Interfaith Marriage

[cocoberry10]

Do you all believe this is possible? I am not married yet, but I wonder if God would only put me with a Christian. I know we are to love our neighbors.

So, do you all believe that the right person could be Muslim or some other faith? I know the Christian ministers would say no, but I know couples who have had successful marriages, but are not of the same faith.

[mkh_77]

I believe that the "right person" could be someone of another faith. I also believe that the "right person" could be someone of no faith. Maybe that's just your opportunity to minister and learn. Being Christian doesn't/shouldn't equal being closed minded.

[cocoberry10]

I believe that the "right person" could be someone of another faith. I also believe that the "right person" could be someone of no faith. Maybe that's just your opportunity to minister and learn. Being Christian doesn't/shouldn't equal being closed minded.

Thanks　for that perspective! :) :)

[zanna]

I am in an interfaith marriage, it is working well for me. I think it's about wether religion is a core issue or not. If it is, then there will be issues in the marriage.
Zanna

[cocoberry10]

I am in an interfaith marriage, it is working well for me. I think it's about wether religion is a core issue or not. If it is, then there will be issues in the marriage.
Zanna

Thanks Zanna!!!

[alexstin]

I really don't think a mature christian would want to be with someone of a different faith or no faith at all. Christianity is not a religion it's a daily relationship with God and if you are growing in Him your life is going to bring conviction to those around you. Someone who is not saved wouldn't be able to handle it. Not talking about bopping someone over the head with your bible but the Spirit of God convicts.

The only way a "missionary marriage" would work is if someone compromises their beliefs. How can someone believe Jesus when He says He is the Way, the Truth and the Life but then marry someone who doesn't believe it? How can your spouse love you as Christ intended without the Spirit of God dwelling inside of them?

We live in day where people don't know where they're going and when you live like that, any path(religion)will get you there. It was never God's plan to establish religion.

[mkh_77]

"Mature" Christians make decisions to be with people who are not like them every day. Are you implying that Zanna and I aren't "mature" Christians without even knowing us?

I know full well what Christianity entails. I realize that it is not a sometime kind of thing.

How would you know what someone who isn't saved would be able to handle? Maybe being in a relationship with someone who is saved is what is needed to bring that person to Christ.

The bible doesn't tell us to separate ourselves from the world we live in. If we did that, then we wouldn't be able to be a witness to others, and we wouldn't be doing God's work.

Once again, it is my personal belief that being a Christian DOES NOT mean that I have to be closed minded. I will not barr people from my association simply because they have a different religious belief than I do, and I wouldn't barr someone from my heart for that reason, either.

[alexstin]

My statements aren't directed at you or anyone else. It is a reply to the orginal poster's question.

What do you think it means when the bible refers to not being unequally yoked?

I think Zanna said it best, if it's not a central part of your life then it'll work, otherwise, I don't think so.

The bible most definitely doesn't tell us to separate from the world but what does it say about marriage. Marriage according to the bible involves loving your spouse with agape love, how can a nonChristian display agape love?

Believing the word does not equate with being close minded.

[mkh_77]

No offense taken, then.

It's my belief that having a central understanding of who God is and how he works in your life is enough to sustain an interfaith marriage. All the rest falls to rituals and religiosity.

I think many Christians take the "unequally yoked" message out of context, just like they doing the messages on tithing, women submitting to their husbands, and a few others. That passage, (2 Cor. 6:14) doesn't even expressly speak to marriages. It reads, "Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness. And what communion hath light with darkness."

So, where in that passage is marriage mentioned? In that passage, Paul is telling the church in Corinth to not buddy up with non-believers. He tells the church this because they are all new believers and need to be around each other for encouragement and continuity.

If you take that passage at it's literal meaning, then Christians should be able to intermarry with Jews and Muslims with no problem because these are the three great monotheist religions since they all believe in one God and only one God. But I am sure you are against that, too?

It's all a matter of perspective and marriage is a give and take anyway. While interfaith marriages may not be ideal, I don’t think a mature Christian should shy away from them or would have a serious problem.

[alexstin]

Glad no offense taken. We can agree to disagree.:)

You are correct in that it doesn't talk about marriage but it does talk about believers and unbelievers, light(believers) and darkness(unbelievers or things that hinder spiritual growth). That applies whether you've been saved for 70 minutes or 70 years. If a Christian starts to look at porn, regardless of how strong they are at some point porn will crush them because they've violated a simple principle.


Of course everyone is going to do what they want but as a Christian I would want my spouse praying to my God and training my children in the ways of the Lord.

