Counsels on Relationships

Counsel #21 — Unequally Yoked

Picture: Counsel #21 — Unequally Yoked CR 168.1

When you care deeply about someone, it’s easy to want to give them your best, and maybe even bend a little sometimes to keep the peace. Although compromise is necessary at times, a love that asks you to let go of your faith isn’t real love.^[175] CR 168.2

The person God has for you will never pressure you to go against your beliefs, no matter how subtle the persuasion might seem. They won’t joke about your values, roll their eyes at your boundaries, or make you feel like you’re “too serious” about your faith. Instead, they’ll admire your strength, even when it challenges them. When they realize and see how much God means to you, they’ll want to grow with you in Christ. At the end of the day, if someone truly loves you, they’ll protect your spiritual walk and never tempt you to stumble. The right person will never make you choose between your relationship with them and your relationship with God. So, wait for the one who sees your love for God as the most beautiful thing about you and chooses to walk beside you in it. CR 168.3

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?...” 2 Corinthians 6:14 NIV CR 168.4

“Great care should be taken by Christian youth in the formation of friendships and in the choice of companions.” Ellen White in The Adventist Home, p. 44 CR 168.5

Reflect: Does your partner support your spiritual growth? CR 168.6