Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with GodSample

MARRIAGE WITH UNBELIEVERS The fifth reason for marriage breakups is religious differences. While the arrest rate for juvenile delinquency is much higher for the children of non-religious parents, children of parents who regularly attend church stay in college longer and have more meaningful lives. Likewise, it is true that religious couples have fewer divorces than the non-religious. However, religious differences can divide a family. The Bible says many problems are caused by the marriage of Christians and unbelievers: Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 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" (2 Corinthians 6:14-16). Yet, what about those who have made such choices in the past and married unbelievers? Or what about those who have found Christ after marriage but whose partners are still unconverted? God's Word says that while we are not to select unbelievers for mates, we are also not to leave them if we are married to them (1 Corinthians 7:13-14). The children should be the primary consideration in this case. They need the godly influence of at least one parent who knows Christ.