MIXED MARRIAGE

                                                          MIXED MARRIAGE

Mixed marriage has been a contentious issue forever in Christianity as well as other faiths. The problem has been lack of understanding by teachers in seminaries. Part of this misadventure has been using race as the primary reason to keep separation in marriages. This was never the primary reason in the Old Testament. The racial division we have today in some Christian denominations is created by the simple lack of knowledge by pastors and teachers. You have to carefully search scripture to understand the reason for any negative explanation of mixed marriage. Let's go to the reasoning in scripture, and we'll understand why Christ did not preach about the subject.

The Christian problem stems from one instruction given the new church at Corinth. We begin here, and will then go back to the Old Testament to show what the reason was to oppose mixed marriages. The Jews were painfully aware of that reason, as you will see. Second Corinthians 6:14 was written by the Apostle Paul as part of corrective measures needed in the new church there. "Do not be unequally yoked together with  unbelievers." If you read all of chapter 6, you will see the people
have been led astray by false teachers. The problem with mixed marriages was a believer marrying an unbeliever. Such a union was clearly pointed out way back in Genesis, chapters 27 and 28, where Jacob was sent to find a wife in the land owned by Laban, a brother of Jacob's mother.

Jacob's wife, Rachel, was obviously not a believer, because she took her father's household idols with her when she left with Jacob. There was a lot of deception and sin among these early Israelites, dating back to Abraham taking the Egyptian wife and and siring Ishmael. In Genesis 31:33-35, Rachel hid the idols in a camel's pack and sat on them. God was merciful to these people, and was long suffering. The men God worked with had continuing trouble from wives and concubines who worshiped other gods. You must remember they were small in number compared to the many other nations. Normal men are just naturally drawn to pretty women, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The family relationship of children as they grow up is very strongly influenced by their parents. Because the mother has traditionally been the main care giver, her influence is a major factor in the child's spiritual development. If either parent stresses subjects such as race and faith, it may be a lifelong guideline for
the child's direction. Racism, like faith, is usually a product of the family character. The pros and cons of mixed marriages continues through several books of the Old Testament, and it is clear that the faith of women is a major factor in family choices. We can't lay all the blame on women, because it is the man's responsibility to impart faith instructions to the family. Now, on to further scripture and the bible's illustrations of how mixed marriages should not be banned by Christians on the basis of race. There are Christian colleges who do ban socializing between races, which actually raises the level of racial discrimination.

We see in I Kings, that success eventually ruined Solomon. The man considered the wisest in the world became overconfident and defied God's directions. There is a lesson here for Americans, because we are following the same decline as Solomon. He was already the most wealthy man in history, and he fell victim to the same philosophy as a man I worked for briefly. This man's quote to me was "there's never enough money." He was a wealthy banker. Read I Kings, beginning at 10:14. you will see a leader living in great opulence--the same manner of life style of the present day elite people. Solomon and Israel were the world leaders, and being number one went to their head. When you get to verse 26 and continue, you see Solomon built a great defensive force, dealing in weapons and horses. God had told him not to gather together a large group of horses. Solomon also got involved in what we would call today the "arms trade."

Chapter 11 tells us of Solomon's final folly, his collection of beautiful women of many different faiths. He had women from many nations, and they worshiped many idols and false gods. Moreover, he built places of worship for some of these false gods. He had over 1,000 wives and concubines, and the Lord finally told him the kingdom would be taken away from him  because they were no longer worshiping God. Solomon violated the most important Command given Moses and reaffirmed by  Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Israel was punished through the separation of the kingdom. Although Solomon broke several of God's directions, the taking of wives of other faiths was the sin that brought destruction. It was the sin of a mixed marriage with women who converted Solomon to corrupt worship.

There is more about mixed marriage, but we should note there were other factors that brought Solomon down. We noted opulence, but there was a problem with taxes, too. This opulence among the elite was financed by taxes on the people. The wealthy became more and more wealthy, while the non elite suffered more and more. When a leader loses his way in one issue, he usually loses his way in others. Americans should consider this history lesson. We do not have a problem of mixed racial marriages dividing our Christian faith. American leaders are worshiping money and the influence and power of wealth. God is being replaced not by women, but by money.

