The Unequal Yoke
by John Ritchie

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. 2 Cor.  6:14
Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Amos 3:3

1. Introduction
2. The Social Circle
3. The Matrimonial Yoke
4. The Commercial Yoke
5. The Religious Yoke

Introduction   [Top]

    Will the young believers who are here with us to-night take their Bibles and reverently search with me therein, that we may learn what the Lord says to us about "The Unequal Yoke" in some of its practical bearings on matters of daily life and walk.  I daresay you are all so happy in the Lord just now, that your minds recoil from mingling with the giddy crowd, or forming alliance with the ungodly world  May the Lord preserve you in the simplicity of Christ, and in the dew of your youth.  If your souls are satisfied with the Lord, and finding their delight in fellowship with Him, and in subjection to His blessed Word, there will he no desire for the companionship of the ungodly.  Nevertheless, "to be forewarned is to be forearmed," and to have the truth of God dwelling richly within you.  is your only safeguard in the day of trial.  Like some stately vessel newly launched, you are sailing along beneath a cloudless heaven, but by-and-by the storms of temptation may gather around your souls, and it will fare badly with you then if they are not well "ballasted" by the truth of God.  "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee" (Psalm 119:11): and "By the words of Thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer" (Psalm 17:4).

    I have observed during the, last few years that one of Satan's masterpiece devices for the crippling of young believers has been "The Unequal Yoke."  It has been presented in a variety of forms, but his one object has been to drag them down from their excellency to the level of the world.  Where there was not firm and decided resistance, steadfast in the faith, it never failed to accomplish its purpose.  How many bright and happy saints have been caught in the subtle snare, and practically ruined as regards their life and testimony for God in the world.  "The Unequal Yoke" has blasted many a fruitful tree in the garden of the Lord, and paralysed many an arm once strong and active in His service.  We therefore fed there is a heavy responsibility lying upon us, and upon all those who watch for souls, to sound the alarm and let the trumpet give a certain sound, that the Lord's dear lambs may be warned.  "The Unequal Yoke" is presented to us in the Scriptures under various aspects.  For simplicity they may be enclosed within the following circles :-
 

1. The Social Circle, or "The Unequal Yoke" with unconverted companions.
2. The Matrimonial Circle, or "The Unequal Yoke," in marriage.
3. The Commercial Circle, or "The Unequal Yoke" in business.
4. The Religious Circle, or "The Unequal Yoke" in the worship and service of God.
 

    The first of these is a special snare to the young.  Unconverted companions have been the means of leading many young believers back to the world.  Make a clean cut with all your worldly companions and associates if you want to go on with God  You cannot possibly have communion with God and with the world too.  "Know ye not that the friend-ship of the world is enmity with God?  Who-soever, therefore, will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4).  "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15).  This is very clear and definite; there is no difficulty about it.  If you get into friendship with the world, your friendship with God ceases.  You join hands with those who disown His author-ity; reject His Son, and resist His Spirit; you go over to Satan's ranks, and take sides against God.  How could you thus expect the smile of God upon your soul?  How could you ask for His eye to guide you, or His arm to defend you?  When the believer joins the ranks of the world, lie virtually takes himself  from  under  the  shadow  of  the Almighty, and puts himself under the Pro-tectorate of Satan.  Could anything be more awful than this?  Let the Lord's lambs ponder this, and take heed to their spirits and ways.  The beginning of companionship with the world is to be guarded against.  It is often very insidious.

    A young man leaves his country home and goes to reside in the city.  Godly parents, and a circle of Christian companions, are left be-hind.  He arrives in the city a perfect stranger.  His spirit feels the change; everything is new.  He is surrounded by worldly young men in the office or workship.  When business Is over he goes to the house of a stranger, where he lodges.  The Christians to whose fellow-ship he has been introduced are cold and formal, and the meetings are few and stereo-typed.  He walks out and in without becoming acquainted with anybody, ,and by-and-by he loses heart.  All this, alas! is not infrequently the case.  The, young men in the office are kind and obliging.  They invite him out for an evening; he consents, and goes.  The devil sees his opportunity; he spreads his net, and the young believer's feet are ensnared.  Happy is the young man who has learned to live alone with God, and to find his solace in meditation on His word.  May the young believers present here to-night acquire this blessed habit.  Learn to live and walk with God; then, no matter where your lot is cast, you will never lose your company.

    A lonely heart that leans on God is happy anywhere.

    Take a decided stand for God at all times, in all places.  Where you are at work, where you live, and in fact anywhere; let it be dis-tinctly understood from the very first hour that you belong to Jesus Christ.  Do not allow the devil to shut your mouth or lower your colours at the beginning.  When you go for the first time into a new lodging, or to a new workshop, or among strangers, let your testi-mony be clear and ringing.  It will save you lots of trouble afterwards.  When they see that you are unflinching and fearless, they will soon leave off inviting you to worldly games and entertainment.

