Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? — 2 Corinthians 6:14
Business is business. It does not affect relationships, right? Business is separate from your day to day life or your Christian walk, right? You pick a business partner based on their savvy, ability, shared business vision, and capital contribution. Is should not matter that if the two of you are different religions or one is a Christian and the other is not, right? Second Corinthians 6: 14 is only referring to marriage and dating not business, right?
What is a yoke?
The definition is as follows:
Noun: A wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are to pull (according to Wikipedia Dictionary)
a : a wooden bar or frame by which two draft animals (as oxen) are joined at the heads or necks for working together (according to Merriam-Weber Dictionary)
In a question and answer article on the John MacArthur website, Grace to You, he discusses the concept of being unequally yoked with an unbeliever. He said it best when he stated: The point is that if you are in the same yoke, pulling the same plow down the same furrow — that is, if you are working side by side in the same enterprise, partnering together with an unbeliever – you’ve got a problem.
Simply put business partners need to be on one accord spiritually. A Christian should not have an equal partnership with a non-Christian. I am not suggesting that a Christian cannot hire a non-Christian as that is perfectly acceptable. However, you cannot forge a side by side partnership with an unbeliever as stated in clearly in scripture. A Christian may feel compromised from giving God the glory, making offerings, or ethics if partnered up with someone of a different worldview. The yoke is for two going on the same direction pulling the same weight for the same cause. There is not room or ability to go in different directions and if it is attempted it will fail.
Note: When I mention ethics that was not to suggest that only Christians have a strong moral code. There are instances where it may be ethical to take an action but not in line with scripture.