A good example of a mixed marriage is found in the Book of Ruth. It is a short book, and shows how a mixed marriage relies on the worship of the One God of Abraham. Ruth chose to follow her mother-in-law's faith, and her marriage was "made in Heaven." See the importance of this story, because Ruth became a direct relative in the family that produced Jesus Christ. God does not discriminate over things such as race. All races are His. To be qualified to serve as His priests, we must know our scripture. It requires careful study and research. If you pay attention to history, you will see the truth.

A look at the Book of Esther may give you cause to doubt the lesson of Ruth. Here we have an Israeli women married to a king of another faith. God approved of this arrangement to carry out His plan for Israel. Note, first of all, the man who made this choice did not take a wife of heathen god worship. Esther continued to worship the God of Israel. God placed her as queen to enable her to preserve her people when a decree was made to eliminate all Jews. The story of Esther illustrates the strength of belief and courage over fear. Many American Christians are being influenced by fear today. If you believe in God, you must also believe in the teaching of His Son to be a real Christian. Before He went to Heaven, He told us He would be with us always. If you are consumed with fear, your belief is being replaced.

The importance of obeying the mixed faith marriage is pointed out graphically in Ezra. This book covers the return of Jews taken away in captivity. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to  rebuild the city. He found that many of those who were not carried away in captivity had married women of other nationalities and faiths. The people who had remained in Jerusalem had abandoned the worship of God. The writings of Moses and others was put away and was not known by those who remained. While Nehemiah was the builder, Ezra was a priest who returned. They had all people gather, and the writings of the Law were read.

This is one of the most difficult sections of scripture to understand. I didn't have to experience this, but I did have to experience something that helped me understand God's reason for this requirement. Go to Ezra, chapter 10. All those Jewish men who had taken wives of other faiths had such faith, they agreed to set aside these wives and children. How would you follow this decision? I'm over 80 years of age, and I never could understand how anyone could separate a family in this manner. I prayed for years for the answer, and I was "rewarded" with an understanding. If the question you have is difficult, by all means pray for the answer. If you just can't get it, God will provide the very way necessary.

Keep knocking and seek, but by all means consider the reason God gave us the Commandments, and Christ came to clearly lay out the requirements of Christianity. Pay attention to Christ's clear direction in "the great commandment in the law," asked in Matt. 22:34-36. His answer was the worship and obedience to God (the first command), followed by Christ's addition to "love thy neighbor." If you break the first commandment, you will probably not love your neighbor. The only native Americans are Indians. The remainder of us are immigrants. Some Christians want to ban immigrants. But, how did I come to understand the reason for putting away wives and children you cared about?

I was an athletic person, loving work and sports, and was always physically very active. Our ministry includes a small farm with a variety of rescue animals utilized in therapy for children and adults, especially for those veterans who suffered post

 traumatic stress. Care of the animals and land required lots of physical activity. After 70+ years of this work plus my other work, the day came when I had an infected foot. We did  everything possible to heal the foot, but it finally came down to decide between giving up a part of my life or not living. It is not easy to accept the necessity that you have to lose part of you physically to preserve your life. This loss was spiritual in the case of Israel. Either way, the correct decision is majorly hurtful, whether physically and/or spiritual.

I prayed I wouldn't have to decide to lose my right foot to stay alive. I would walk again, but the door to so much of my world would be closed. I did not consider I wouldn't recover, but my family knew it was a possibility. That possibility did not
bother me, except I didn't want to lose my family. Even so, it would be temporary, because we are all saved. I believed if God had more work for me, I would recover and walk again. This was my abandoning a foot rather than a wife or children. I took
the physical difficult road, while some men had to take the combined physical and spiritual road. I am thankful for my recovery, but that wasn't the only reason for the change.  Because my physical activity is now limited, I spend much more time studying scripture and doing research. God knew I wasn't one to let grass grow under my feet. He made certain I would be completely at His disposal. Often learning the truth is painful and has lasting effects. Christians need to learn that truth does not come easily. Mixed marriage in faith is Godly; faith has nothing to do with racism.

Rev. Walbear