Unequally Yoked

[CuriousMegan]

Currently, I have been studying 2 Corinthians 6:14 and am really trying to understand its true meaning. I have always applied it with regard to marriage; however, when I was reading my commentary it referred to believers cooperating with false teachers. That led me to wonder if perhaps Paul was not referring to marriage, but that (marriage) was something that people just passed down to each other and finally it (the verse) was just thought to be about that, without further investigation being done. (If you can't guess, I'm asking this due to a relationship that was recently broken off due to the fact that he is not a Christian & I don't know for sure he'll become one.) This leads me to another question...

Are there any verses (other than this being possibly one) that strictly forbid marriage to an unbeliever? I realize that it makes more sense to marry a believer, but I want to know if there are verses that prohibit such a union. Also, in 1 Corinthians when Paul is referring to Marriage (Chap 7; Verse 12 on) is he referring to people who are already married or to everyone? Or do we actually have any way of knowing?

Thanks!

 

[Dad Ernie]

Are there any verses (other than this being possibly one) that strictly forbid marriage to an unbeliever? I realize that it makes more sense to marry a believer, but I want to know if there are verses that prohibit such a union. Also, in 1 Corinthians when Paul is referring to Marriage (Chap 7; Verse 12 on) is he referring to people who are already married or to everyone? Or do we actually have any way of knowing?

Greetings Curioius Megan,

I believe the clearest picture of marriage might be taken from the Old Testament where the Jews were commanded not to take wives or husbands from anyone outside the kingdom of Israel.

An unbeliever is "of the world", and we are not to have any desires for those things "of the world", we are not even to touch the garments that have been exposed to sin.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

 

[£amb]

Read 1 Cor. chapter 7. It talks more about marriage and believers/non-believers...

 

[StAnselm]

I think you're right on all counts - Paul is not primarily referring to marriage, but it is a legitimate application of the verse.

It was good that the relationship was broken off - it is not just unwise to marry a non-Christian, but also wrong. And we can never know whether someone will become a Christian.

As to verses that prohibit it, as Dad Eernie said, the OT has a lot to say about it. (See, for example, the book of Ezra-Nehemiah.) But there are also verses in the NT like 1 Cor 7:39...

A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.