Marry Inside The Faith

Swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women.

Genesis 24:3

IT WAS A BIG DEAL TO Abraham that his son married in the faith. And it should be a big deal to fathers today. The New Testament carries this explicit warning: “Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14). As fathers, we need to talk to our kids about the heartbreak and folly of marrying a person who does not follow Jesus. Wisdom dictates that we have this conversation before our kids find themselves falling head over heels for someone who is not a Christian. Young people are especially notorious for letting feelings trump all else. Talking your son or daughter out of a relationship is exponentially more difficult than convincing them to not date an unbeliever in the first place.

Young people often harbor hopes that the non-Christian they are dating will convert. And they can likely point to a situation where it worked out for someone else. If you have a child in that boat, gently pose the question, “But what if they don’t? Would you want to go through life with no spiritual connection to your mate? How will your children be raised? Is that really fair to your kids?” Open a Bible and show them Paul’s warning about marrying an unbeliever. Ask them to talk to God about it. You cannot prevent your children from making a bad decision, but you can do your best to guide them.

BOTTOM LINE

The Bible is clear that God wants His children to marry only someone who is also a child of God. Explain that to your kids before they begin dating.

Moment of Strength: 2 Corinthians 6:14-18