• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

(Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers) what does this verse really mean ?

HTacianas

Well-Known Member
Jul 9, 2018
8,876
9,490
Florida
✟369,099.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Single
I know this verse doesn’t mean we shouldn’t associate with unbelievers but does this verse mean we shouldn’t be friends with unbelievers or close friends with unbelievers or we shouldn’t have business with them ?

It says not to be "unequally yoked" with unbelievers. The expression comes from plowing with a team of oxen. If you yoke a small ox together with a large ox the large ox will move faster and cause them to go off course. To be unequally yoked with a non-believer, if the non-believer has any influence over you, will cause you to go off course. And in those days it applied also to being unequally yoked with a pagan. The pagan might influence you to go off course as well. So as long as you do not allow others to cause you to go off course you're fine. But it's something to be careful of.
 
Upvote 0

throughfiierytrial

Truth-Lover
Site Supporter
Apr 7, 2014
2,914
813
✟613,836.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
I know this verse doesn’t mean we shouldn’t associate with unbelievers but does this verse mean we shouldn’t be friends with unbelievers or close friends with unbelievers or we shouldn’t have business with them ?
I believe it means we are not to marry an unbeliever.
 
Upvote 0

RDKirk

Alien, Pilgrim, and Sojourner
Site Supporter
Mar 3, 2013
41,915
22,560
US
✟1,712,750.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
I know this verse doesn’t mean we shouldn’t associate with unbelievers but does this verse mean we shouldn’t be friends with unbelievers or close friends with unbelievers or we shouldn’t have business with them ?
It means we should not be so bound to them in any way that we would tend to go in the same moral direction they are going.
 
Upvote 0

tturt

Senior Veteran
Site Supporter
Oct 30, 2006
16,139
7,611
✟959,731.00
Gender
Female
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
The values, goals and behavior of a business or marital partner would not be the same as a believer.

If you have children,, we're to train our children in the way they should go Pro 22:6 So there will definitely be mixed messages to them.

If you believe in tithing/giving, they just might not want the money spent in that way.

You cant even talk with them about how a specific scripture is speaking to you, share how a pastor's message impacted you, etc. Time spent reading and studying Scripture or going to church to worship when they want to be doing something with them or numerous other things instead. (Some spouses mock their believing partners)

So family values, time management, finances, and communication to name a few areas that would be influenced.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0

A servant of the Kings

Active Member
Dec 28, 2023
39
11
48
Gotland
✟1,417.00
Country
Sweden
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Private
That part of the bible is an important clarification, it is partly there because of misunderstandings of the second commandment of Jesus.

Jesus says we are to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.

The way we are to love ourselves is to love the child of light inside, not sin:

8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

We are to repent from sin/kill sin:

Luke 24:47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

So to love others like ourselves is loving the light of God within them.


When it comes to unbelievers, they have not chosen the light, they have not chosen to walk the way that Jesus is, that leads to Father:

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

They are on their way in a different direction.

That is why we may see them and speak with them, offer them to go with us. But never go with them to where they are going. We are going with Jesus right?
 
Upvote 0

Anonymous9090

Active Member
Dec 19, 2021
367
945
44
toronto
✟89,269.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Private
By inference/induction/deduction, we could definitely know that ( 2 Corinthians 6:14 )'s use of "yoked"/ "bound" / "close association" certainly at the very least refers to marriage. Let's just reason it out:

-If a Christian person has a professional business relationship with a NonChristian, he/she can say that it's debatable if one tries to characterize said relationship with terms like "yoked"/ "bound" / "close association" because it's merely a professional work-related business transaction for making money.

-If a Christan person participates in a team-based sports game(i.e football, basketball, etc.) with NonChristian team members, he/she can say that it's debatable if one tries to characterize said relationship with terms like "yoked"/ "bound" / "close association" because it's merely an event involving jovial/recreational activities.

-However, The strongest type of human-to-human relationship that can definitely be associated with terms like "yoked"/ "bound" / "close association" is marriage. The reason being is that we can infer/induce/deduce that marriage involves the closest & most intimate human-to-human relationship between a man and woman because they are so "yoked"/"bound" spiritually, mentally, emotionally,etc., to each other. Furthermore, we can even say that the man and woman become one in marriage based on the following verses by employing "scripture interprets scripture" hermeneutic which definitely can be characterized as "yoked"/ "bound" / "close association" relationship.

