Marrying an unbeliever

Is marrying an unbeliever wrong? Or is it just foolish?

It is not wrong in that it is sinful. Sometimes people point to 2 Corinthians 6:14 (“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.”) as God’s prohibition of marriage between a Christian and a non-Christian. The context, however, is not about marriage. Without condemnation of any kind, 1 Peter 3:1-2 addresses Christian women who are married to unbelieving men.

Rather than labeling such a marriage as “foolish,” I would say that a marriage between a Christian and a non-Christian is going to be set up for many challenges. The Christian spouse will need to recognize that in that particular marriage, “two will become one” in many ways but not in the most important way. If the Christian spouse is not going to compromise the faith, he or she will need to face the fact that the unbelieving spouse will spend eternity in a different place, unless God the Holy Spirit changes the spouse’s heart.

That lack of unity in the faith can pose problems when it comes to devoting time to worshiping the Lord in church, giving back part of one’s income to the Lord, deciding how to raise children spiritually—just to name a few issues.

On the other hand, what a great blessing there is when a man and a woman can be “one” in marriage in the most important way: when they are fellow members of the family of God. Such a marriage is not exempt from problems, but it has a wonderful foundation because it is built on the love of God in Christ.