Marrying someone with a different denomination?

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RedTent

RedTent

Banned
#21
Oct 31, 2011
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#21
It completely bewilders me how someone can say that they follow God and His word and also say they follow what some man says about God. I can understand how you can go to a certain church for worship, for study, for fellowship, and even think that church follows God's word pretty well, but how can you follow church doctrine instead of God doctrine?

Marriage makes two people one in a very complete sense. It is hard to be one with someone, to work with them in harmony through life if one thinks life is one way and the other thinks life is another. What church they choose might be an indication of this, but it goes much deeper than denomination.
 
secularhermit

secularhermit

Banned
#22
May 3, 2013
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#22
I married a pentecostal... She usually said: "I´m a leader...". After 13 years we both divorced (it was my fault to marry her).
 
santuzza

santuzza

Senior Member
#23
Feb 12, 2013
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#23
My husband was brought up in a home in which his parents were of different denominations (Lutheran and Methodist). He wouldn't recommend it. His parents actually attended different churches, and hubby was always with Mom. It led to a pretty dysfunctional household and damaged unity among the parents.

Would you both attend the same church? If so, which one of you is going to give up his/her church? Can one of you live with the doctrine of the other person's church? These are all tough questions.

And although you may both be saved, I do think there is an element of "unequally yoked" in this situation. Different denominations have different slants on what is most important. Some denominations baptize infants, so would one be willing to go along with that if one disagreed? I wouldn't. Personally, I think that being equally yoked means having the same spiritual values. Not all denominations have the same values -- sad as that may be.

Bottom line: IMHO, if you're considering a serious long-term relationship with someone, one or the other needs to whole-heartedly commit to the other person's church.
 
J

john832

Senior Member
#24
May 31, 2013
11,365
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#24
maxwel said:
Biblically it doesn't matter, as long as both of you are saved.
If you're both saved, then you'd be "equally yoked."

But practically, as far as it just causing problems... that's something else.

It would depend on how different your doctrinal beliefs happened to be.
Some denominations can get along fine together, and some are just a little too different.
Click to expand...
What if one believes in immersion and the other believes in sprinkling? What if one is a Sabbath keeper and the other goes to church on Sunday. What if one keeps the Holydays and the other keeps xmas and Ishtar?

Might want to think on these things pretty hard...

Amo 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
 
J

jb

Senior Member
#25
Feb 27, 2010
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#25
john832 said:
What if one believes in immersion and the other believes in sprinkling? What if one is a Sabbath keeper and the other goes to church on Sunday. What if one keeps the Holydays and the other keeps xmas and Ishtar?
Click to expand...
You agree to disagree!

I hardly think that a born again Christian is going to celebrate anything connected with the goddess Ishtar...

Your thinking on the subject of this thread is sectarian...to say the least! 1Cor 3v1-8
 
Loveneverfails

Loveneverfails

Senior Member
#26
Feb 18, 2013
1,294
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#26
This is definitely not a dumb question.

First of all, I will say that the very deep divides between denominations saddens me, but that doesn't mean they are to be ignored, especially when considering marriage.

This requires communication with each other, praying, and discernment. I'm currently dating someone who grew up in a denomination that is very foreign to me, and I asked myself the hypothetical question, "If I married this man, could I switch to his church?" because I believe the married couple should attend church together. At first, the answer was "no", so we spent weeks digging through doctrine and meeting with pastors and elders and above all praying fervently. In the end, we discovered that when it came to the core principles of our faith, we were on the same page, and some of the other little details just truly didn't matter. For example, he was raised with some funky minor beliefs on the end times, but his church still preaches that Christ is coming back someday and that all believers will eventually be with him in heaven. That's what's most important to me.

Try asking these questions, they may help:
In the event of a possible marriage, could this couple:
- Agree on a church to attend together
- Agree on how and what to teach their potential future children
- Pray together
- Minister together
- Study God's word together
- Maintain focus on what's most important: loving God, and loving one another.

If doctrinal differences would get in the way from accomplishing these things, I think marriage would be unwise.

Pray for discernment. God Bless :)
 
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