Would an American Christian marrying a Messianic Jew make them "equally yoked"?

GQ Chris said:

I'm just trying to better understand this. My boss and a few of my coworkers are Jewish and do not accept the New Testament nor Jesus Christ as the Savior; this blows my mind and I always thought that the Old Testament and New Testament fit together like a hand in a glove. So if an American Christian were to marry a Messianic Jew would they be equally yoked?

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The short answer is - Maybe

It depends on their beliefs. If a sunday keeping, pork eating christian married a torah observent messianic (jew or gentile) I would have to say that they would be unequally yoked.

GQ Chris said:

I'm just trying to better understand this. My boss and a few of my coworkers are Jewish and do not accept the New Testament nor Jesus Christ as the Savior; this blows my mind and I always thought that the Old Testament and New Testament fit together like a hand in a glove. So if an American Christian were to marry a Messianic Jew would they be equally yoked?

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Wags, as oft is the case, is correct!

The unequally yoked scripture is one of my pet peeves!

(2Co 6:14) Don't be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what communion has light with darkness?

This seems to be a metaphorical reference to:

(Deu 22:10) You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.

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In my experience, this scripture was used to prevent me from getting married in a church. I was Jewish, my wife-to-be was Christian.

This scripture was used to prevent a pentacostal believer who spoke in tongues, from marrying another member who did not speak in tongues.

I have other examples, but will refrain from posting them. As a husband may sanctify his wife, and vice versa, in my humble interpretation, the application of this scripture in the above examples was incorrect.

In the first example, my wife and I are both messianic, so there is proof that we're equally yoked.

In the second example, I suggested to the groom-to-be, who is blind, that the pentacostal pastor could prove his point by laying hands upon him and heal him of his blindness. (As you might guess, that never happened)

Again, in my view, a Christian should not marry an Idolator, someone who's doctrine is opossed to HaShem.

I've opened myself up to criticism, I know, but I have not been convinced by expository scriptural reading, in a messianic mindset, that I'm incorrect.

Shalom,

CovenantRay

GQ Chris said:

Okay, makes sense. I am a bacon and pork chop man. I do believe in the New Testament scripture that says that it is not what you eat that makes you unclean, because whatever it is you eat passes through you and to the sewer; it is more so what proceeds out of the heart that defiles a man. Praise the Lord.

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I disagree "Jew and Gentile, one in Yeshua, one in Messiah, one in the olive tree" lalala

GQ Chris said:

Gentile feels like such an exclusionary label, sorta like "gaijin" which means foreigner when I was stationed over in Okinawa. Feeling like an Outsider sucks.

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your right it does! No we are all one in Yeshua (and Gentile is not a dirty word )

We Messianics have to be a witness here for Torah yes but first for Yeshua....If we give Christians the idea that they are not apart of the Body of Messiah based on their Observance then we are not being a light to them or to the World.....Salvation is thru Yeshua and so is our acceptance in the Family of God

A man and a woman who love Yeshua are equally yoked IMO

GQ Chris said:

In the world, what's the general percentage of people who are Messianic Jews? It seems that with the Jewish women I've spoken with about Jews for Jesus, these Jews are looked at as weird, or strange; and my boss made the comment to me that some Jews view alot of Christians like they are a member of a cult.

But the thing about my boss is that he is not really a devout Jew I don't think; he's made the comment before that he believes that the way he sees religion is that if that makes a person "good"; then more power to 'em. And not to mention, the guy eats pork as enthusiastically as I do so I know he's not Kosher either.

But I believe he's more secular than anything else; the guy's God is money; I'm a Loan Officer for his Mortgage Company.

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There are lots of people in the world who think that money is a god. My cousin stated to me that there are more Muslims that are Christians than Jews. He stated that this is going to change in the end times. I'll have to find out where he gets his info.

I do believe in the New Testament scripture that says that it is not what you eat that makes you unclean, because whatever it is you eat passes through you and to the sewer; it is more so what proceeds out of the heart that defiles a man. Praise the Lord.

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Sorry GQChris, you're taking this Scripture out of context.

Tishri1 said:

I disagree "Jew and Gentile, one in Yeshua, one in Messiah, one in the olive tree" lalala

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I sit with Tishri on this one...I'm married to a complete gentile, pork adn all and he's in seminary to serve the L-rd...does that make his faith less than mine? No...it doesn't it just means the L-rd is still working on growing him in the spirit


Edited to add: The L-rd isn't finished with me yet either

Tishri1 said:

A man and a woman who love Yeshua are equally yoked IMO

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From a practical standpoint - which is why I mentioned kosher and shabbat - how can a couple be married and live in harmony if one of them keeps kosher and the other does not? How can there be harmony if one of them honors Shabbat and the other appointed times and their spouse does not?. They will be a house divided.

As for the question about Jews for Jesus - they are a group led by a baptist minister that does outreach to Jews. By and large they are not a torah observant group. Unfotunately their tactics have drawn a lot of negative attention within judaism and messianic jews are often lumped in with Jews for Jesus.

Wags said:

From a practical standpoint - which is why I mentioned kosher and shabbat - how can a couple be married and live in harmony if one of them keeps kosher and the other does not? How can there be harmony if one of them honors Shabbat and the other appointed times and their spouse does not?. They will be a house divided.

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Then Yeshua has a divided house as he has many who Broke the Torah today, and many more will break it tomorrow...thank you ABBA that while we were sinners he first loved us and gave his life for us, ......a husband is suppose to love his wife that way too, Yeshua is the example of how a Man loves a woman and gives his life for her....

