“Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 6:17–18 (NLT)
Paul gives us a powerful picture in this chapter. He warns us not to be yoked with unbelievers, drawing from the Old Testament law that prohibited harnessing an ox and a donkey together in the same yoke. Two different animals, with different strength and stride, could never plow a straight line. In the same way, when we form close alliances with unbelievers, our walk with Christ gets pulled off course. Oil and water don’t mix. Light and darkness don’t mix. Our loyalty to Jesus cannot be divided.
Being “yoked” isn’t about casual friendships—it’s about those close, binding relationships where we pull together in the same direction. If we’re tied too closely to unbelievers, they can drag us away from Christ. But when two believers are yoked together, Christ Himself is the center of the yoke. He keeps us aligned, pulling toward the same goal and vision for our lives.
Paul reminds us that we are the temple of the living God. That means our hearts are sacred space where God has chosen to dwell. Just as we wouldn’t allow unholy activities in the sanctuary of our church, we shouldn’t allow unholy influences to sit at the center of our lives. Our intimacy with God is compromised when we let mismatched alliances define us. But if we remain set apart for Him, the promise is clear—our Father welcomes us, cares for us, and calls us His beloved children.