Paul wrote this to the Corinthians… “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols…” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16).
The terms, “bound together,” literally mean “unequally yoked” and have several applications for us. The basic message is that we should not be so associated with the world to the extent that the world dictates our behavior. The idea of being “yoked” together reminds us of how animals are yoked so as to help one another pull a load. We must not help in pulling sinful loads with the world, and we must not allow ourselves to be dominated by the world as to feel obligated to pull its load.
From a personal standpoint, the apostle is saying that we should not listen to the world when it opposes God. This has implications for the way we talk, the way we dress and what we do with our time. Does our job take precedence over the Lord’s work and worship? Do our school activities come between us and what the Lord expects? If so, then perhaps we are bound more to the idols of the world than to the temple of God. It’s easy to get all tied up with the world and to loosen our attachment with our Creator, so let’s be forewarned and cautious about our worldly associations.
