Unequal yoke

[Marathoner]

15 hours ago, Wayne222 said:

You misunderstood my post brother . Showing love to a unbeliever and fellowship with him are two different things. You can be a friend to anyone . But can you share in dirty jokes ? And smile and say nothing when he profane the name of the lord ? 

I addressed this already in my first post: This does not mean that we do as others do. 

You stated in your OP...
 

Quote

If someone does not fear God and doesn’t love the lord Jesus then you cannot love and marry them.

The Lord says, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31), and His commandment includes loving our enemies (Luke 6:35). We love others expecting nothing in return, my friend. We notice that the Lord made no exceptions to what the apostle James proclaims as the royal law. 

Being a friend and marrying someone else are worlds apart. Marriage has nothing to do with loving our neighbor as ourselves. I admit that your OP is somewhat vague because, after reviewing it again, it appears that you are focusing primarily upon marriage? 

I can't comment on marriage from personal experience, brother. I'm not married.   

Edited May 7, 2023 by Marathoner

[Vine Abider]

On 5/6/2023 at 9:14 AM, Marathoner said:

Indeed. I would never counsel a brother to divorce his wife if she were an unbeliever, knowing that the Lord plants us in the lives of others for the express purpose of showing forth His love to one and all. I would encourage him instead:

To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you would inherit a blessing. For,

“The one who desires life, to love and see good days,
Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
He must turn away from evil and do good;
He must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears attend to their prayer,
But the face of the Lord is against evildoers.”
(1 Peter 3:8-12 NASB)

The Lord has done so with me, and I am neither a great nor noteworthy man. My adopted mother was bitter and loathed Christians, blaming us for the evils that were done to her over the course of her life. We were strangers when we first met, and the Lord moved upon me to protect her life with my own. Those were dark and evil times, but I was steadfast in that duty which the Spirit placed before me to walk in. He forbid me to reveal that which was hidden from this woman at the time --- I am a Christian myself --- for it was His will that one whom she despised serve in submission and silence, asking for nothing in return. Bless, and do not curse. Endure, and don't flee from our calling in Jesus Christ.  

The Lord Himself did the same for our sake. We are by no means greater than our Master. 

When the dark time passed and the Lord had delivered this woman from wicked men, I became ill with a mysterious sickness and started wasting away. There were some who said to this woman, "Get rid of him now before he dies in your house!", but she refused to abandon me. She promised that as I had refused to abandon her as her own family and even children had done, she would not abandon me. She would care for me until the end. 

She said and did all of these things without expectation of reward, ignorant of the will and purpose of our Lord and God. The wisdom of God would not be revealed until He did the impossible, returning me to vigorous health and ultimately, to her. This was His purpose, not my own. On the day when she came to me, and I both stood before her on my own two feet and spoke like a man (I had lost the ability to speak during the illness), she embraced me and wept tears of joy. "You've been returned to me! You're back!"

When the Lord raised me up, He said to me, This is your mother. Love her as I love you and serve her as I have also served you. Forgive her trespasses as I forgive your own trespasses and do not be afraid, for I am always with you.

This was when the Spirit bid me to reveal those things she didn't know: I am a Christian, a bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ whom she loved during her youth. Whatever she did for my sake, she did for Him. She cared for me when I was sick, fed me when I was hungry, gave me water to drink when I was thirsty, and gave me clothing to wear when I had none... all without expectation of anything in return (a reward). The Lord loves her like no other, and it is His will that I serve her and stand beside her as her own son... the son who was taken away from her minutes after he was born. 

She was overwhelmed. The Spirit strengthened me to endure the long process which followed the revelation of His purpose regarding my adopted mother, and she hated me for a time. Ah, but this wasn't my strength but His own, for I wanted to run away many, many times! What did the Spirit say? Remain. Endure. Persevere. That is My will regarding you. I didn't forget that duty which the Lord placed before me, to love her just as He loves me. I was an enemy of God once... and He loved me even then. 

That's my encouragement to any brother or sister who finds themselves in a similar situation. Whether He charges us to love and serve a husband... a wife... a son or a daughter... or even a stranger, we are His bondservants. It's our joy and and the highest honor to love our neighbor as ourselves.  

Very touching!! It reminds me of the story in Hosea where the Lord tells him to marry a woman who is in adultery.  This was a picture of the children of Israel, who were playing the harlot with God, their rightful Husband.  This is the unconditional love God has, and this love of His is now indwelling us!  Great story bro!

So did she come to know the Lord?

Edited May 7, 2023 by Vine Abider

[Vine Abider]

11 hours ago, AnOrangeCat said:

What I'm saying is this. Nowhere in that chapter or the surrounding chapter is there any mention of marriage. It's an interpretation that's become popular within the church but I just don't see a case for it. Even looking at the Greek terminology it doesn't seem to suggest that it's specifically speaking on marital relationships. What I do see is a general call for the church to keep a certain distance between itself and the world. In other words don't enter any close entanglements where you'll be enticed to sin. Certainly marriage is a prime candidate for that, but to interpret it it strictly as a marital thing is missing the mark. It would essentially be the same as looking at "Thou shalt not commit adultery" and deciding it only applies to certain specific situations.

