Is it a sin to marry an unbeliever?

[Marcelo]

Many have understood this verse (2 Corinthians 6:14-16) wrongly. When the LORD says in 2Corinthians 6:14 -16 that "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God......."

---- Here the LORD is not talking about getting married to an unbeliever or doing what is right together with unbelievers but HE is telling us (His Children) that we should not be involved or take part in the works of unbelievers. Marriage is not the work of unbelievers but it is the work of GOD. GOD created marriage.

Many preachers in my denomination share your opinion, but I don't agree with them (neither with you, of course!). See the commentary below:


Adam Clarke Commentary

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers - This is a military term: keep in your own ranks; do not leave the Christian community to join in that of the heathens. The verb ἑτεροζυγειν signifies to leave one's own rank, place, or order, and go into another; and here it must signify not only that they should not associate with the Gentiles in their idolatrous feasts, but that they should not apostatize from Christianity; and the questions which follow show that there was a sort of fellowship that some of the Christians had formed with the heathens which was both wicked and absurd, and if not speedily checked would infallibly lead to final apostasy.
Some apply this exhortation to pious persons marrying with those who are not decidedly religious, and converted to God. That the exhortation may be thus applied I grant; but it is certainly not the meaning of the apostle in this place. Nevertheless, common sense and true piety show the absurdity of two such persons pretending to walk together in a way in which they are not agreed. A very wise and very holy man has given his judgment on this point: "A man who is truly pious, marrying with an unconverted woman, will either draw back to perdition, or have a cross during life." The same may be said of a pious woman marrying an unconverted man. Such persons cannot say this petition of the Lord's prayer, Lead us not into temptation. They plunge into it of their own accord.
For what fellowship, etc. - As righteousness cannot have communion with unrighteousness, and light cannot dwell with darkness; so Christ can have no concord with Belial, nor can he that believeth have any with an infidel. All these points were self-evident; how then could they keep up the profession of Christianity, or pretend to be under its influence, while they associated with the unrighteous, had communion with darkness, concord with Belial, and partook with infidels?

 

[DustyRhodes]

Btw, isn't it remarkable how many different understandings are being posted here regarding marriage and being equally yoked?

how can equally yoked even be measured, right. It might be equal today and not 5 years from now...the divorce rate
of Christians is equal to that of non believers...even pastors do it.

 

[Marcelo]

M...., No such thing as a small sin. A sin is a sin.

I think marrying an unbeliever is a small sin because it is not listed by Paul as something that keeps us from being saved, like murder, adultery, fornication, idolatry, etc. The Bible doesn't say "Christians who marry unbelievers will never enter heaven", but it is a disobedience because God (through Paul) says "don't do it".

I know a few Christians who did marry unbelievers and are apparently going to be saved, despite the immense trouble they caused to themselves. On the other hand, I know other believers who backslid.

 

[Didymous]

how can equally yoked even be measured, right. It might be equal today and not 5 years from now...the divorce rate
of Christians is equal to that of non believers...even pastors do it.

No it isn't. That study is flawed, because it only counts divorces and marriages in one year.

 

[dcontroversal]

Find me a scripture where Jesus ate with prostitutes, I would like to see it.

"The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table.And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner."

When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, "Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?"

It is a well know fact that the context and USE of SINNERS also POINTS to those women were were prostitutes as evidenced above by Simon's reaction.....You guys can argue all you want against this truth.....WE cannot win the LOST if we are NEVER around the LOST or so shocked by their sin that we FAIL to take the gospel to them....I am sick to death of this stench that has permeated Christianity today....this view that if they are not white, middle class Americans that can give a good offering that we should bypass them with the gospel....JESUS socialized with those in society that were deemed sinners, prostitutes, social outcasts, tax collectors etc. because he did not come for the self righteous hypocrites, but rather those who are in need of the great physician...........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[garee]

Yeah, who wants to be married to a wife named Gomer.

And name one of the children

Loammi….​

"not mine"?