    Beware of giving the smallest countenance to those semi-religious entertainment, where what they call "sacred melodies" and "worldly songs" are made to blend, and where the children of God and the children of the devil are "yoked together" in the form of a choir, The devil succeeds in ensnaring believers by this means, when he cannot do it by the openly ungodly theatre or opera.  A word about amusement.  Evening parties made up of Christian and Christless young men and women, are dangerous places for the people of God.  Loose conversation, frivolous games, and all such fleshly indulgences are most hurt-ful to the life of God in the soul.  It shows a low state of spiritual life, and a depraved pal-ate, when the child of God can enjoy such things.  Set your face straight against them all, and go on your way with God.

    "Cricket clubs", "billiard clubs", and "football clubs", present other phases of "The Unequal Yoke" to young men; while singing classes, dancing classes, and choirs, present the same to believers of both sexes alike.  No amusement or recreation can be of God that leads you into association with the unconverted.  Ruth said, "Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God" (Ruth 1:16).  David said, "1 am a companion of all them that fear Thee" (Psalm 119:63).  He had his hours of sweet intercourse in the wood with his companion Jonathan, who "loved him as his own soul" (1 Sam. 23.).  Daniel with his "companions" in Babylon, and Esther with her companions in Shushan, are fine examples of how godly young men and women may hand themselves together to pray and work for God in the midst of surrounding ungodliness.
 

    The word of God distinctly declares that a child of God is not to be united in marriage with an unbeliever.  To God's ancient people Israel the following command was given, concerning the nations around them: "Neither shalt thou make marriage with  them ; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son, for will turn away thy son from following Me" (Deut. 7:3, 4).  To the saints of the present age the word is equally explicit :- "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Cor. 6:14); and "Married...only in the Lord" (1 Cor. 7:39).  These are clearly the commandments of the Lord to us.

    This aspect of the "Unequal Yoke" is a snare into which many mighty men have fallen.  Solomon, the wisest of men fell into this snare, and the "outlandish women" of the Ammonites and Moabites turned away his heart from God, and caused him to sin (see 1 Kings 11:1-13; Neh. 13:23-31).  Samson, the strongest of men, was also caught in it, and shorn of his strength.

    I do not suppose that any of you has the smallest thought of marriage with an uncon-verted partner at the present time; but we have found in the case of some, that the links that led to such a deplorable climax had been formed long before.  The affections became engaged with the idle years before the final step was taken.  My dear young brother and sister, let me lovingly and faithfully warn you against allowing your affections to go after a worldling.  Watch the beginning of such a course.  The link may he slender at first, but it will grow stronger; and once Satan gets the "Yoke" securely fastened upon your neck.  it will cost you something to get rid of it.  How many tears and broken hearts might have been saved had the evil been checked at the beginning.  If at the present moment there be a single link between your heart and that of a worldling, I implore of you to flee to the throne of grace, and, in deep humiliation of soul, acknowledge your sin to God, and seek grace to immediately renounce it.  Whatever it may cost you, let the link he cut, and that completely and manifestly.  Your soul will only thus escape from the snare of the fowler.

    I knew a bright and happy Christian girl.  A young man of her own age and rank pro-posed marriage to her.  She allowed her af-fections to he engaged, yet she felt it would be wrong to marry the unbeliever.  She put him off with some paltry excuse, and told him to wait a little.  The link remained uncut, and after twelve years of trifling with God and her conscience, she married the unbeliever.  She sits in sorrow, the wife of a drunkard.  But some may say, "there are many amiable, loving young men and women who, although they do not say they are born again,' are religiously inclined, and willing to listen to the truth.  Might I not be made the means of the conversion of such an one after we were married?"

    This is a very subtle device, and one largely made use of by Satan.  The answer to it is simply this :-"God says you are not to be 'unequally yoked' with an unbeliever, and as His child He demands from you unhesitating, unquestioning obedience."  It is vain for the heart that has departed from the Lord to carry out its own desire to marry an unbeliever, and then expect that God will convert him.  God is a Sovereign, and He can work in spite of His people's sin, but He has not given the smallest ray of hope to the believer who enters into the "Unequal Yoke" with his eyes open, and in direct disobedience to God, to expect any such thing.  Such a believer may count on many tears and sorrows, and years of domestic unhappiness.  He may safely reckon on a blighted testimony and a famished .soul, and on the certain fulfillment of the word "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7), but on nothing else.  Morality and even religiousness have often been adopted to enable the unbeliever to gain his point, and after that was gained, the hypo-crite came out in his true character.