Wags said:

From a practical standpoint - which is why I mentioned kosher and shabbat - how can a couple be married and live in harmony if one of them keeps kosher and the other does not? How can there be harmony if one of them honors Shabbat and the other appointed times and their spouse does not?. They will be a house divided...

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Ours is not a house divided. I keep kosher, he does not. We don't have separate dinner, but he will prepare differen entree's for me and my oldest daughter since she's made the choice to keep Torah when he opts for pork. He leads our home in spiritual matters, and actually (much to my shame) knows Torah much better than I do...he can quote on a dime, where I go searching where I know I read it...

We are still married, still husband and wife, still serving the L-rd together, and still united in parenting our children.

edited to add: as the man of the house, he does lead in messianic observances, both to honor G-d, but also to support the choices my daughter and I have made...I would call that loving his wife as Y'shua loves the church.... just a little food for thought

All the glory for anything in our home goes to G-d for His greatness, mercy and grace, in His provision and care of us. He is continually the focus of our home, and rightly so...

Why is there such an us v them mentality with this??? We are one in the eyes of G-d, not a divided house...

How, if we are serving the L-rd and His will together, can we say we are unequally yoked?

Shalom, all,

My two cents:

Having a common belief in Yeshua as Lord does make two people spiritually sister and brother. But not all of my sisters in Yeshua would make good wives for me, nor would I make a good husband to them.

There are many practical considerations. Is the Messianic offended by a Christmas tree and Christmas celebration, thinking it pagan, or is s/he okay with it? Do they plan on observing Sabbath? Do they plan on attending a Congregation on Sabbath or Sunday?

Just being in Messiah doesn't automatically mean you can marry any other person in Messiah. Consider any other two Christians getting married: what about a Catholic and a Baptist? A Mennonite and Orthodox? A Pentecostal and a High-Church Episcopalian?

So, I would say that yes, they are equally yoked, but not necessarily are they going to get along.

In Messiah,

Daniel

Tolerant, longsuffering... gifts from God come to mind. Unequally yocked to me has more to do with the strength of faith, spiritual walk, and type characters of the individuals. There is a give and take in any relationship. Where is the willingness and unwillingness of either party? As by definition of the names of faith, seemingly things that can cause conflict may not, because of discussion and prayer for one another. I would not marry because of emotions only. I would carefully pray about those things that are or seem to be conflicts that will or could affect a working relationship. Talk about them, put a value on them, and evaluate the importance in your spiritual life. IF both are strong on the food issue, and can not see what the other is believing to the point of acting contrary just because.... Then the spirit of Christ is not there and food really isn't the issue, it is the relationship with Christ. There is where unequally yoked comes in.

We can be at all stages in our walk with Christ, varying on many issues. It is the spirit in which the walk is taken that will be ultimately the most important issue. For those who are dogma, theologians, traditionalists, and holders of titles, to be yoked with spiritual believers who move through the levels of understanding of God in a spiritual walk, who can not be defined by set rules and parameters, because of their inspirations as they study the Word of God, that is unequally yoked. One is static in their life with Christ, the other is actively changing as they learn more of Christ.

2 Corinthians 6:16
16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

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So don't let your faith come to a standstill and turn to stone, keep it alive with new light and insight as you study the Word of God. Walk in faith, learn of God, practice living the godly lifestyle and life.

DanielRB said:

Shalom, all,

My two cents:

Having a common belief in Yeshua as Lord does make two people spiritually sister and brother. But not all of my sisters in Yeshua would make good wives for me, nor would I make a good husband to them.

There are many practical considerations. Is the Messianic offended by a Christmas tree and Christmas celebration, thinking it pagan, or is s/he okay with it? Do they plan on observing Sabbath? Do they plan on attending a Congregation on Sabbath or Sunday?

Just being in Messiah doesn't automatically mean you can marry any other person in Messiah. Consider any other two Christians getting married: what about a Catholic and a Baptist? A Mennonite and Orthodox? A Pentecostal and a High-Church Episcopalian?

So, I would say that yes, they are equally yoked, but not necessarily are they going to get along.

In Messiah,

Daniel

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good point.

DanielRB said:

Shalom, all,

My two cents:

Having a common belief in Yeshua as Lord does make two people spiritually sister and brother. But not all of my sisters in Yeshua would make good wives for me, nor would I make a good husband to them.

There are many practical considerations. Is the Messianic offended by a Christmas tree and Christmas celebration, thinking it pagan, or is s/he okay with it? Do they plan on observing Sabbath? Do they plan on attending a Congregation on Sabbath or Sunday?

Just being in Messiah doesn't automatically mean you can marry any other person in Messiah. Consider any other two Christians getting married: what about a Catholic and a Baptist? A Mennonite and Orthodox? A Pentecostal and a High-Church Episcopalian?

So, I would say that yes, they are equally yoked, but not necessarily are they going to get along.

In Messiah,

Daniel

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your right Daniel and I would have agreed with the thread if it had said that but it suggested that that a Christian was an unbeliever as christians don't do Torah, both of which are untrue IMO

looking thru the scriptures at all the yoke ones and I saw this...hmmmm

Hosea 10:11-12 11 And Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh, But I will come over her fair neck with a yoke; I will harness Ephraim, Judah will plow, Jacob will harrow for himself. 12 Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.