 

[garee]

how can equally yoked even be measured, right. It might be equal today and not 5 years from now...the divorce rate of Christians is equal to that of non believers...even pastors do it.

The yoking is with Christ, the man a wife are one creation

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Is it a sin for a Christian to marry a non-Christian?

100% yes it is sin (you have chosen the work of the flesh-The law of sin and death).

There are millions upon millions of sincere people in this world (eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil). The scripture says (Acts 10) the centurion, Cornelius, was a devout man (but unsaved!), and one who feared God with all his house (but unsaved!), which gave much alms to the people (but unsaved!), and prayed to God always (but unsaved!) All of these things were wonderful, and certainly noticed by the Lord; but they did not save the man, even as they do not save anyone now; being religious does not constitute Salvation; there must be an acceptance of Christ and His Finished Work; if one is to be saved [Jn. 3:16; Rom. 10:9-10,13]). The scripture further says that Cornelius had a vision (but unsaved!), an Angel of God came to him (but unsaved!), his prayers and alms came up for a memorial before God (but unsaved!), he fasted (but unsaved!).

​

The Lord sent the Apostle Peter to save him and his household (neighbors). Being sincere does not make a person saved.​

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

100% yes it is sin (you have chosen the work of the flesh-The law of sin and death).

There are millions upon millions of sincere people in this world (eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil). The scripture says (Acts 10) the centurion, Cornelius, was a devout man (but unsaved!), and one who feared God with all his house (but unsaved!), which gave much alms to the people (but unsaved!), and prayed to God always (but unsaved!) All of these things were wonderful, and certainly noticed by the Lord; but they did not save the man, even as they do not save anyone now; being religious does not constitute Salvation; there must be an acceptance of Christ and His Finished Work; if one is to be saved [Jn. 3:16; Rom. 10:9-10,13]). The scripture further says that Cornelius had a vision (but unsaved!), an Angel of God came to him (but unsaved!), his prayers and alms came up for a memorial before God (but unsaved!), he fasted (but unsaved!).

​

The Lord sent the Apostle Peter to save him and his household (neighbors). Being sincere does not make a person saved.​

Light can not marry darkness!

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: you cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of demons. 1 Cor. 10:21

 

[joefizz]

Is it a sin for a Christian to marry a non-Christian?

Hmm I'll let you know if I get married.

 

[joefizz]

Better to marry than to burn with lust

Duh Duh Duh!

 

[joefizz]

As far as it depends on you, do not be yoked with unbelievers. That is an order. If you didn't learn this verse yet and married an unbeliever, and your conscience didn't alert you that it was wrong, then for you its not a sin. If you were forced into a marriage against your will then it is not sin for you. But in general, yes it is a sin.

And yet there was David that didn't follow that nor his son Solomon...hmmmmmmm

 

[joefizz]

Many have understood this verse (2 Corinthians 6:14-16) wrongly. When the LORD says in 2Corinthians 6:14 -16 that "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God......."

---- Here the LORD is not talking about getting married to an unbeliever or doing what is right together with unbelievers but HE is telling us (His Children) that we should not be involved or take part in the works of unbelievers. Marriage is not the work of unbelievers but it is the work of GOD. GOD created marriage. HE instituted marriage and marriage is good and so it can never be the work of an unbeliever. These are some of the works of an unbeliever which the LORD is telling us not to yoke together with them. The LORD is telling us to come out of them. They are malice, invention of evil, fornication, homosexuality, lying, transgender, gossiping, stealing, injustice, discrimination, racism, legalizing evil etc These are all works of unbelievers and the LORD warned us not to get yoke together with them or participate in them.

