Is it a sin to marry an Athiest?

[seashale76]

I've known a lot of Christian guys who have gone and married Atheists.

Is this a sin?

I can't really imagine it so but I was just wondering.

Or is it a lot more complex than that?

Marriage, like baptism, is a sacrament. It is not a human-made social construct (in other words- people can say and do what they like regarding marriage outside of Christ's Holy Church- but they're wrong), but a God-made construct. To quote St. John Chrysostom, “From the beginning God in His providence has planned this union of man and woman…. There is no relationship between human beings so close as that of husband and wife." In marriage, one is called to reflect Christ and to be Christ-like toward their spouse. In other words, people are called to self-sacrifice and martyrdom- giving their all 100%- not just 50/50.

For the Christian, everything can be related back to communion/eucharist. Marriage is a sacrament. It is also considered a martyrdom. You deny yourself for the sake of your spouse. You also aren't joined together with someone who also isn't in communion. When a Christian knowingly joins together with an unbeliever- it is a proclamation that they are knowingly excommunicating themselves (in fact they will not be allowed to marry in the Church). When one is baptized into Christ they are part of the body of Christ- the temple of the Holy Spirit- receiving Christ in the Holy Mysteries. Willfully sinning in this manner is serious business- one risks their soul unless they repent and return to the hospital for what ails us.

 

[Celtic D]

Marriage, like baptism, is a sacrament. It is not a human-made social construct (in other words- people can say and do what they like regarding marriage outside of Christ's Holy Church- but they're wrong), but a God-made construct. To quote St. John Chrysostom, “From the beginning God in His providence has planned this union of man and woman…. There is no relationship between human beings so close as that of husband and wife." In marriage, one is called to reflect Christ and to be Christ-like toward their spouse. In other words, people are called to self-sacrifice and martyrdom- giving their all 100%- not just 50/50.

For the Christian, everything can be related back to communion/eucharist. Marriage is a sacrament. It is also considered a martyrdom. You deny yourself for the sake of your spouse. You also aren't joined together with someone who also isn't in communion. When a Christian knowingly joins together with an unbeliever- it is a proclamation that they are knowingly excommunicating themselves (in fact they will not be allowed to marry in the Church). When one is baptized into Christ they are part of the body of Christ- the temple of the Holy Spirit- receiving Christ in the Holy Mysteries. Willfully sinning in this manner is serious business- one risks their soul unless they repent and return to the hospital for what ails us.

What if an Eastern Orthodox Christian marries a non Eastern Orthodox Christian?

 

[aiki]

2 Corinthians 6:14-17
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people."
17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you."

None of this is given merely as a suggestion. THe above passage is crystal clear: A Christian is not to enter into intimate relations with anyone who is not a genuine follower of Christ. This is God's plain command in the passage above. To disobey God's command is to sin. Therefore, to marry an atheist is to sin.



Selah.

 

[prophecyistrue]

I've known a lot of Christian guys who have gone and married Atheists.

Is this a sin?

I can't really imagine it so but I was just wondering.

Or is it a lot more complex than that?

It would be the stupidest thing any God fearing man could do!.......marriage is tough enough, not even having the same faith, would be practically impossible, considering if one really had faith in Jesus and believed in the Bible, they would never marry an athiest to begin with........So after a minute of thought, I don't believe the guys you have known were actually Christian by any standard the Bible gives as "being Christian"

 

[forGod1]

No. spr I expect they did it because they loved the person in question!!!

As for the spouse mocking God, I don't believe that is the case in the majority of cases, it boils down to whether or not you respect the person and if so you can agree to disagree without mocking!

mockery is the Devil's best friend.

 

[Celtic D]

mockery is the Devil's best friend.

I agree, but by the time you marry someone, one would hope that they know what you believe - do you think they would marry someone who disrespects them?

It is possible to respectfully disagree with someone's stance on faith or whatever else.

 

[dodolah]

To all the people who say it's not sin, I'd sure like to know what your definition of sin is.

The very same definition of sin when you are confronted with this verse and have to explain if it is a sin to do so:
“I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.” (1 Timothy 2:12)

 

[Matariki]

I wouldn't advise it, if you want a happy marriage, marry someone who shares the same views as yourself.

 

[Aibrean]

The very same definition of sin when you are confronted with this verse and have to explain if it is a sin to do so:
“I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.” (1 Timothy 2:12)

Stop speaking in riddles. My question was to those who believe it isn't sin.

I will say that is precisely why MY church doesn't have female pastors or lectors. The only time a woman is in the front of the church is participating in communion or signing for the deaf.

 

[dodolah]

Stop speaking in riddles. My question was to those who believe it isn't sin.

I will say that is precisely why MY church doesn't have female pastors or lectors. The only time a woman is in the front of the church is participating in communion or signing for the deaf.

Church is where two or more person gather in the name of the Lord. By that definition, this forum is a church. So, if you believe such is sin, why are you teaching? How about teachers or professors at school who are christians?

My point is not trying to proof that God is sexist or trying to speak in riddles. But, what i am trying to say is oftentime humankind likes to exaggerate things and make up laws in the name of God. The funny thing about it is they themselves break the laws that they don't like.

 

[Aibrean]

Teaching and preaching are two different things, and my definition of what a church is isn't the same as yours. No one is physically gathered. Jesus said where two or three or gathered, he is there. So where is he? Standing in the middle of the internet? At the homes of everyone who is on? How does one participate in singing and communion through the CF?

No, females should not be in any kind of pastoral office.

