Being Yoked

 

Part I:  Galatians 5:1-3

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.  Mark my words!  I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.  Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.  

 

What does it mean to be yoked? Have you ever seen a picture of a yoke of oxen? what are the characteristics of being yoked?

• Held fast together usually by physical constraints.
• Where one goes so must the other – great discomfort in trying to go separately.
• Without unity – hard to pull the load – unproductive

Paul’s point

If you are yoked to the Law you must go where it goes – slave to it because we can never be righteous enough.

Paul was addressing Judaizers at the time – but legalism and righteousness through rules is active today. When I visited Israel there were many places both Jewish & Christian where rules about things like head coverings were enforced. They were required in some religious sites & forbidden in other places to enter. Some places where women’s legs or shoulders needed to be covered to enter & cheap skirt wraps were handed out at the entrance, & collected on exit. A hotel had a special programmed sabbath elevator to avoid creating by energizing a circuit on the sabbath. A waitress who could wait tables, but not take our order to avoid writing(creating) on the sabbath. All of these examples are modern day attempts of keeping the Law that prevents us from full freedom in Christ.

Lets not confuse the practical parts of the law that are blessings for us with attempts at justification.

Jesus stated it clearly - not man for the Sabbath – but the Sabbath for man.

Paul was not just concerned with the new church being yoked again to the law?

 

Part II: 2 Corinthians 6:14

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.  For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?  Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?  What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?  What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?  What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?  For we are the temple of the living God.  As God has said:  “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

“Therefore, come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.  Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

 Need to approach this with some sensitivity, but Paul is saying quite clearly that we should not be unequally yoked to people. This does not mean we can not have any relationships with unbelievers, we are called to reach them. But certain relationships with unbelievers will hinder our experiencing full freedom in Christ.

Examples of yoked relationships:  marriages (even dating); work/business/financial commitments. Any relationship that requires unity, harmony, common purpose, &  commitment. Christ desires to live, walk and work freely with us in these relationships

If we are yoked to unbelievers there will be more issues, strife, discomfort, disappointment and less freedom. If our partner pulls away in a different direction, trouble is certain.

 Nancy and I have 10 years of experience and some scars from being unequally yoked. Many of my beliefs & actions were contrary to life in Christ & caused disunity, & stress in our marriage. My redemption brought the kind of harmony that has allowed us to experience the  harmony God designed for marriage.

While it may not be as serious as a yoked relationship I think it is possible to have an unhealthy yoked identity that can prove to be problematic as well. 

If you are in an unequally yoked situation, there are some things that can be done to work on getting out of some relationships.  Some others will need to rely on His grace to persevere.

 

Part III:  Matthew 11:28-30 ESV (Final example of being yoked)

 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.””

• Jesus understood the heavy yokes the people were carrying under the law; & similar situations we can get into today.

• His promise is to lift our burden and to give us rest.

• We need to be careful of who and what else we become yoked with to walk in the fullness of His freedom.