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H a a n , M . D . Radio Bible Class, Michigan
most important step in the life of every believer. I emphasize the fact that I am talking about believers, be cause as long as people do not accept the Word of God as the authority, they are unbelievers and we cannot expect them to obey it. The Bible is ¡crystal clear, there- fore, on one primary point, that be lievers are never to consider marriage with an unbeliever under any cir cumstance whatsoever. God’s Word never once countenances, either in the Old Testament or in the New, mixed marriages , between believers and infidels. Failure to observe this basic rule of Scripture has been the cause of shipwreck in thousands upon thousands of presumably Christian homes. Way back in the days of Amos, the prophet already cried: “How can two walk together, except they be agreed!” Much less, we can say, “ How can two LIVE together, except they be agreed!” In this series of messages we are not trying to re solve the divorce problem AFTER the marriage has been consumated, but our purpose is to point out some of the pitfalls which must be avoided in order that later on tragedy may not result. We believe that the prevention of divorce must begin BEFORE mar riage, and not after the marriage con tract has been consumated. We be lieve, therefore, that the first and the primary cause of unhappy marriages among believers and professing Chris tians is failure to observe the rules concerning the choice of a mate and the unequal yoke which is definitely forbidden by everything in the Word of God. There are among others, several reasons which I would like to point out at this time why a Christian should never even consider the mar riage relationship with one who is not a definitely born-again believer. First of all, mixed marriage de-> stroys the b e a u t i f u l t y p e of the Church in its relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. The outstanding type and figure by which the relationship of the Church of Jesus Christ and Fler
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conflict and bickering, and its effect upon the children will only be an increase in the awful evil of the pres ent day juvenile delinquency. In speaking of this matter, the Word of God is very, very clear. Listen to this as Paul gives it to us in 2nd Corinthi ans 6 : “Be ye not unequally yoked togeth er with unbelievers: for what fellow ship hath righteousness with unright eousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that be- lieveth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the tem ple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, / will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean (Concluded on Next Page)
Head is pictured for us in the Bible is that of a bridegroom and a bride. The groom is the Lord Jesus Christ, and the bride is the Church, consisting of all those who by a definite act of faith have been born again. Every believer, in contemplating marriage should seek, therefore, to follow the example of the figure presented by the rela tionship between the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church. Secondly, mixed marriages make consecration on the part of the be liever absolutely impossible. W e re peat again the words of Amos, “How can two walk together, except they be agreed?” There can be no agreement on the vital matters of life and prac tice and conduct and the bringing up of the child if the believer is associ ated with an infidel whose wishes and likes and desires are at variance with those of the one who seeks to obey the Lord Jesus Christ. If the believer seeks to follow the way of the Lord, there is going to be a constant and continual
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