 

[dodolah]

Teaching and preaching are two different things, and my definition of what a church is isn't the same as yours. No one is physically gathered. Jesus said where two or three or gathered, he is there. So where is he? Standing in the middle of the internet? At the homes of everyone who is on? How does one participate in singing and communion through the CF?

No, females should not be in any kind of pastoral office.

Although it is quite silly to derail this thread too much, here is my answers to you regarding Jesus presence. Have you ever heard the term that God is omnipresence? Also, try checking chatroom at this forum. You will be amazed at how people try to sing using this site .
Btw, the verse say teaching. Even to utter a word, a woman is forbidden and should ask her husband in home.

My point is, again, we have tendency to be overzealous and applying human rules in the name of God. And, i believe the same goes for this marrying atheist thing. It is NOT recommended and can spell trouble for sure.. But, not a sin. Definition of repentance is to go away from the sin. That means every christians who marry atheist will have to divorce their spouse period. No excuses.. Then any kind of arguments that support not divorcing the spouse can be rejected by simply saying that to life in sinful lifestyle (since you insist calling that a sin) is a heresy.

 

[Isatis]

2 Corinthians 6:14-17
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people."
17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you."

None of this is given merely as a suggestion. THe above passage is crystal clear: A Christian is not to enter into intimate relations with anyone who is not a genuine follower of Christ. This is God's plain command in the passage above. To disobey God's command is to sin. Therefore, to marry an atheist is to sin.



Selah.

Amen! If my life is governed by christian principles, I don't see how I can possibly "choose" to marry someone whose life is not.

 

[Aibrean]

Teaching in the context of authority is preaching. The word may say teaching, but you have to understand the context of it. Even silence not not mean a woman can't speak in church, but rather not speaking as a preacher.

In context, there is no mis-interpreting to not be unequally yoked.

 

[dodolah]

I say we agree to disagree on that teaching context.. (there are even more rules regarding women not to show their hairs and so. But, that is an argument for another matter to respect the op).
Do you support divorcing the spouse?

 

[Aibrean]

Unless there is adultery, no.

 

[dodolah]

Unless there is adultery, no.

If marrying an atheist is a sin, not divorcing the spouse would mean living in a sinful lifestyle.

Just like marying a same sex is a sin, therefore to repent you need to back away from the lifestyle. Thus, leaving your partner.

To remain consistent with your belief, then you have to allow divorce.
How can such unblessed marriage be continued to exist in order to repent?
You could not argue the fact that God blesses such union if you want to call the act is sinful. How can God blesses sin?

 

[aiki]

Church is where two or more person gather in the name of the Lord. By that definition, this forum is a church. So, if you believe such is sin, why are you teaching? How about teachers or professors at school who are christians?

The Bride of Christ, the Church, is the Body of Believers. There is, however, also the regular meeting of believers of a particular place. There was the church at Ephesus, the church at Corinth, the church at Smyrna, etc, etc. They had elders, bishops, and deacons and early on shared everything they possessed with one another. It is to the leader of one of these discrete, local groups of Christians that the apostle Paul issues his command in 1 Timothy 2:12. Within these particular local congregations (and at home), women were not to usurp the God-given responsibility of spiritual leadership of the men. (Eph. 5:22-29)The meeting of Christians on this site is not a church in the sense in which I have explained above, nor is a collection of Christians at a college or seminary. Paul's command to Timothy concerning the conduct of women in the local meetings of believers does not apply.

Selah.

 

[Boidae]

The Bride of Christ, the Church, is the Body of Believers. There is, however, also the regular meeting of believers of a particular place. There was the church at Ephesus, the church at Corinth, the church at Smyrna, etc, etc. They had elders, bishops, and deacons and early on shared everything they possessed with one another. It is to the leader of one of these discrete, local groups of Christians that the apostle Paul issues his command in 1 Timothy 2:12. Within these particular local congregations (and at home), women were not to usurp the God-given responsibility of spiritual leadership of the men. (Eph. 5:22-29)The meeting of Christians on this site is not a church in the sense in which I have explained above, nor is a collection of Christians at a college or seminary. Paul's command to Timothy concerning the conduct of women in the local meetings of believers does not apply.

Selah.

I disagree that it was to all churches and not just one church where there was a particular problem with women preaching a false gospel.

So Paul's instruction was for the women in that particular church not to speak or teach.

 

[aiki]

If marrying an atheist is a sin, not divorcing the spouse would mean living in a sinful lifestyle.

Just like marying a same sex is a sin, therefore to repent you need to back away from the lifestyle. Thus, leaving your partner.

To remain consistent with your belief, then you have to allow divorce.
How can such unblessed marriage be continued to exist in order to repent?
You could not argue the fact that God blesses such union if you want to call the act is sinful. How can God blesses sin?

Marrying an atheist is not the same as marrying homosexually. In the former case, the issue is one of belief and spiritual condition; in the latter it is not only a case of belief and spiritual condition but also of biological perversion. God recognizes a heterosexual marriage of a believer to an unbeliever because although their particular union exists in contradiction to His command, it is fundamentally in accord with God's designed order. It is for this reason Paul advises as he does in 1 Corinthians 7:13-16. This is not the case with homosexual "marriages" which in no way conforms to God's order spiritual or natural. It is in every respect a perversion of God's design for marriage and is therefore not recognized as a valid union in His eyes. Humans have embraced homosexual "marriages" but God never has. He is not obliged to honor the corruption of His sacred institution just because we humans do.

Selah.