Let’s clear up some confusion about being evenly yoked together with somebody. Many believe that “evenly yoked” simply means two believers. Listen, believing in God is a minimum standard but it is not the full meaning of evenly yoked. Stay with me…
Anybody who has ever been in a hellish relationship with someone who was a “Christian” knows that belief in God alone does not mean the person is healthy or safe — mentally or behaviorally. See, just because they’re a believer doesn’t mean that they are marriage material or that they are right for you.
Spiritually yoked, belief, is one aspect of our being, which is why the scripture does not say, “Do not be unevenly ‘Spiritually’ yoked.” Yoked, or connected with, includes mind, body and spirit. Your identity in Christ includes your whole being, which is why God tells us, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
Christian’s are humans, and a Christian can be spiritually yoked with you — on the surface, and at the same time be at odds with your character, mind or life — as was Judas. The Bible tells us: “Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Bad company is someone who is contrary to you — contrary behavior, contrary mentality, contrary goals, contrary views or anything that is contrary to the plan and will God has for your life.
The Bible didn’t tell us to trust every spirit, or everybody who claims to be a believer, the Bible said, “Test every spirit…” (1 John 4:1). How do we test a spirit? By behavior: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people” (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
Having a form of godliness, or claiming to be a Christian, doesn’t mean the person is evenly yoked: “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder” (James 2:19). Belief alone doesn’t make somebody evenly yoked. And while we’re at it, sitting in a church doesn’t make them a Christian, any more than sitting in a garage makes them a car. The devil sits in church to pick up Christians who believe simply holding a Bible or performing the Sunday rituals makes somebody a good catch.
For this reason the scripture says, “How can two walk together unless they are agreed” (Amos 3:3). They might be a believer but you can’t walk together in agreement with them if they’re an abuser — mentally, emotionally or physically. You can’t walk together in agreement with them if they don’t have or share your vision and hope for God’s plans for your life. You can’t walk together in agreement with them if they have a mentality or attitude that disrespects you, steals your joy or oppresses your peace. Trust God on this: “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20).
“Christian” does not make them healthy or safe for marriage, or compatible with you. Even Jesus said, “There will be many who say, ‘Lord, Lord’ … Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:22-23). The many pastors, church leaders and “followers” who rape, molest and abuse prove that spiritually yoked alone doesn’t mean they are safe or healthy.
You are yoked to whoever they are — or aren’t, and if their behavior doesn’t agree with who you are, with who God called you to be, with your boundaries, with your safety, with your destiny, with the plans and visions you have for your life, you cannot walk in agreement with them — because you’re not evenly yoked.
Article By: Patrick Weaver
