Reasons to Marry a Christian

When it comes to whom you should marry, the Bible is filled with advice. The reason God gave as to why Jews should never allow their children to marry unbelievers was, “They will turn your sons away from following me” (Deut. 7:4). He did not say perhaps it might happen, but it will happen. I marvel that Christian young people (and their parents) think they know more about this than God!

Paul limited the possibility of any potential mate he might wed by saying she had to be a sister in Christ. He also said this was the practice of other apostles (1 Cor. 9:5). He also restricted widows by saying they could only marry those who were in Christ (1 Cor. 7:39).

Paul does show that marriages between believers and unbelievers are marriages and recognized by God. The prohibition, “Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers” (2 Cor. 6:14), literally says, “Stop becoming unequally yoked,” and thus describes the action before the yoke is made. The Bible tells us what to do, and what to do if we ignore the first instruction. (A parallel of this concept is found in 1 Cor. 7:10-11, which forbids a woman leaving her husband, but then tells her what to do if she does leave.)

Common sense shows the folly of marrying someone who is not a Christian. Think about following reasons.

1.  Rearing children. Do you really think that non-Christians share your values regarding profanity, modesty, and materialism? How will their values impact children?

2.  Sundays and Wednesdays. There will be a crisis every week if the Christian faithfully attends church services. Think of the difference when you share worship and the Lord’s Supper with your Christian mate, while your children watch this.

3. Money. Have we never considered the resentment the non-Christian mate will have toward your sacrificial giving, especially when money is short? It is a crisis waiting to happen.

4.  Problem solving and divorce. There is an absolute standard of right and wrong the Christian has about solving problems and the unbeliever does not share this standard (otherwise they would be a Christian). Why would an unbeliever have your view of the sin of divorce?

5.  Moral values. Again the absolute standard that governs family life is had only by Christians. Think!

A closing admonition and word of extreme caution. Why would you seriously date someone you would not marry?

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How Firm a Foundation

Those who attack our faith would have us believe that we have nothing more than blind faith and that we are living in a “dream world” in our view of life and the future. What the world does not understand is that there is insurmountable evidence for our faith. We are not those who have bought into a cunningly devised fable that is without foundation.

Consider one aspect of the evidence for our faith and how it gives substance to all of our lives. That aspect is the many prophecies that were written hundreds of years before Jesus was born and the fact He fulfilled them all. The following is from the writings of Hugo McCord and appears in his book, From Heaven or From Men:

“If only 50 prophecies about Jesus had been made, assuming an equal chance for their happening or not happening, the law of probability against all 50 being fulfilled is that of the 50th power of two to unity; that is, the probability is greater than 1,125,000,000 to one. Then to assume that the 50 events would happen contemporaneously surpasses the power of numbers to express correctly the immense improbability of it taking place. If 100 prophecies had been made, the chance that they would happen to one man is less than the drops of water if the world were completely water. But there are not 50, not 100, but 332 prophecies about Jesus.”

Do you see the force of his words? There is not an equal chance of any of these prophecies happening. For example, the only way for the prophecy of his birthplace being in Bethlehem would be if there were only two villages of equal size with the same numbers of birth. Such was not the case as there were hundreds of towns in the Bible lands. However, just assume there were only two equal possibilities for every prophecy and still there are no numbers large enough to represent that He would be able to fulfill only 100 of them.

Now consider the nature of many of the prophecies and think of how unlikely it would be that any of them would actually happen. God foretold the place of His birth, His virgin birth, the massacre of infants, His flight to Egypt, His living in Nazareth, His riding as a king on a donkey, His betrayal by a friend, the precise number of pieces of silver of His betrayal price, the money to be used to buy a potter’s field, His silence during His trial, His death with the thieves, His hands and feet being pierced, His resurrection, etc., etc.  There is foundation to your faith!

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Worshipping Molech in the 21st Century

One of the pagan gods was named Molech (Moloch). His worship became widespread in Israel when Solomon erected his image and altar just outside the walls of Jerusalem in the valley of Hinnom. His worship became part of Jewish idolatry.

Read this commonly accepted description of how he was worshiped. The image of Moloch was a human figure with a bull’s head and outstretched arms, ready to receive the children destined for sacrifice. The image of metal was heated red hot by a fire kindled within, and the children laid on its arms rolled off into the fiery pit below. In order to drown the cries of the victims, flutes were played, and drums were beaten; and mothers stood by without tears or sobs, to give the impression of the voluntary character of the offering.

The name of this god is found eight times in the Old Testament and is referenced eight other times in the expression of causing children to “pass through the fire.” It was one of the most heinous acts of paganism because innocent children were the victim. Their parents decided their destiny and society approved of it. It was the “politically correct” way for people to live.