Here's an interesting discussion of just that: https://sermons.logos.com/sermons/221657-ripped-out-of-context:-unequally-yoked

I have always heard this verse directly associated with marriage.  What do others think?

[steve morrow]

RIGHTEOUSNESS 

 

1 JOHN 3:10  in this the children of  GOD  are manifest and the children of the  devil   whosoever doeth  not righteousness  is not of  GOD  neither  HE  that loveth not his brother  

 

1 JOHN  2:9 he that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkness even until now 

--2:10--  he that loveth his brother abideth in the light  and there is none occasion of stumbling in him

 

ROMANS 6:16  know you not that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey his servants you are to whom you obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness 

--6:17--  but  GOD  be thanked that you were the servants of sin but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you 

--6:18--  being then made free from sin you became servants of righteousness 

 

2 JOHN 1:9  whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of  CHRIST  hath not GOD  he that abideth in the doctrine of  CHRIST  he hath both  THE  FATHER  AND  THE  SON 

 

 

--1:10--  IF  THERE  COME  ANY  UNTO  YOU  --AND  BRING  NOT  THIS  DOCTRINE  ---  RECEIVE  HIM  NOT  INTO  YOUR  HOUSE   NEITHER  BID  HIM  GOD  SPEED 

 

PSALM 50:14  OFFER  UNTO  GOD  THANKSGIVING  AND  PAY  THY  VOWS UNTO  THE  MOST  HIGH

 

LOVING  THE  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST .

 

 

 

 

 

[Wayne222]

23 hours ago, R. Hartono said:

Thats example from God

You just don't like it.

I like the truth. Paul write marry only in the lord, rebuke him.,

[Wayne222]

11 hours ago, Jayne said:

@Wayne222

When I taught in Christians schools [for a brief time], I would explain to my junior high students the following about being unequally yoked - 

When you put the yoke on the oxen or donkeys or cows or even camels - they are now bound together.

Whether it's dating or marriage or business ventures or church planting or just about any union that includes spiritual purposes, then both parties need to have similar spiritual goals and beliefs about where God wants to lead them.

If one of the parties is spiritually weak, lazy, lost, worldly, or has any other UNADDRESSED  spiritual flaw, then it's like the two oxen above.  That wagon ain't going anywhere.

Even if both oxen are standing, if one is interested in going to the right and the other, the left, the wagon isn't going anywhere.

Or if both want to go to the right, but one has a game back leg or is too weak to pull the wagon, then the wagon may just go in circles.

If Christians understand this, they MUST marry Christians.  But if they don't give it a thought and marry a non-believer, don't divorce.  The Bible addresses how to deal with a non-believing spouse.

Exactly how I view it

[TheBlade]

On 5/5/2023 at 10:52 PM, Wayne222 said:

         If someone does not fear God and doesn’t love the lord Jesus then you cannot love and marry them. You would be unequally yoke to them. Meaning you would not be walking together. It would fail unless you quit walking with God. And that would be a insult to the sacrifice of Christ. Even friendship with non Christians would be unequal. Fellowship with God and friendship with worldly people is impossible together. It’s being double minded.  

Well praise GOD glory to Jesus that which is perfect has not come yet  Your in for a shock at what the great I am can do. What is to hard for the lord?

Didn't read any of the comments but you just know in the spirit there are countless that came to the lord because of that spouse. I know a story.... he married a woman who just happen to be a Christian and he was gay told her he was left not to long after that. He told her he was not going to change. Was going to end his life.. went saw this pastor they prayed for him. He thought it was funny because the next day they will find out he took his own life. Yet about 15 min into them praying for him....his words..something seemed like it wanted out of him. 

Short it 3 months later he wakes up every desire for the same sex was gone and ... his words again....every cell in his body wanted his wife. See when he left she said I will be here waiting. He called the pastor who sent two people over there haha said GET THIS MAN TO HIS WIFE! Married happy kids... shall I keep going?

I like this song... "HOW FAR" Tasha Layton. ...thats how far your love will go...

I pray for all those hurting. I remember I think a week ago some youtube video...I forget what it was about yet I was shocked at how many asking for help about their marriage for spouse was leaving and .. been with my wife what together 44 years yet there were times I you know that pain...  it hurts because.. I can't fix it.. I have faith but we all have a free choice. Yeah .. all this made me cry.. but all things are possible with our Father.. 

 

[creativemechanic]

This pretty much sums up why unequally yoked is generally a bad idea for marriage....

 

Edited May 8, 2023 by creativemechanic

[R. Hartono]

4 hours ago, Wayne222 said:

I like the truth. Paul write marry only in the lord, rebuke him.,

Rebuke God and Hosea.

[creativemechanic]

2 minutes ago, R. Hartono said:

Rebuke God and Hosea.

That's not a sensical response.The unequally yoked rule was established AFTER Hosea. Centuries after.