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Should a Christian go into business with an unbeliever? | GotQuestions.org

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--color-end: var(--bgcolor-content-end);" ><div class="content"> <div class="label gradient-to-tr" style="--color-start: #96445a; --color-end: #6f637e;">Question</div> <div class="sponsor-sidebar"><div class="desktop-show" align="center"><div class="adManager-placeholder"></div></div></div> <h1><span itemprop="name headline" property="og:title">Should a Christian go into business with an unbeliever?</span></h1> <div class="actions-wrap"><div class="actions"> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="INTL/business-unbeliever.html" onClick="gtag('event', 'click', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'intl'});"><img src="img/translate-icon.svg" alt="translate"></a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" property="og:video" href="https://youtu.be/HLnjn9Yan_w" onClick="gtag('event', 'click', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'video'});"><img src="img/logo-youtube.svg" alt="video" class="questionInteract"></a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://printer.gotquestions.net/GeneratePF?articleId=844" onClick="gtag('event', 'click', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'print'});"><img src="img/print.svg" class="questionInteract" alt="Christian business unbeliever"></a> <span class="audio-icon"><img src="img/volume.svg" alt="audio" class="questionInteract"><audio controls preload="none" style="width:300px;height:25px"><source src="audio/business-unbeliever.mp3" type="audio/mpeg"></audio></span> </div></div> <div itemprop="articleBody"> <div class="label gradient-to-tr" style="--color-start: #29a699; --color-end: #749c5a;">Answer</div><br><br> The question of whether a Christian should go into business with an unbeliever is a common one. The most often-quoted Scripture is “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14). Many times, this verse is taken to be a prohibition against Christians marrying non-Christians. Marriage would definitely apply here, but there is nothing in the context to limit it to marriage. All types of “unequal yokes” are forbidden—marriages, intimate friendships, and, in many instances, business partnerships.<br><br> <div class="youtube-player" data-id="HLnjn9Yan_w"></div><br> The command implies that a great difference exists between a believer and an unbeliever. Generally speaking, the motivations, goals, and methods of a Christian are incompatible with those of an unbeliever. Faith changes the character of a person. A Christian’s highest ambition in life is to glorify the Lord Jesus and please Him in all things; an unbeliever is, at best, indifferent to such goals. If a Christian’s methods and goals in business are identical to the methods and goals of an unbeliever, the Christian very likely needs to reevaluate and reconsider his/her priorities.<br><br> Second Corinthians 6:14 goes on to ask, “What fellowship can light have with darkness?” People are said to be “in fellowship” when they share something. Business partners are united in such a way that they must share things—what belongs to one also belongs to the other. This is precisely what is meant by “fellowship.” With these principles in mind, it is best to avoid uniting with unbelievers in business. If a Christian is truly seeking to honor the Lord through the business, conflict with the unbelieving business partner is unavoidable. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3 KJV).<br><br> </div> <section class="homepage-sponsor desktop-hide"> <div class="desktop-hide" align="center"><div class="adManager-placeholder-mobile"></div></div> </section> <div class="related resources"><h4>For Further Study</h4> <a target="_blank" rel="sponsored noopener" onClick="gtag('event', 'click', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'chrbook'});" href="https://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1011693&item_no=45172">Business for the Glory of God by Wayne Grudem</a><br><br> <a target="_blank" rel="sponsored noopener" onClick="gtag('event', 'click', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'logos'});" href="https://www.logos.com/?utm_campaign=logossubxlaunch-phase1&utm_source=gotquestions&utm_medium=advertising_display&utm_content=logossubxlaunch-phase1-gtlink">More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free!</a> </div> <div class="related topics"><h4>Related Articles</h4> <a href="multi-level-marketing.html">What does the Bible say about MLM (multi-level marketing)?</a><br><br> <a href="bankruptcy.html">Should a Christian declare bankruptcy?</a><br><br> <a href="Christian-employer.html">What should it mean to be a Christian employer?</a><br><br> <a href="Christian-business.html">What principles should distinguish a Christian business?</a><br><br> <a href="money-debt.html">What does the Bible say about a Christian going into debt?</a> </div> <center><strong class="return">Return to:<br><br> <a class="button-link box-shadow" href="questions_life-decisions.html">Questions about Life Decisions</a><br><br> Should a Christian go into business with an unbeliever?</strong></center> </div> </section> <section class="subscribe gradient-to-br" style="--color-start: #153c59; --color-end: #1b537c"> <div class="grid"> <div class="gradient-to-br box-shadow" style="--color-start: #2c6482; --color-end: #64547b"> <h5>Subscribe to the</h5> <h3>Question of the Week</h3> <p>Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox!</p> <iframe src="scommon/qotw.htm" title="question of the week" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%"></iframe> </div></div> </section> <section class="share gradient-to-b" style="--color-start: #073D60; --color-end: #0A3652;"> <span>Follow Us:</span> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/gotquestionsorg"><img src="img/logo-youtube.svg" alt="YouTube icon"></a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/gotquestions.org"><img src="img/logo-fb-simple.svg" alt="Facebook icon"></a> <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/gotquestions"><img src="img/logo-x.png" alt="X icon"></a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/gotquestionsministries/"><img src="img/logo-instagram.svg" alt="Instagram icon"></a> </section> </main> <footer> <div class="grid"><div> <div class="logo"></div> <ul> <li><a href="contact.html">Contact Us</a></li> <li><a href="citation.html">Citation</a></li> <li><a href="apply.html">Serve with Us</a></li> <li><a href="about.html">About Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="network"> GotQuestions.org is the primary site of Got Questions Ministries <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gqm.one"><img src="img/gqm-one.png"></a> </div> <div class="apps"> <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/got-questions/id366553550" target="_blank" rel="noopener" onClick="gtag('event', 'download', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'ios-app'});"><img src="img/apple-appstore.svg" class="appSource"></a> <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gotquestions.gqandapp&hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener" onClick="gtag('event', 'download', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'android-app'});"><img src="img/google-play.svg" class="appSource"></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VX73L12" target="_blank" rel="noopener" onClick="gtag('event', 'download', {'event_category':'engagement', 'event_label':'alexa-skill'});"><img src="img/amazon-alexa.svg" class="appSource"></a> </div> </div> </footer> <center><div class="bottom">&copy; Copyright 2002-2025 Got Questions Ministries. 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