The way God looked at this sacrifice of the innocent is found in Ezekiel 16:20-21. “Moreover you took your sons and your daughters, whom you bore to Me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your acts of harlotry a small matter, that you have slain My children and offered them up to them by causing them to pass through the fire?” He recognized parental ownership of sons and daughters, but then He said that you bore these children to Me. He then charged them with slaying My children. Our children first belong to Him!

In Florida, we annually are aborting 92,300 children. This represents nearly 3% of all women of childbearing age (15-44). Why? In about 1% of the abortions, the reason is for rape, but 75% are for the convenience of the mother.

So what’s the difference in taking a baby just days old and burning it to Molech and having society approve of this as a politically correct action, and taking another infant prior to birth and flushing it down the drain? Political correctness cannot remove the fact that God sees children as His children. We do not have first claim on them.

Jesus was the son of God in the womb before birth and so are God’s other children!

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The Perfect Plan from the Perfect Planner

God laid out His plan before time began and gradually revealed it through those Old Testament prophets. Little by little He unfolded all that He had in mind. His plan was the perfect plan from the perfect Planner. How blessed we are to know that plan. How blessed we are to be in that plan!

He longed for the reconciliation of mankind to Himself, but mankind did not long for that relationship. The descendants of Adam who walked in the steps of Cain far outnumbered those who walked in the footprints of Abel. The perfect world God created soon became unbelievably corrupt. “And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart” (Gen. 6:6). Thank God for His grace toward Noah!

After the flood it really did not get that much better. God’s plan involved the selection of Abraham, whose faith was especially unique because his father was an idolater (Josh. 24:2). A further illustration of the spread of sin is found in one of the reasons for the giving of the law. “What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions . . .” (Gal. 3:19) The Lord has His chosen people, but their place in the scheme of redemption was to make it possible to bring about the reconciliation of all mankind to Him.

How was this accomplished? The Old Testament was a wall which separated Jews from Gentiles. The Jews misunderstood it and even forbad Gentiles to worship in God’s temple. Remember that Jesus described that place as a house of prayer for all nations (Mark 11:17).  When Solomon dedicated the temple, he proclaimed that Gentiles would have a right to pray there (2 Chron. 6:32). To accomplish His purpose, that wall  of separation (called the enmity) had to be taken away. Jews and Gentiles had to become one.

“He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity . . . so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity” (Eph. 2:14-16). How did He make His plan a reality? He created the body.

So where do we fit in that plan? We are that body, for the body is the church (Eph. 1:21). What is our work in that body? “God . . .has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:19). Are you really part of the plan?

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It Takes Conscious Effort to Enter Heaven

The simplest life and the one often lived with the least conflict is one where you just drift along, make few decisions and just take life as it comes. The old fashioned hobo and the modern man living under the bridge have taken this course in their lives.

There is a striking parallel to this attitude today. It is found in our society among those who are more “successful” in the financial and physical side of their lives. They have simply adopted the “drifter’s attitude” in the spiritual side of life. An underlying reason for this is that it takes a conscious decision and much effort to live on a higher spiritual plateau than those around you.

There are so many illustrations of this truth. Is it easier to gossip or to refrain from it? Is it easier to respond harshly to others’ words or to let your lips be ruled by the law of kindness (Prov. 31:26)? Is it easier to use His holy name in a profane way or to let His name be hallowed, not just in prayer, but daily speech (Matt. 6:9)? Is it easier to use the “f-word” or the “s-word,” especially when angry, than to let your speech always be with “grace, seasoned with salt” (Col. 4:6)? Is it easier to curse those who curse you than it is to bless them (Matt. 5:44)?

Look at the contrast of the words and phrases found in these two lists: (1) “bitterness, wrath, anger, loud quarreling, evil speaking . . . malice. . .” and (2) “…kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another” (Eph. 4:31-32). The first list characterizes those who just follow the crowd and drift along. The second list manifests a life where one has consciously decided to live differently.

The two attitudes are found in the rearing of children—it is far easier to ignore wrong behavior than to have family rules. It is found in worshiping God—it takes conscious effort to stay focused in Bible study, singing, praying and having an experience that changes one’s heart than it does just to “go to church every Sunday.” It is found in talking to others with sins in their lives about the importance of putting Christ first. It is far easier to be liked by others and to be their “friend” than to “become their enemy by telling them the truth” (Gal. 4:16).

This transformation of attitude is called repentance. One does not just repent once and then is baptized. True repentance is to promise to give one’s life to the Lord.  Repentance is commanded, not just of sinners, but of Christians also. Have you forgotten the promises you made when you became His son? Do you need to repent today?

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