him in the headship position. He needs to be able to lead and teach his family.
Two - conviction level is a key point. I'm not as interested in how much word you can quote than I am in how much you are applying.
Three - if you are at different levels in the knowledge of God's word, make sure that the both of you are as the graph below indicates:
MAN WOMAN
| Hand Clapping | Hand Clapping | |
| Devil Stomping | Devil Stomping | |
| Speaking in Tongues | Speaking in Tongues | |
| Making a Joyful Noise | Making a Joyful Noise | |
| Attend more than Sunday Morning | Attend more than Sunday Morning | |
| Hunger to know more | Hunger to know more | |
| Receiving same kind of teaching | Receiving same kind of teaching | |
| Faithful Tither | Faithful Tither | |
| Involved in Ministry | Involved in Ministry |
In other words, you want the two columns to match as close as possible.
That passage of scripture also warns you against establishing bonds and relationships with business partners who are not saved. Business ventures should be established between to saved partners who don’t mind giving a tenth of its gross income to God.
Ps. 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Now - As for being unequally yoked with unbelievers…
The bottom line is that this will tremendously affect your spiritual life with God. It will place you out of fellowship and out of favor with Him..
James 1:22
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Minister Rickey E. Macklin