Hey Bestie! Have you ever heard the phrase “do not be unequally yoked”?
The phrase actually comes from the scripture 2 Corinthians 6:14 which says “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?”
Being unequally yoked is said to express the danger of being partnered with an unbeliever. The imagery used to describe the meaning refers to two oxen joined together by a wooden bar in order to complete work together.
Other interpretations use images of two different animals who function differently. The whole concept behind the imagery is to tell believers that they shouldn’t be partnered with unbelievers.
Many have then discussed how believers shouldn’t be friends, business partners, or even have dealings with those who don’t believe in Jesus Christ.
I even heard the message preached saying that believers shouldn’t go near unbelievers, but is this what is meant by “do not be unequally yoked”?
This post is all about the meaning of do not be unequally yoked.
The Meaning of Unequally Yoked Taken Out Of Context
Scriptures including 2 Corinthians 6:14 are always taken out of context. When reading scripture, it’s extremely important to look at the pretext.
You have to read the scripture as well as the text surrounding it to understand it. You also have to consider the type of book that the scripture is written in.
Most of the books in the new testament are letters written to the people of different regions. On top of that without understanding the Kingdom, it’s impossible to understand anything in the Bible.
The Bible is not a religious book. It’s about a King, his royal family, government, and royal infiltration. It has nothing to do with religion.
To understand the phrase unequally yoked, you must first understand what a Kingdom is.
A Kingdom is defined as the governing influence of a King over his territory impacting it with his personal will, purpose, and intent producing a culture with values, morals, and lifestyle that reflect the King’s nature (Myles Munroe).
Without understanding that the Bible is about a government, it’s beyond easy to misinterpret all scripture.
The Truth About Unequally Yoked Friendships
What is a friendship? Friendship is defined as a state of enduring affection, esteem, intimacy, and trust between two people according to Britannica.
But what does God consider friendship to be? This is the question you should ask when it comes to all things you want to know because God is the original mind of it all.
Let God teach you about friendship. Speaking of friendship, Jesus said in Luke 16:9 to use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves so that when its gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwelling.
This would be really strange if unequally yoked meant to not go around unbelievers.
Do Not Be Unequally Yoked With Unbelievers Meaning
When you begin to understand the Kingdom concept, everything in the Bible becomes clearer. Bestie you are a citizen of Heaven (Philippians 3:20 NLT). Being that you’re from the country of Heaven, your culture is different from the world’s.
If you were to read the entire chapter of 2 Corinthians 6, you would see that in verses 16-18 that God is saying the exact thing he has been saying since the beginning of time.
He is telling you his original intentions for mankind.
He says “What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, I will make my dwelling among them and walk among the and I will be their God and they shall be my people.
Therefore go out from their midst and be separate from them and touch no unclean thing then I will welcome you and I will be a father to you and you shall be sons and daughters to me says the Lord Almighty.
The meaning “do not be unequally yoked” speaks more to the actions of people more than the people themselves.
All it means is that you are in the world, but not of it (John 17:14-15 NIV) Since you are the Kingdom of God, your culture is based in Heaven. Follow the lay of your land, not this world’s.
God said the exact same thing to the Israelites on several occasions. Once the Lord freed the Israelites and took them out of Egypt, he took them on a journey to the land of the Caanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:17 ESV).
As they got closer, he consistently warned them not to mix with their nations. He specifically said to not make mention of the names of their gods, swear by them, serve them, or bow to them, but to cling to the Lord your God.
What Is God’s Will
Ever since the fall, God has been trying to restore the Kingdom of God on the earth. He was finally able to do this through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus came not to bring a religion called Christianity, but he came to restore everything that Adam fell from.
Adam fell from dominion. He lost the government and his direct connection to God on earth which is the Holy Spirit. The reason he died on the cross and shed his blood for you was to cleanse you so that the Governor of the Kingdom can be placed back inside of you.
He made the only requirement to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and continue to walk and talk with him so that he could renew your mind. Everything that God has done and will ever do in your life is for his original purpose which is the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven.
His desire is for you to rule earth and make it look exactly like the home country, Heaven. The Lord rules the highest heavens, but he has given the earth to the children of man (Psalm 115:16 NIV). You are kings and queens Besties!
This earth and all that’s in it is for you to manage and rule over with the exception of people. People are God’s image and he never intended for any image to rule over another.
Scriptures About God’s Original Purpose
Genesis 1:26
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Genesis 3:15
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
Genesis 17:7
And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.
Exodus 6:7
I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
Ezekiel 37:23
They will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people, and I will be their God.
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 43:1
But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
Revelation 5:9-10
And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
This post was all about the meaning of do not be unequally yoked.
Remember you’re destined to win because he got up!
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