Openly Curious Posted March 7, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 55 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 4,568 Content Per Day: 0.68 Reputation: 770 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/18/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted March 7, 2008 As the Body of Christ I believe we are accountable to each other. What should you say to a believer who chooses to marry an unbeliever, even after being counseled that it is in opposition to God's command? This is not hypothethical but a real situation handle with care. Well first I am reminded of the scriptures in 1 Corinthians where Paul is speaking to different types of situations for the married people. It said that if the unbelieving spouse is happy to remain married to the believer then the believer should not depart from her husband. I think once a couple marries then the deed has been done already not anything can be done in this regards. I think also that this person you know has rejected godly counsel on the matter and has chosen to listen to the counsel of the ungodly in regards to what they have chosen to do. All that the body of Christ can do "before" this couple marries or others couples marries is to faithfully continue to teach and uplift the word of God and pray the Lord would grip hearts to open them to the truths. And pray that godly ministers would not marry such couples and go against the counsel in God's Word. The couples should also be given pre-marital counseling as well. There really is not much you can say after they are married just show them the love of God as if they never got married at all. Even though the believer was in the wrong and got married just the same you have to realize that now they are in a different spot than before and now are under different biblical guidelines that they must adhere unto as the scriptures in Corinthians. Perhaps you could minister those truths to the believer so their marriage would at least not be one that ends in divorce. OC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artsylady Posted March 7, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 171 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 4,813 Content Per Day: 0.64 Reputation: 150 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/26/2003 Status: Offline Share Posted March 7, 2008 I was under the impression that they haven't married yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackie d Posted March 7, 2008 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 25 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 1,081 Content Per Day: 0.17 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/29/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/08/1967 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Ddavid said: What fellowship does light have with darkness? The Scripture references and inferences are multiple. The principle is there even in the being unequally yoked passage. Being careful what you join your body to... The idea of being holy (set apart)... BUT God is a forgiving and loving God who would that NONE should perish. What's done is done and the only thing left is to let God do His job as He is a master at all trades, including bringing people from darkness to light...only He knows the outcome and He says cast all of your burdens and cares upon Me...He has broad shoulders and will handle it...just as He showed through example of Israel and their adultry toward Him, His plan is to reunite them to Him, can any of us possibly believe that He is not willing to find the one who has strayed and bring back TWO? through God ALL things ARE possible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheya joie Posted March 7, 2008 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 7 Topic Count: 13 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 2,054 Content Per Day: 0.29 Reputation: 351 Days Won: 2 Joined: 03/15/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted March 7, 2008 As the Body of Christ I believe we are accountable to each other. What should you say to a believer who chooses to marry an unbeliever, even after being counseled that it is in opposition to God's command? This is not hypothethical but a real situation handle with care. Are they already married? They are married now, and as is pretty predictable the non-Christian is having more influence on the Christian than the Christian is having on the non-Christian. That you still love them. It is apparent that words fell on deaf ears, now you can only hope that they are not going blind. Show the love you have for them by accepting them, encouraging them, visiting them and inviting them to join you in whatever. Lead by example, and always let them know you are there if they need you, especially in the worst of times. For the Christian, all you can do is encourage this one to keep their eyes on Jesus. Lean on Him in times of needed rest and comfort. Always remember that He will never leave nor forsake His own, but has more longsuffering then we can ever imagine. Say ... only what you are led to say by His Spirit ... Amen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricH Posted March 7, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 366 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 10,933 Content Per Day: 1.57 Reputation: 212 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/21/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted March 7, 2008 As the Body of Christ I believe we are accountable to each other. What should you say to a believer who chooses to marry an unbeliever, even after being counseled that it is in opposition to God's command? This is not hypothethical but a real situation handle with care. If they have already married, i think we tell them to stay in the marriage if the unbelieving spouse will concent to stay. that is what Paul instructed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricH Posted March 7, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 366 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 10,933 Content Per Day: 1.57 