Genesis 2:24 New American Standard Bible 1995
24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
Matthew 19:5 New American Standard Bible 1995
5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?
Mark 10:8 New American Standard Bible 1995
8 and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Ephesians 5:31 New American Standard Bible 1995
31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.
Marriage is the strongest type of human-to-human relationship that can definitely be associated with terms like "yoked"/ "bound" / "close association"? (In other words, we can infer/induct/deduce that 2 Corinthians 6:14 can certainly at the very least be referring to marriage because marriage is the most "yoked" / "bounded" / "closely associated" human-to-human relationship in this world. But, other relationships like manager-employee, etc, are less intimate
 
Upvote 0

RDKirk

Alien, Pilgrim, and Sojourner
Site Supporter
Mar 3, 2013
41,915
22,560
US
✟1,712,750.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
By inference/induction/deduction, we could definitely know that ( 2 Corinthians 6:14 )'s use of "yoked"/ "bound" / "close association" certainly at the very least refers to marriage. Let's just reason it out:

-If a Christian person has a professional business relationship with a NonChristian, he/she can say that it's debatable if one tries to characterize said relationship with terms like "yoked"/ "bound" / "close association" because it's merely a professional work-related business transaction for making money.

-If a Christan person participates in a team-based sports game(i.e football, basketball, etc.) with NonChristian team members, he/she can say that it's debatable if one tries to characterize said relationship with terms like "yoked"/ "bound" / "close association" because it's merely an event involving jovial/recreational activities.

-However, The strongest type of human-to-human relationship that can definitely be associated with terms like "yoked"/ "bound" / "close association" is marriage. The reason being is that we can infer/induce/deduce that marriage involves the closest & most intimate human-to-human relationship between a man and woman because they are so "yoked"/"bound" spiritually, mentally, emotionally,etc., to each other. Furthermore, we can even say that the man and woman become one in marriage based on the following verses by employing "scripture interprets scripture" hermeneutic which definitely can be characterized as "yoked"/ "bound" / "close association" relationship.


Marriage is the strongest type of human-to-human relationship that can definitely be associated with terms like "yoked"/ "bound" / "close association"? (In other words, we can infer/induct/deduce that 2 Corinthians 6:14 can certainly at the very least be referring to marriage because marriage is the most "yoked" / "bounded" / "closely associated" human-to-human relationship in this world. But, other relationships like manager-employee, etc, are less intimate
Nobody is arguing that it doesn't include at least marriage. The question is about what other "yokings" does it include in addition to marriage.

Whether it includes lesser relationships depends to a great extent on how a particular individual perceives the importance of those relationships. Some people have friendships that are just as strong as other people's marriages...that was actually common in the ancient world. Some people regard the oaths they make just as strong as marriage.

Whatever the bond may be, if it's so strong as to influence one's moral judgement, it's a "yoking," and for a Christian it is an "unequal yoking."
 
Upvote 0

Anonymous9090

Active Member
Dec 19, 2021
367
945
44
toronto
✟89,269.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Private
Nobody is arguing that it doesn't include at least marriage. The question is about what other "yokings" does it include in addition to marriage.

Whether it includes lesser relationships depends to a great extent on how a particular individual perceives the importance of those relationships. Some people have friendships that are just as strong as other people's marriages...that was actually common in the ancient world. Some people regard the oaths they make just as strong as marriage.

Whatever the bond may be, if it's so strong as to influence one's moral judgement, it's a "yoking," and for a Christian it is an "unequal yoking."
@RDKirk Correct. In other words, (2 Corinthians 6:14) definitely via inference/induction/deduction applies to all marriages that a Christian would be in, but for all other Nonmarriage relationships it really depends on case-by-case as as to whether (2 Corinthians 6:14) is relevant( thus debatable) because all other Nonmarriage relationship really vary in terms of how intimate & serious they are.
 
Upvote 0