Unequal yoke

[Vine Abider]

12 minutes ago, Marathoner said:

Indeed. I haven't advocated such a thing either. We have pointed out how scripture is sometimes silent regarding something others feel strongly about; this is one of those situations.

It's clear from the passages I referenced in an earlier post that marriage with an unbeliever was neither forbidden nor unheard of in the early Church, so this isn't something that arose in modern times because men and women are searching for ways to be disobedient. Paul gave his judgment to the Corinthians as to how specific situations arising with an unbelieving husband or wife ought to be handled. We note how the apostle did not rebuke anyone for marrying an unbeliever.

It's troubling that scripture can't be discussed without accusations of wrongdoing cropping up: "You don't believe as I do, so you must be looking for ways to disobey God." That's common fare, and has nothing to do with discussing the scriptures. 

Simply because the Lord permits something doesn't mean we advocate for it to be done. 

Double indeed!  That is rightly dividing the word of God!

[Wayne222]

16 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

I don't think anyone here - at least from what I can see - is saying to marry an unbeliever!  It has simply been pointed out that in this passage, Paul does not use the word "marriage" specifically in context with this verse  That's it.  He saves that mention until much later.

For me this was an eye-opener that marriage was not mentioned in this passage, since I have ALWAYS heard it used specifically for marriage.  Now can it apply to that relationship?  Sure.  But let's not put our natural reasoning in there, where the word of God is silent, thereby putting undue human emphasis on something.  Again, no one, to my knowledge, is advocating marrying an unbeliever!

 

      Your making a issue out of nothing. It’s used a lot for marriage because it applies. And for a lot of other things. It’s not silent you need to use other passages to know all of scripture. I am not in a debate about this subject. The Bible is super clear.

 

 

 

16 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

I don't think anyone here - at least from what I can see - is saying to marry an unbeliever!  It has simply been pointed out that in this passage, Paul does not use the word "marriage" specifically in context with this verse  That's it.  He saves that mention until much later.

For me this was an eye-opener that marriage was not mentioned in this passage, since I have ALWAYS heard it used specifically for marriage.  Now can it apply to that relationship?  Sure.  But let's not put our natural reasoning in there, where the word of God is silent, thereby putting undue human emphasis on something.  Again, no one, to my knowledge, is advocating marrying an unbeliever!

 

I do agree the word marriage is not there but the principle is there of course 

[Who me]

20 hours ago, FJK said:

Were there non sinners for him to eat with?  To "fellowship" with?

This is the judgement found in scripture of the Pharisees, that he ate with traitors and sex workers and those ritually impure.

 

There is no such thing as " non sinners ", for Jesus living on earth was to always be with sinners.

[Wayne222]

6 hours ago, Who me said:

This is the judgement found in scripture of the Pharisees, that he ate with traitors and sex workers and those ritually impure.

 

There is no such thing as " non sinners ", for Jesus living on earth was to always be with sinners.

Yet Jesus always told sinners to stop sinning. Go sin no more. I think we should listen to him

[Who me]

11 minutes ago, Wayne222 said:

Yet Jesus always told sinners to stop sinning. Go sin no more. I think we should listen to him

Leviticus 19:1+2.The Lord spoke to Mosses saying,

" Speak unto all the congregation  of Israel,, say to them" Yo shall be Holy as I the Lord am Holy."

They failed to live Holy lives, just as we achristians fail to live sinless, holy lives.

 

It is why we need Jesus.

[Wayne222]

8 minutes ago, Who me said:

Leviticus 19:1+2.The Lord spoke to Mosses saying,

" Speak unto all the congregation  of Israel,, say to them" Yo shall be Holy as I the Lord am Holy."

They failed to live Holy lives, just as we achristians fail to live sinless, holy lives.

 

It is why we need Jesus.

We can never be sinless. But don’t forget we are a new creation we can put on the new man and take off the old. It’s a process of walking in it. Without Jesus we can do nothing 

[Wayne222]

On 5/10/2023 at 9:04 AM, Neighbor said:

Going back to the beginning post. Of course one can be friends with non-Christians!

Plus; partnering up or buying into what a person says or does because they are Christian  is a serious error. One that can cost dearly.  