I don't really understand the statement about Christians marrying Jews or Muslims. Jews don't believe that Jesus is the Way and Muslims see Jesus as a prophet(Correct me if I'm wrong) but He is not their Messiah.

[mkh_77]

They all believe in only one God, and that is the central tenant of those faiths.

I am glad we can agree to disagree--that doesn't seem to happen much in this particular forum.

[Trini"T"]

They all believe in only one God That's true but for Christians, salvation through Jesus Christ is the only way to get to heaven. Meanwhile the Jewish religion does not give any recognition to Jesus and Muslims see him as a mere prophet, not important enough to be followed. They follow Muhammed's teachings and not His.
I think an interfaith marraige would be difficult betwwen any three of these religions unless it doesn't play huge part in your life.

A marraige between a believer and an unbeliever will be difficult also. I see it like it'll just be you and God...and that person will just be left out if he/she doesn't have the same relationship that you have with God or even believe in Him for that matter. In the end one of the two will have to conform.

[mkh_77]

The Jewish faith does recognize Jesus.

And, while I consider myself Chrisitian, I don't think salvation through Jesus Christ is the only way to get to heaven. There are people who will live and die and never hear of Jesus Christ, and I don't believe that if they live their life in a way that's pleasing to God, whether they know they are doing that or not, that they won't get to heaven.

[Trini"T"]

The Jewish faith does recognize Jesus Who or what do they recognize Him as?

[mkh_77]

You haven't heard of the group Jews for Jesus?

Jews believe Jesus was a prohphet/teacher (grass roots kind of guy), but not the messiah.

[Trini"T"]

Oh okay you're talking about Christian Jews...I've heard of them and they're a fraction of the Jews. The majority of Jews don't recognize Him as Messiah or even a prophet. They think that Jesus came after the last of the prophets. :lol: Like Alexstin, I too will agree to disagree:lol:

[mkh_77]

"Some Jews, believing that Jesus was an inspired prophet or even the long-awaited Messiah, had become his followers—the chief of these were the Twelve Disciples. At the time of Jesus' death, Christianity was not a separate religion, but a small Hebrew sect with dim prospects for survival.

In the years immediately following the crucifixion, the religion of Jesus was confined almost exclusively to Jews, who could more appropriately be called Jewish-Christians. The word Christian came from a name given Jesus: Christ (the Lord's Anointed, the Messiah). Missionaries of this dissenting Christian movement within Judaism were called Apostles-those sent out to preach the gospel, or good news, about Christ. They addressed themselves to Jews and to converts to Judaism who, because they did not adhere fully to Mosaic Law, were not wholly accepted by the Jewish community. Before Christianity could realize the universal implications of Jesus' teachings and become a world religion, as distinct from a Jewish sect, it had to extricate itself from Jewish ritual, politics, and culture. This achievement was the work of a Hellenized Jew named Saul, known to the world as Saint Paul. "

Marvin Perry, Western Civilization, Ideas, Politics, and Society, 2nd edition. Pages 150-67
Copyright 1985 Houghton Mifflin Company.

There are still some Jews who view Jesus as a teacher/prophet (not the Orthodox sects, but the more relaxed groups).

But, you are right, we don't have to agree.

[FIRESTARTER]

Here's a link with some word based examples in
http://aibi.gospelcom.net/articles/noway.htm

[mkh_77]

So, does marrying a believer ensure that none of those negative things will happen?

"It is inappropriate for it to be physically joined to the body of an unbeliever. It would be like building a passageway between a temple of God and temple of the Devil."

"At critical points Satan "pulls the strings" - it may be when you try to send them to Sunday School or arguments may always start before church. You will have someone Satan can control beside you, in your home, influencing your destiny and that of your children. The unbelievers conduct is according to a lower set of principles called "the flesh"."

The above is taken from the site you linked. This reads like pure propoganda to me, and I personally avoid Christians, or anyone for that matter, who thinks that everything that isn't Christian related is of the Devil.

"Marrying an unbeliever is not a grey area. Its not something that one Christian can do and another not do. God has said "No"therefore you do not have a choice."

Please, someone, quote a scripture that EXPLICITLY states that Christians cannot marry a nonbeliever, otherwise the above, also taken from that site, is simply one person's opinion.

[Trini"T"]

The word "Christian" isn't found in the Bible because it wasn't formulated until later. The scripture I would have told was the one about the unequally yoked thing but you disagree with its meaning. To me when I envision two people being yoked, I see two people becoming one...like what happens in marriage.