5 November | Youth
«Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.» 2 Corinthians 6:14
This divine order is neither arbitrary nor discriminatory. God is presenting His sovereign wisdom. It is His protective love expressed in practical ways. The enemy tempts us with several types of sins to keep us away from God and destroy our lives. In 2 Corinthians 6:14 to 16, Paul asks five questions about unequal yoking. He wants to know what communion there can be between righteousness and wickedness; light and darkness; Christ and Belial; believer and unbeliever; temple of God and idols. Is there an agreement between them? To the apostle's five questions, there is only one acceptable answer: No! “Do you mean, pastor, that God’s children are too good to marry unbelievers? And what about the unequal yoke of culture, social, financial status, height, age? Why does the church only talk about the unequal religious yoke?”
There are several types of unequal yoke. Each of these yokes can cause some type of problem. I am tired of hearing people say they are breaking up because of a lack of compatibility. Financial differences, for example, can be a fundamental problem. Before getting married, lovers are willing to live under a bridge. But, a month after the wedding, they expect that under the bridge there will be air conditioning, a dishwasher, refrigerator, etc. It is a problem! This needs to be considered before deciding to marry.
This is an issue that can be resolved with effort and dialogue, goodwill and work, love and dedication. To avoid the many surprises of marriage, the engagement period is the moment to evaluate these differences.
However, “the marriage of Christians with the ungodly is forbidden in the Bible” (Messages to Young People, p. 464). This is the Word of God saying that you should only make an alliance with those who have an alliance with God. Do not engage in marital evangelism. Do not fall into this trap! It is easier for the unbeliever to pull you down than for you to try to lift them up.
Make sure your partner is spiritually compatible with you. Evaluate what you have in common. Do you share the same faith? Are you willing to build a marriage according to God’s plan? Do you resort to the same strength and power in the face of life’s adversities? Do you have common values? Do you want to get married? Choose someone who serves the same Lord as you!