Example: How many a person has been hit up by a salesperson from church, how many  that sell annuities and other products, like  stocks, essential oils, Cyber currency propositions, etc?

Are those individuals , those Christians, partnering up for benefit of anyone other than themself? No they are not! Their being Christian does not in of itself make for a grand recommendation for entering into a business deal or partnership. 

All that look like sheep may not be sheep either.

The Bible says only in Christ for marriage. So we have to do the best we can by prayer and knowing the person if there walking with the lord . We may be in error but at least we are trying to do Gods will.

[Vine Abider]

14 hours ago, Wayne222 said:

The Bible says only in Christ for marriage. So we have to do the best we can by prayer and knowing the person if there walking with the lord . We may be in error but at least we are trying to do Gods will.

Point taken. And if we fail, there's no condemnation.

[com7fy8]

On 5/7/2023 at 2:23 AM, DeighAnn said:

With so many 'antichrists' running around, wolves in sheep clothing, those who love the Lord with their lips and not with their hearts, how do you REALLY know? 

Jesus can have us know. His sheep know His voice, and we can obey how the voice of Jesus is guiding us in our relating with different people.

We can make sure with God.

And beware how our character can have a lot to do with who we can connect with.

 

[Wayne222]

On 5/8/2023 at 1:34 PM, Vine Abider said:

Thanks for your response on that @AnOrangeCat and @Marathoner! I had always thought of that verse in 1 Cor 6:14 to be directly pertaining to marriage, as that is was is often taught.  But the context does not specifically mention marriage!  Now, I don't think that it's wise to marry an unbeliever, but let's not directly associate this passage with marriage if the word does not!

Here's another article @Wayne222 arguing to not directly associate 1 Cor 6:14 with marriage: https://apologeticspress.org/be-not-unequally-yoked-431/ (although I find a couple of his arguments a little spurious) 

I've known a brother for all my life who about 30 years ago was going through a very rough patch in his spiritual life and with his marriage.  He eventually got divorced and met a fine lady who was not a believer.  She did believe in God, but in a more Unitarian kind of way. He was aware that marrying her would be challenging in many respects, because she didn't acknowledge the deity of Christ. (For a couple reasons, he thought she might have been saved at an early age, but she told him it "was a private matter" and wouldn't really discuss it.)

But they were crazy about each other, and since he was not actively pursuing the Lord, hearing from Him or in fellowship with an ekklesia at the time, and was going after more worldly interests, he asked her to marry him.  She was an amazingly bright and decent woman, and he did believe her to be quite a moral person, therefore there wasn't any overt sin to deal with or things that greatly bothered him spiritually.  (He was in some angst over her apparently being a non-believer, but . . .)  

They got married 25 years ago and very shortly after that the Lord created a powerful hunger in the brother to begin to pursue the Lord and to get back into fellowship with others again.  He became on fire for the Lord once more and said the Lord was showing him big things in the word he'd never seen before.  He's remained in fellowship and in pursuit of the Lord since then.

And his wife is amazingly supportive of his spiritual life and even likes to interact with the ones in his fellowship, and they frequently have Christians over to their house and she goes to church functions occasionally.  And the brother often shows up to his church gatherings with a prayer request his wife has given him for the group.  He also says he often prays for various things/people with her in private.  However, while she is very supportive, I know it bothers him that she doesn't openly profess Christ as her Savior.  However, he says, "She is a really good wife who is incredibly supportive of all my Christian activities, so I thank the Lord daily for her."  We do pray for her often.

They are still crazy about each other and do a lot of things together.  I know he does take some condemnation from the enemy for marrying an unbeliever, but we just remind him that "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus," which he readily receives and appreciates. I have no other advice for him except to keep thanking the Lord and to keep bringing the situation before Him and just to trust Him that He's got this!  

BTW - I did share with him about this "unequally yoked" passage and how it does not specifically mention marriage.  He really appreciated hearing that and said it took a load off him.  Praise God!

Don’t you think it’s sad that the unbelievers who get married to a believer will not be in the kingdom of God ? They will be separated forever . Hopefully the unbelievers will repent and believe. But like what Paul said how do you know you will save your mate ?