Unequally Yoked | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 13, 1863

Unequally Yoked.

In these times of apostasy, when iniquity abounds, the love of the mass waxeth cold, while evil men and seducers wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, and the world is being filled with all manner of sin and unrighteousness, it is but reasonable to suppose that all classes of society, and all relations of life, should become affected with the contagion. Indeed, so deep-seated and wide-spread are the workings of sin throughout our world, that there is no person, whether old or young, rich or poor, free or bond, married or unmarried, but stands in danger of becoming involved in the general wreck and ruin that must inevitably follow close upon the times in which we are living.

But notwithstanding all are in danger, none being exempt from sore trials and temptations, there are some positions more dangerous than others, because more exposed to the wiles of the tempter. And although the church is the salt of the earth, and the light of the world, yet it is not the duty of the Christian to voluntarily place himself in a position or relation where he will necessarily labor to a great disadvantage, both in securing his own salvation and the salvation of others.

The marriage ordinance dates back to God as its author, and to Paradise as its origin. And from the testimony of the Scriptures, it is ever to be regarded as a very sacred thing—the foundation of society, the safeguard to virtue, and the center of all those endearing relations which make life interesting.

But notwithstanding that such is manifestly the design of heaven, far different results are reached, so that many a house, instead of being the abode of peace where religion sits enthroned, and God is honored, is but a place of envy and strife, where Satan is glorified. It is undoubtedly for the purpose of honoring God and preventing such unholy and unhappy consequences, that the apostle Paul writes so plainly and so pointedly to his Corinthian brethren, 2 Cor. vi, 14–16, forbidding or warning them against being unequally yoked with unbelievers.

Unequally yoked! Either the apostle meant that when the believer married the unbeliever they must be equally yoked, or else he meant to be understood as teaching that there could be no equality in yoking the believer with the unbeliever. That the latter view is the correct one, is evident from the number of strong arguments used touching this very thing.

Unequally yoked! The object of yoking is that those yoked may draw together. To be equally yoked is to be yoked on an evener, so that neither the one nor the other has the advantage in drawing. To be unequally yoked is to give to one all the advantage in drawing, so that the other works all the while at a disadvantage.

That the above figure is a very correct and forcible one, may be gathered from all the facts in the case. Whenever an agreement or partnership is formed between parties, especially those of opposite views and feelings, it is done either by the one party going the whole distance over to the other, or by a mutual compromise of those individualities that hinder a union. And when the believer marries the unbeliever, and the twain are made one flesh, according to the design and intent of the marriage ordinance, either the infidel must give up his infidelity and become a child of faith,

else the believer must renounce his faith and become an infidel, or else each one must sacrifice a certain amount of personalities.

If the unbeliever be required to renounce his unbelief and become a child of faith and God, where is the instance in a hundred, yea in a thousand, where he is willing or expects to do any such thing? And if the believer is asked to give up all, or even a part, of his faith, how unequal the demand! for, while the infidel has no certain convictions or fixed principles to lose, the believer has his clearest convictions of right, duty, and truth, yea, his highest aspirations of heart for purity and eternal life.

Or if it be understood that each one is to retain his and her own peculiar notions and sentiments, where would be the sympathy or concord? And not only as a matter of consequence would there be discord enough to corrode what little happiness there is, or might otherwise be enjoyed, but there is a great disadvantage in the pulling; for while the unbeliever has naught to do but follow the inclinations of his own carnal heart, not so much as professing to love mercy, deal justly, or walk humbly, or to exercise the charity of the Bible, the believer, by his most sacred faith, feels obligated to do all these things. While the unbeliever is left to do just as he feels or pleases, the believer is bound in the most solemn and impressive manner to do only that which is just and merciful. It does not require one to look the second time to see how unequal the drawing under such circumstances. Whoever heard of a partnership being formed where one party was made amenable, and was held and firmly bound to do just right, and the other party was left to act as he pleased, with impunity? And yet this is practically or in reality the case when the believer marries the infidel.

It may naturally be supposed that it can be no very difficult matter for a Christian to form a partnership with an infidel, and be on good terms so far as being watched, found fault with, or called to an account for any little misconduct, is concerned; but such is not the case. The more dishonest the man with whom we deal, the more afraid is he of being cheated. The more unbelieving and selfish, the more envious and exacting, and the less forbearing and forgiving toward others. Not but what the unbeliever may be interested in getting a living, may be as industrious and saving as the believer; yes he may be over careful in many things; and this even in many instances may prove a snare to the believer; for while he loves the cause of God, and fain would see it prosper, the unbeliever is looking upon every moment and penny used in the service of God, as something thrown away, and may say as one aforetime, "Why this waste of precious ointment?" "Why was it not sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor?"

Again, where is the sympathy or pulling together in these times of sore trial, when the faith of the stoutest Christian is tried to the utmost? Can the unbeliever encourage the believer to hope on and to struggle on, until the darkness is lifted and the light comes? Or how much comfort and consolation can the believer give to the unbeliever in those times, when the cares of this life and the sorrow of this world, which worketh death, threaten to drive the soul to distraction? The only comfort is the gospel, the only thing that will buoy the mind above cares and perplexities of this life, is the grace of God; but as this is only obtained by repentance toward God, and faith in the Lord Jesus, and as the unbeliever rejects these, the only thing that can be done is to let him struggle on in his own darkness, neither asking what he has not to give, nor offering what he will not receive.

Unequally yoked! How many a high-minded and noble-hearted woman has endured a life-long agony, and died of a broken heart, having been unequally yoked with some incarnation of self and carnality. To carry out the figure, she pulled and pulled and pulled until heart and life failed, and she could pull no longer. And although the instances may be fewer, yet many a man of the purest metal, the clearest kind of grit, has been driven from home, yea, to recklessness and desperation, by the continual clamor of a contentious and unreasonable woman. And if we should soften and smoothe down those rough places, and put the most favorable construction on the matter that we can, all the advantages in drawing are against the one who wishes to live religion. And we may repeat the language of the apostle by asking, What part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

Happy is that man or woman who, wishing to serve God and live religion, shall find out and heed these truths in time to flee the danger.

ONE WHO KNOWS.