Reputation: 212 Days Won: 1 Joined: 04/21/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted March 7, 2008 Christians married to unbelievers should be even more diligent in professing Christ and living in the light of God's presence (1 John 1:7). They should allow God's transforming power to change their heart and produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Christian wives are obligated to have submissive hearts even toward their unbelieving husbands (1 Peter 3:1). Being married to an unbeliever does not alter the sacredness of the relationship, so it should be the priority of every Christian to pray for his or her spouse, and set a good example, allowing Christ's light to shine brightly before the world (Philippians 2:14). The Bible specifically addresses those who are married to unbelievers in 1 Corinthians 7:12-14: "...If a Christian man has a wife who is an unbeliever and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her. And if a Christian woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him. For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not have a godly influence, but now they are set apart for him." The apostle Paul said, "You must accept whatever situation the Lord has put you in, and continue on as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches" (1 Corinthians 7:17). It is very important not only to be content in our situation, but look for ways to bring glory to Him out of our challenging circumstances. If you look at that passage closely, it is speaking of a couple that marries and both were non-Christians at the time. After being married for a time, one gets saved and the other is still lost. That is what it is talking about. We are clearly told that as Christians, we are not to marry or join ourselves to non-Christians. So what advise would you give to a person who married an unbeliever and is now in the marriage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheoMike Posted March 7, 2008 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 499 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/21/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/27/1964 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Christians married to unbelievers should be even more diligent in professing Christ and living in the light of God's presence (1 John 1:7). They should allow God's transforming power to change their heart and produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Christian wives are obligated to have submissive hearts even toward their unbelieving husbands (1 Peter 3:1). Being married to an unbeliever does not alter the sacredness of the relationship, so it should be the priority of every Christian to pray for his or her spouse, and set a good example, allowing Christ's light to shine brightly before the world (Philippians 2:14). The Bible specifically addresses those who are married to unbelievers in 1 Corinthians 7:12-14: "...If a Christian man has a wife who is an unbeliever and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her. And if a Christian woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him. For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not have a godly influence, but now they are set apart for him." The apostle Paul said, "You must accept whatever situation the Lord has put you in, and continue on as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches" (1 Corinthians 7:17). It is very important not only to be content in our situation, but look for ways to bring glory to Him out of our challenging circumstances. If you look at that passage closely, it is speaking of a couple that marries and both were non-Christians at the time. After being married for a time, one gets saved and the other is still lost. That is what it is talking about. We are clearly told that as Christians, we are not to marry or join ourselves to non-Christians. So what advise would you give to a person who married an unbeliever and is now in the marriage? If they got married as unbelievers, then one found the Lord, and now can stay married, living in peace, there's no problem. Paul teaches that possibly the unbelieving spouse can come to know the Lord by the witness of the believing spouse. Plus the unbelieving spouse (and children) will be the recipients of the Lord's blessing by virtue of living in peace with their believing spouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Biblicist Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 1 Corinthians 7 does not address a Christian who marries a non-Christian? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheoMike Posted March 7, 2008 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 499 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/21/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/27/1964 Share Posted March 7, 2008 1 Corinthians 7 does not address a Christian who marries a non-Christian? Technically that's right; it addresses the situation after the conversion of one. We can infer, however, that a believer has NO business marrying an unbeliever, knowingly. A pastor who performs such a marriage is derelict in his duty big time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Biblicist Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 1 Corinthians 7 does not address a Christian who marries a non-Christian? Technically that's right; it addresses the situation after the conversion of one. We can infer, however, that a believer has NO business marrying an unbeliever, knowingly. A pastor who performs such a marriage is derelict in his duty big time. They don't have to get married by a Pastor to be married. My believing mother married my non believing father in a Priest's office. She did it willingly against her family's will. [i might add, she had no father to guide or counsil her]. Another good reason for Biblical Courtship... Please, anyone who is considering this, DON'T. The effect it has on your marriage, and your children, is can be devistating and irreversable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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