Colorful Marriages

[OLD SARGE]

Colorful Marriages

I love a chocolate and vanilla twist soft yogurt cone. Mixing flavors can bring about a beautiful and tasteful marriage experience. Yet, you do not mix gas and oil or saved and unsaved or one sect with another without peril.

sermoncentral.com

 

[Salty]

If you are talking about marriage, I would be careful about inter-racial, ect marriage.
the main reason is that any major difference can cause a problem.

For example as a pastor would you marry a Baptist and Roman Catholic (even if she claims to be born again?)
would you marry Northern with a Deep South who have extreme views on the War of Southern Independence, ect
Would you marry a GI who met his Korean fianance who he met while stationed with the Second Infantry Division?
(Is she only trying to get a green card}
Would you marry a Black/white couple where both families are against the marriage
would you marry a couple just so the soon to be born "Junior" will get dads last name?

Granted a couple may not agree on every last thing, but as misters, we need to ensure that "till death do we part" be very truthful

 

[Van]

Interesting topic, Old Sarge!

Let me dig into just one tiny facet of the linked article.

A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes,​

only in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 7:39 NASB ​

What does "only in the Lord" mean. I believe "in the Lord" refers to being a born anew child of God and siblings of Christ, spiritually located within Christ's spiritual body, such that the person is in Christ and Christ (the indwelt Spirit) is in them.

The issue, at least in my mind, is the application of the requirement. Can a person who believes they are born anew marry someone who does not profess to being born anew, a child of God?

I see three possible ways to understand the verse, with two them probably wrong. She can only remarry if she professes to being union with Christ. She can only remarry if her proposed husband professes to be in union with Christ, or (3) she can only remarry if both profess to be in union with Christ.

Clearly 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 teaches we are not to be unevenly yoked, a believer to an unbeliever. So my conclusion is that it was Paul's opinion that a believer should only marry or remarry with a fellow believer, regardless of the color of their skin. If in the case the spouse turns out not be committed to Christ, the believing spouse should continue the marriage and witness to the spouse and the children. 1 Corinthians 7:14-15.

Last point, while the believing spouse should not seek divorce solely on the basis that the spouse in a non-believer, if the non-believer seeks a divorce, then the divorce is permitted by scripture.

As to the main thrust of the article, I agree, there is only one human race, comprised of those not born anew and those born anew. Other human distinctions may impose increased difficulty, such as skin color, but scripture does not preclude such marriages.

 

[Salty]

As to the main thrust of the article, I agree, there is only one human race, comprised of those not born anew and those born anew. Other human distinctions may impose increased difficulty, such as skin color, but scripture does not preclude such marriages.

Even Science will recognize different races. For example - some diseases are more prone to one race -id sickle cell

Now, I am not saying that Scripture does not preclude such a marriage - BUT we need to consider all aspects.
For example if he is a sports nut - orders cable for the entire sports package and spends 10 hours ever weekend watching all college and pro games - ((NFL, NBA, MLB) and she is so dedicated to church Tues visitation church cleaning, wed prayer meeting, Thurs night church cleaning, Fri nigh AWANA - lets face it - how much of a life to they have???

Dr Laura Schlessinger has stated that when a couple married, ther are also married to their spouses famileis!

 

[Dave G]

Even Science will recognize different races.

Salty...
Is there not one race, the human race?

After all, according to the Scriptures, we all came from Adam and Eve... and then Noah and his family off the ark. After that, the people who came off the ark ( for the most part ) then migrated first to the area of the tower of Babel, and were scattered from there by the Lord confusing the languages.
In the process of spreading across the planet over hundreds and thousands of years, those who spoke the same language stayed grouped together... taking on the physical characteristics of those that they inter-bred with.

In addition, did they not adapt according to the weather ( amount of sun exposure, etc ) of the areas in which they migrated to? Did not "Africans" become darker in their skin tones due to repeated exposure to sunlight? South Asia the same?
Did not people who migrated from the area of the ark who went north, get less exposure to the sun and its heat, and instead stay "white"?

We know from careful observation that children take on the physical characteristics of their parents, for the most part.
Is it such a leap to believe that groups of people, sharing a common language and being recipients of physical traits passed down from generation to generation, would then look so different when compared to others who have done the same...

If those traits were confined to certain areas?

And if another group, who became so different-looking compared to the first were to encounter each other, would they not think that they were markedly different?
That, my friend is where humanity gets its "races"....
And in the light of that, why do certain people make such a big deal out of other people who physically look different than they do, marrying?


We are all of one race ( mankind ), and the Lord makes no distinction.

 

[Dave G]

That said, I'm reminded of an analogy...

With what I've stated above, for people to make distinctions about "race" would be like a Golden Retriever, a Dalmatian and a German Shepherd all arguing about who is the "superior dog"....
When they all came from the same dog, hundreds or even thousands of years ago.

Amazing, isn't it?

 

[Salty]

Salty...
Is there not one race, the human race?

YES - but over time it has evolved into several sub-races

We are all of one race ( mankind ), and the Lord makes no distinction.

Does HE?

 

[Dave G]

Does HE?

