E. M. C. I. All Independent, Conservative, Pastors and Churches, are invited to inquire about ordination and membership re quirements. Write to: EVANGELICAL MINISTERS AND CHURCHES, INTERNATIONAL 2057 Lawrence Ave., Chicago 25, III. — a perfect gift — THE KING'S BUSINESS
by Paul Bayles, Pastor, Christ Community Church Canoga Park, Calif.
the Christian home
A C h r is t ia n teenager reader asks, “Why can’t I marry a Roman Catholic?” I doubt that any Protestant Church has told you that you “ can’t.” But if you marry into the Roman Catholic Church, that church will tell you what you can and cannot do. Permit me to briefly describe the mar riage of a Protestant Christian to a Roman Catholic. In the intoxication of romantic love you will both declare, “We don’t care what our churches think. We have each other and that’s all we need.” This will sound so reassuring that you will repeat it over and over to gain courage. Unfortunately, this “ all we need is each other” feeling is temporary. The romance that tempor arily blinds you to good thinking disappears quite quickly after mar riage. You say, “Not us. We’re differ ent.” You’re not really different. In fact, this is what nearly every couple says. Every married couple must pass from this love-phase to a mature love that can build a home and share joys and sorrows. To have such a mature love, you must have many things in common, not the least of which is a mutual faith in Christ. Since you will not have this mutual relationship to Christ, you will agree not to discuss matters like church, God, and salvation. “ After all,” you will say, “ I’ve had religion thrown at me all my life.” This agreement may keep the waters calm on the surface for a while, but underneath, deep in your heart, storms will be raging. You will begin to remember your Christian Endeavor pledges to keep quiet hour and church attendance. W ill you be able to keep those pledges, or will you shrug them off because you made them while you were young? If you honorably decide to keep your promises to God, which church will you attend — yours or your mate’s? You will decide to take turns. This will be very hard. Your mate will feel guilty about attending your church, because he was taught that this is a mortal sin. If he does attend with you, will his own church “forgive” him and recognize him the next week? In his own church he will feel shame and guilt because he mar ried a Protestant. On the way home, he will beg you to join his church. Can you do that? This will please your partner. Of course, you’ll have to sign your children over to that church for training. Can you do that?
Right now you’re so “in love” you could do anything — but what about five years from now? You may decide just to forget all about church and Christ. Can you do that? You may even decide to attend your own churches separately. Does that sound like a happy or interesting arrange ment? Soon children will be bom to you. Your partner will fear that if they die without being baptized into his church, they will be forever lost. This is an important doctrine to them. Without Roman Catholic baptism, no one, regardless of circumstances, can be saved. You don’t believe that bap tism into the Roman Church is neces sary. Your church has no comparable ritual — what will you do? Give your child, to Romanism or heartlessly let your partner live in terror? You now have a very complicated problem to face. Your children will become ob jects of heartache and bickering. What about their Sunday School training? W ill they go to public or to parochial schools? Your children will be tom by loyalties and forced to make choices they shouldn’t have to face. You say, “What you have described only happens to the immature. We’re both broadminded. We’ll respect each other’s beliefs. Besides, religion isn’t so terribly important anymore.” When you say that, you’re overlook ing the real nature of Christian faith. Your faith isn’t just a set of beliefs that can be discarded. It’s a way of life to you. You are organically re lated to Christ and these things can not be casually forgotten. It may be true that very sophisti cated couples can work out a system of co-existence to overcome this con flict. Do you want your marriage on a co-existence basis? Besides, the choice of a “mixed marriage” is a frequent sign of immaturity itself. When a person marries into another faith it may be a flight, an escape from home or childhood ties. The marriage fails to achieve its goals for at least four reasons: (1) because of the great religious differ ences involved, (2) because of the emotional unfitness of the couple con cerned that motivated them to seek each other, (3) because of the support that all surveys give to this view and (4) because God has said, “ Be not unequally yoked together.” He said this for your good — not so much for His!
You, too, can enjoy the Satisfaction of knowing that your money is serving the best interests of the Lord’s work.
... and with WHEATON ANNUITIES you are assured of a GUARANTEED INCOME FOR LIFE with immediate and continuing tax benefits
Find out for yourself why so many Chris tians are enjoying real satisfaction and ex cellent returns on Wheaton’s two proven investment plans. 1. WHEATON ANNUITIES yield a liberal rate of return (up to 8.6%, depending on your age) with the assurance of regular income checks for life. You can also provide regulated sums of money by will to loved ones. 2. WHEATON DEPOSIT AGREEMENTS for the person who wants his money to go into the Lord’s work, but finds it necessary to have the principal available if needed. Currently you receive 3 ^ % per annum, and payments are made semi-annually. We'll be happy to send you complete information on both plans. M A I L C O U PO N TODAY WHEATON CO LLEG E R Wheaton, Illinois Depf* K“72, Please send me □ Pleasant Tomorrows , book let explaining Annuity Plan. Q Folder de scribing Wheaton Deposit Agreement. Nam e ________________Age______
A/I/I ra«a
C ity
. . — . Zone____State____________
THE KING'S BUSINESS
34
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter