Being Unevenly Yoked

Michie · Nov 25, 2002

l was typing out the daily Bible verses & these were the verses for tomorrow. They just kind of popped out at me. I've always thought of the term as being unevenly yoked in marriage but these verses seem to be speaking of even friendships. :scratch:

What are your thoughts on this?

The Temple of the Living God

Stay away from people that are not followers of the Lord! Can someone who is good get along with someone who is evil? Are light and darkness the same? Is Christ a friend of Satan? Can people who follow the Lord have anything in common with those who don't? Do idols belong in a temple of God? We are the temple of the living God, as God himself says,

"I will live with these people and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people."

The Lord also says,

"Leave them and stay away! Don't touch anything that isn't clean. Then I will welcome you and be your Father. You will be my sons and daughters, as surely as I am God, the All-Powerful."

2 Corinthians 6:14-18

My friends, God has made us these promises. So we should stay away from everything that keeps our bodies and spirits from being clean. We should honor God and try to be completely like him.

2 Corinthians 7:1

Gerry · Nov 25, 2002

Hmmmm! You mean that Light and darkness have no fellowship, like Jesus said? Is that what you are saying?

Reformationist · Nov 25, 2002

Originally posted by Michie
What are your thoughts on this?

Do you have any friends that you tend to act ungodly around?  I know that I do.  I think the issue is that if your relationship is not edifying then you have a relationship built on something other than your faith in God.  Sin has a very deceitful and blinding nature.  That's why we should surround ourselves with people who desire to please the Lord.  It helps keep us accountable.  It keeps us from some forms of temptation.  If you both have the goal to glorify God with your obedience it tends to be more productive.  I don't think there's anything wrong with being around people who don't worship God.  It would be impossible to avoid, unless we lived in a convent/monestary.  However, if God reveals to us that we are so weak in our faith that we have a greater desire to be accepted by man than to be obedient to Him no matter what then we should take heed and work on that.

God bless

Gabriel · Nov 25, 2002

Often, associating with non christians tends to bring us around to a more worldy form of behavior.  Being that I was in the Navy and a construction worker for a good many years, I have an issue with cursing.  Therefore I tend to stay away from folks that curse alot.

Think of the example that Jesus, the Apostles, Paul and many others set for us.  Their close friends, the people that they spent the most personal time, with were christians.  The mutual relationship strengthened their friendship and their personal walks with God. However, they did not do alot of "preaching to the choir".  They sought out and fellowshipped with on a limited bases, individuals who were often living pretty wicked lives in order to bring them the message of salvation.

Being unequally yoked can be detrimental whether it is marriage, friendship or even business partnership. If the people we fellowship with the most have a different moral base and relationship with God, it can and will affect us no matter how strong we are.  But it is also our duty to bring the gospel to the unsaved.  Balance is the key.

Extirpated Wildlife · Nov 25, 2002

ummm.....

okay okay....i twisted it around......Yet another comment i had to delete.

sorry.

Gabriel · Nov 25, 2002

@ Quizzler.

Extirpated Wildlife · Nov 25, 2002

Originally posted by Gabriel
Dude, what is your trip?  That was not cool at all.

I thought it was odd the way he wrote it, but i was wrong to do that. I deleted.

Actually i totally agreed with your comments. I guess totally is strong. But i agreed.

Our purpose around lost people should be to reach them. This doesn't mean we witness to them when we are around them, except when the time is right. We ought to be creating relationships with lost people to bring them to Christ. Not just to have a friend.

If we are making friends with the lost for the purpose of friendship alone, then, IMO, that is wrong. A Christians intent should ALWAYS be to reach them. Im not saying that you talk to them about Christ every other time. I don't care if you go 5 years without talking to them about Christ if the time has never allowed it. But within that 5 year time they ought to know you are a Christian from the way you handle yourself and portray yourself. But the intent of any friendship with a lost person SHOULD and OUGHT to bring them to Christ.

Gabriel · Nov 25, 2002

Originally posted by quizzler
I thought it was odd the way he wrote it, but i was wrong to do that. I deleted.

Actually i totally agreed with your comments. I guess totally is strong. But i agreed.

Our purpose around lost people should be to reach them. This doesn't mean we witness to them when we are around them, except when the time is right. We ought to be creating relationships with lost people to bring them to Christ. Not just to have a friend.