Marriage was instituted by GOD so marriage is good. If a believer got married to an unbeliever that will not still change the truth that marriage is good. The institution(Marriage) remains good no matter who get involve in it whether believer or unbeliever. This is what many haven't understand. For it is written, “For the unbelieving husband is consecrated through his wife (that is the believing wife), and the unbelieving wife is consecrated through her husband ( the believing husband). Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy (1 Corinthians 7:14).” We also see this clearly when Joseph the son of Jacob got married to the daughter of Pharaoh who was an unbeliever and their children Manasseh and Ephraim were holy since their mother who was an unbeliever was consecrated to her husband Joseph who was a believer and GOD’S Son.
For example, there are many Christians who have siblings who are unbelievers and they live together, eat together, play together and do many things together. And also there are many Christians who worked in their work places with unbelievers. They get involve together to do their duties in their work places. But when it comes to marriage to an unbeliever they disagree. And the reason of their disagree is simple lack of knowledge of the Truth-the WORD OD GOD is Truth. Why are they not leaving the unbelievers in their work places and in their homes and family, and go and work or live with believers only? If they are working and living with unbelievers, and disagreeing with the issue of getting marry to an unbeliever, this clearly shows hypocrisy.

The issue about the verse above is that the LORD doesn’t want us to get involve in the evil works of unbelievers not that we should not do what is right with them.

Well there goes my chances for marriage,when you cut out the lost or non Christian that sure cuts the field down a bit.

 

[preston39]

I think marrying an unbeliever is a small sin because it is not listed by Paul as something that keeps us from being saved, like murder, adultery, fornication, idolatry, etc. The Bible doesn't say "Christians who marry unbelievers will never enter heaven", but it is a disobedience because God (through Paul) says "don't do it".

I know a few Christians who did marry unbelievers and are apparently going to be saved, despite the immense trouble they caused to themselves. On the other hand, I know other believers who backslid.

M...,

Upon proper request G-d forgives us of our sins.

The Bible does not separate and class sin. Except for the unforgivable sin.

I have found nothing in scriptures which says it is a sin to marry a unbeliever. It just cautions against being in a sinful environment.

 

[Marcelo]

M..., Upon proper request G-d forgives us of our sins.

Since my baptism God has kept me from sins like idolatry, murder, adultery, etc., and if one day I fall into the enemy's trap I will bitterly regret it and earnestly ask for forgiveness. But I'm talking about believers who commit adultery almost regularly. Do you think they can be saved?

 

[GOP]

For it is written, "If any one thinks that he is not behaving proper toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry-it is not a sin (1 Corinthians 7:36)." And here the betrothed may be a believer or an unbeliever.

Someone can be betrothed to you at a very young age when he/she knows nothing. This tradition is common in Israel, in the Middles East and in Africa in those days. And it is still practice today. Now, you can see that the betrothed may be a believer or an unbeliever.

 

[GOP]

100% yes it is sin (you have chosen the work of the flesh-The law of sin and death).

For it is written, "If any one thinks that he is not behaving proper toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry-it is not a sin (1 Corinthians 7:36)." And here the betrothed may be a believer or an unbeliever.

Someone can be betrothed to you at a very young age when he/she knows nothing. This tradition is common in Israel, in the Middles East and in Africa in those days. And it is still practice today. Now, you can see that the betrothed may be a believer or an unbeliever.

 

[Magenta]

For it is written, "If any one thinks that he is not behaving proper toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry-it is not a sin (1 Corinthians 7:36)." And here the betrothed may be a believer or an unbeliever.

Someone can be betrothed to you at a very young age when he/she knows nothing. This tradition is common in Israel, in the Middles East and in Africa in those days. And it is still practice today. Now, you can see that the betrothed may be a believer or an unbeliever.

Is the woman a virgin? You seem to have left that part out. Earlier in the same chapter, Paul says if you are single, not to change your status unless you cannot control your lust.

I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.​

 

[Edward82]

its not a sin, but it would be really hard on the christain until the lord opens the others eyes...

 

[GOP]

Is the woman a virgin? You seem to have left that part out. Earlier in the same chapter, Paul says if you are single, not to change your status unless you cannot control your lust.

I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.​

Thanks my precious Ma'am for adding more to this.