    Mary was a Christian servant girl.  Previous to her conversion she had been keeping company with a young mechanic.  Immediately after she was converted she told him what had taken place, and that they could not any longer walk together until lie was converted.  He saw she was determined to act on what she had said, and every time he made up to her he was told the same thing.  His tactics changed.  He became very religious.  He offered to give her the liberty to "go where she liked," or even to go with her.  The Lord sustained the soul of His child, and enabled her to resist him boldly and fearlessly.  When he saw it was of no use, he threw off the sheep's clothing, and came out in his true colours.

    It is an easy thing for a believer to persuade himself that one upon whom  his heart is set is a Christian.  Very little proof satisfies the heart that is away from God.  and the devil can easily furnish his child with the garments of a Christian profession, if they be necessary for his purpose.  But who can rightly estimate the feelings of the child of God who finds out.  when it is too late, that he has chosen for a partner in life an heir of wrath; and that she who ought to be his helpmeet - his counterpart - his second self - has no more in common with him than "light" has with "dark-ness,  or "Christ" with "Belial"?  There can be no sweet blending of hearts, no bowing of the knees together before the throne of grace; no holy intercourse on things touching the King.  The unbeliever cannot rise to enjoy the things above, and so the child of God must descend to enjoy the things of the world.

    I heard recently of a Christian young woman who had fallen in love with a worldly young man.  An aged Christian warned her against it, and put before her what the issue would be.  She sought to defend her conduct by saying he was moral, and willing to listen to the Gospel.  "Well, well," said the old disciple, "if you marry a child of the devil, you may expect to have some trouble with your father-in-law."  Her eyes were opened to see the relationship she was about to enter into, and the snare was broken.
 

    "Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together" (Deut. 22:10).  This was one of Jehovah's statutes to Israel, and the New Testament command, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with  unbelievers," is the answer to the type.  The "clean" and the "un-clean" were not to be yoked together in the plough; nor is the believer to be yoked to-gether with the unbeliever in business.  It ought to be conducted so as to please God.  The distinction commonly drawn between "secular" and "sacred" things is certainly not found in the Word of God.  We are told in that book, that "Whatsoever ye do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Col. 3:17); and "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31).  It is per-fectly clear from this that a believer's secular calling is to be conducted in the name of the Lord Jesus, and to the glory of God.  When he enters his workshop on Monday morning, he ought to do so in the name of the Lord Jesus, as truly as he entered the place where the disciples gathered in that Name on the Lord's Day.  He ought to "buy" and "sell" to the glory of God, and as under His holy eye, just as he worshipped and served beneath it on the first day of the week.  It is by looking at business from this standpoint that we see the true character of the "Unequal Yoke." Two men enter into a business; the one is a child of God, the other a man of the world, and his only desire is to make money.  They are committed to the action of each other.  It is clear they cannot pull well together.  What the unbeliever "sees no harm in." the believer's conscience will not allow; or else the believer must yield, compromising the truth, defiling his conscience, and vexing his righteous soul from day to day.  It invariably ends badly for the child of God.  Prospects may be good for a time.  It may appear as if prosperity and success attended them, but the word of the Lord is firm and sure: "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil (R.V.); which, while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Tim.6:10).  Jehoshasphat, the king of Judah, a child of God, en-tered into partnership with Ahaziah, king of Israel, a child of the devil, in a shipping adventure.  They were to sail a fleet of ships to Tarshish.  The Lord in mercy wrecked the whole fleet before they had made their first trip.  Thus ended the firm of "Jehoshaphat, Ahaziah & Co."; and thus has ended many a co-partnery.  bringing ruin and loss to all the saints of God in connection with it.
 

    In no department of the believer's life does the command, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers," apply more fully than in matters pertaining to the worship and service of God.  The children of God are a distinct and separate people, by redemption and calling.  Their citizenship is in heaven, as is also their inheritance and their hope.  They are left down here to be "the salt of the earth," and the "light of the world."  The wheat and tares-that is, the children of God, and the children of the wicked one-will both grow together in the field (and the field is the world) until the end (see Matt 13:24-30, 38, 39); but they are not to be yoked together in the Church, or associated in the worship and service of God.  The Church of Christ, as it is presented in the Scriptures, consists of the children of God.  The unconverted, whether religious or profane, are forbidden to mingle with the saints of God, or share their privileges and responsibilities.  We read of the early church, that "all that believed were together," and "of the rest durst no man join himself to them" (Acts 2:44; 5:13).  It is not so now.  The greater number of the religious denomi-nations are largely composed of the uncon-verted.  What can a child of light have in common with these sons of darkness?  You cannot become "communicants" or "members" in any of the churches where the unconverted are admitted without being "unequally yoked" with them.  May the Lord preserve the feet of His saints, and enable each of us to yield hearty, unhesitating obedience to His Word.