Not with respect to marriage, He doesn't.
Solomon had all kinds of wives, from many areas of the world.

 

[Van]

Just one little note on physical differences.

Scripture says there is NO difference between male and female. Now no one believes, at least in my experience, that males and females
are equal physically. But we are all the same to God, whether black or white skinned, whether Jew with their blood line back to Abraham, or Gentile, with no blood line connection to Abraham.

Sometimes our physical attributes make us more capable of accomplishing certain tasks. For example, if we were to pick someone to run the 100 meter dash, at less than average height, but more than 200 lbs, and over 80 years old, I would not be anyone's first choice. Or even the second.

I knew a girl, who while in early teens, could outrun many boys her age. But she was an exception. The point is that making hard and fast rules because of a person's color, size, gender or ethnicity, is a poor practice, as we should judge people based on their character and competence. Circumstances can override cultural norms, but not scriptural dictates. And that cuts both ways...

 

[Ben1445]

“Of One blood.”

 

[JonC]

I agree that the idea that race is a social construct (something I believe) can be misused if not carefully defined.

@Salty mentioned sickle cell. But why is it more prominent in people descended from Africa? Because it gives a natural defense against malaria (which suggests the trait is related to exposure rather than the ethnicity).

I believe that there are only two races - the human race of Adam and of Christ (flesh and spirit). But what is often discussed as race is ethnicity. Here there are other issues as it has less to do with the color of one's skin.

I agree with @Salty in that marrying a Christian and a non-Christian is problematic. Not so much the other issues.


My son's girlfriend is black. But she is a Christian (even though I am white we are of the same race, one that does not identify according to the flesh). My wife and I, along with her family, hope that they will marry in the future.

Now, if she was not a Christian I would have concerns. But my son would not have been dating her either, so that is hypothetical.

 

[Salty]

I will throw this in at no actual charge
I have a black pastor friend who was the pastor of a black church.
He told me that he believed that one reason his church was not growing was that folks in the neighborhood
did not lie the fact he was married to a white woman.

He ended up closing that church and taking over another one

 

[JonC]

I will throw this in at no actual charge
I have a black pastor friend who was the pastor of a black church.
He told me that he believed that one reason his church was not growing was that folks in the neighborhood
did not lie the fact he was married to a white woman.

He ended up closing that church and taking over another one

IMHO, it is good when "black" and "white" churches close. They are not good witnesses of the gospel. I understand that people flock to cultures they find comfortable, but even this can be problematic. Churches should identify with Christ, not any particular secular culture or ethnicity.

 

[OLD SARGE]

If you are talking about marriage, I would be careful about inter-racial, ect marriage.
the main reason is that any major difference can cause a problem.

For example as a pastor would you marry a Baptist and Roman Catholic (even if she claims to be born again?)
would you marry Northern with a Deep South who have extreme views on the War of Southern Independence, ect
Would you marry a GI who met his Korean fianance who he met while stationed with the Second Infantry Division?
(Is she only trying to get a green card}
Would you marry a Black/white couple where both families are against the marriage
would you marry a couple just so the soon to be born "Junior" will get dads last name?

Granted a couple may not agree on every last thing, but as misters, we need to ensure that "till death do we part" be very truthful

It was primarily about color because there are no races only one. You are to only marry in the Lord.

For example as a pastor would you marry a Baptist and Roman Catholic (even if she claims to be born again?) No, not without a great deal of questions

would you marry Northern with a Deep South who have extreme views on the War of Southern Independence, etc. If they are both Christians. I have Black Pastor friend who is a diehard Republican and his wife sits on a Democratic committee. Both in their 80s and the marriage has endured.

Would you marry a GI who met his Korean fiancee who he met while stationed with the Second Infantry Division?
(Is she only trying to get a green card} That question would have to be answered, but if both are Christians, I would strongly emphasize that as Christians they only have an option of separation or divorce and lifelong celibacy and see how that affects their thoughts.

Would you marry a Black/white couple where both families are against the marriage. I would caution them and ask if they think they can endure one or both of their families may cut them off. If they are adults, yes.

Would you marry a couple just so the soon to be born "Junior" will get dads last name? You mean a shotgun wedding? Many of those happened in the past and the marriage thrived. Why leave them in the sin of fornication? Would give them the Gospel. If they are unsaved and want to stay that way, I would send them to the JP to get married.

Honestly, I am out of the marriage business. I would rather do funerals as I know they will not be back to do it again. Churches should get out of the business, Marriage was a family thing until the Catholics made it a sacrament. In early America, marriages were so expensive that couples put posters all over town announcing they were married, maybe how the concept of common law marriages came about. If possible, it would be better for the fathers of the couple would do a venue event bestowing their blessings upon them and then let the church know by coming forward. Have an appropriate person there to sign the license for the Fed and be done with it.

 

[Van]

“Of One blood.”

Acts 17:26 reads of one blood in the KJV (TR) and the WEB (MT) but not the NASB (CT). That text just reads made from one every nation of humanity...that they would seek God (verse 27). Sort of reinforces the idea a marriage should be among those who sought and were found by God.