If we are making friends with the lost for the purpose of friendship alone, then, IMO, that is wrong. A Christians intent should ALWAYS be to reach them. Im not saying that you talk to them about Christ every other time. I don't care if you go 5 years without talking to them about Christ if the time has never allowed it. But within that 5 year time they ought to know you are a Christian from the way you handle yourself and portray yourself. But the intent of any friendship with a lost person SHOULD and OUGHT to bring them to Christ.

 

Thank you. 

I agree with you in that relationships are, and should be, a large part of how we witness.  Our behavior speaks volumes compared to our words.

sklippstein · Nov 25, 2002

I think that we do need to be careful of whom we hang with. BUT on the otherhand, we are not to exclude outselves entirely from the lost. How would they see Jesus if we exclude ourselves?

Reformationist · Nov 25, 2002

Originally posted by quizzler
But the intent of any friendship with a lost person SHOULD and OUGHT to bring them to Christ.

Quizz, what's the difference between "should" and "ought?"  (By the way, I'm just picking at you.)

God bless

Extirpated Wildlife · Nov 25, 2002

Originally posted by Reformationist
Quizz, what's the difference between "should" and "ought?"  (By the way, I'm just picking at you.)

God bless

i dont know, but it sounded good.

Michie · Nov 25, 2002

I think Reformationist pretty much nailed it.

It's not so much to make yourself unavailable to the lost.

We are to be the salt & the light.

But when we see ourselves compromising or ignoring Scripture or our faith that is when it becomes a problem.

I do believe Scripture is pretty clear as to not marry unbelievers though.

Miss Shelby · Nov 25, 2002

I do believe Scripture is pretty clear as to not marry unbelievers though.

That much it is. The scenario which is sad is in the case of an unbelieving married couple when one becomes a believer and the other does not.

Michelle

paulewog · Nov 26, 2002

Unevenly yoked - a relationship in which you'd be pretty hard pressed to get out of if the other party did something bad. For example, if you're hanging out with a group of unsaved people and they decide to go break the law in some way, and you're with them. That's not a good situation to be in... so don't hang out with them like that.

And of course, marriage.... heh.

By the way, when one of a married couple becomes a believer and the other does not, that is NOT a valid excuse for getting divorced.... just wanted to mention that 'cause some do think that, somehow. The Bible only gives one - adultery (fornication)....

Michie · Nov 26, 2002

If the unbeliever chooses to leave Scripture says not to stop them.

There have been many divorces because one partner believes & the other does not.

The unbelievers leaves, files for divorce & remarries, isn't a whole lot the believer can do.

Blindfaith · Nov 26, 2002

Exactly Michie

Evee · Nov 26, 2002

I think sometimes we think we would do it different.

 We would probably do the same thing all over.

 It  is the human in us.

 I do wish my husband was a strong Christian and he would be the leader and make wise decisions.

 One can help balance the other, but when both are in aggreement the results can be awesome. 

 Can't unscramble eggs as Billy Graham says.

  He did say that didn't he? :o

Reformationist · Nov 26, 2002

Originally posted by Michie
If the unbeliever chooses to leave Scripture says not to stop them.

There have been many divorces because one partner believes & the other does not.

The unbelievers leaves, files for divorce & remarries, isn't a whole lot the believer can do.

It does say that but it doesn't say that their leaving is not sinful.  Whether or not there have been divorces for any reason doesn't imply that the reason for getting divorced is a valid one, at least not biblically.  Obviously if your spouse wants a divorce and proceeds to getting one there isn't a whole lot the other person can do.  However, responding to that in an obedient, godly manner will sanctify you a whole lot more than responding in a like manner, i.e., anger, evil motive, etc.

God bless

Miss Shelby · Nov 26, 2002

It does say that but it doesn't say that their leaving is not sinful.

Of course their leaving is sinful, Ref. They're unbelievers. Everything they do is sinful, right?

Michelle

Reformationist · Nov 26, 2002

Originally posted by Miss Shelby
Of course their leaving is sinful, Ref. They're unbelievers. Everything they do is sinful, right?

Michelle

If they are truly not regenerate then yes, everything they do is sinfully motivated, and thus, sinful.  I was just commenting in regards to Michie's statements.  I was just saying that just because the Bible says to let them leave it doesn't mean that their behavior isn't sinful.

God bless

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