Do You Believe This Is Sin?
 

Do you believe (clear as Black & White) that if an Apostolic Man/Lady marries an unbeliever that they are "Sinning?"

Why or why not?:D

I await your resposnes.

Yes

Surely you jest?

Oh boy. :)

Seriously, I don't think I've ever heard this question asked before.

When they become yoked with an unbeliever they're disobeying a very basic principle and command of Scripture so by doing that they are committing a sin.

But once they're married, that's it. It's a covenant that is not meant to be broken. They'll have to live with the bad decision they made and I don't believe that the woman if she married an unbeliever is living in ongoing sin because she disobeyed by becoming unequally yoked.

In many situations though the unbeliever becomes a believer. It happened with both my sisters. They both married guys who weren't in church but later both of them got saved and filled with the Holy Ghost.

And the Scripture does teach that the believing partner can win the non-believer as a result of her "conversation" ... in other words the way she lives her Christian life in front of her husband .... her Godly behavior and her prayer life ... can have such an impact that he also turns his life over to God.

Not a great answer probably but those are some thots that came immediately to mind.

No sir.

I do believe that they are breaking the command of scripture to be unequally yoked together.
However, like a baby that is born out of wedlock what's done is done, and the people involved will have to live with the cosequences.

Just wanted to expand a little on this.

God grants mercy, pardon and forgiveness and so because of this a person isn't living in ongoing sin as a result of having made a decision to marry an unbeliever. In fact, now he/she is bound to the person he/she married and they are in covenant with one another.

Another thought ....

In the Old Testament there is record of Israelite prophets, kings and others marrying those who were outside of the Jewish nation - pagans and heathens in fact.

Of Course!!! But a sin against the body not the spirit.

I believe it is not a good thing. The saint believes they can change the sinner. The sinner believes they can change the saint. Do you want to take the chance on losing?

Now...when we say unbeliever...are you talking about a UPC person marrying someone who is not UPC?

An Apostolic marrying a non believer.

:toofunny Are you serious? Are members of the UPC the only ones going to heaven?

Did I say that? Nooooo.

I am just asking because some people believe that if a UPCer marries a non-UPCer, they have married an "unbeliever." Just asking for clarification on the question.

To answer your question to me....no, the UPC is not the only ones going to heaven.

Why would it be a sin?

Paul doesn't seem to be referring to unbelievers in a general sense of the word, but referring to idolaters specifically.

There are a lot of good people who may not be saved, but have the potential. I wouldn't advise it, personally, cause life can change once the I DOs have been said. But I still wouldn't call it sin. I don't believe Paul was preaching it in that light either. I feel that it's more like giving advice.

If you are UPC - It would be best to marry someone in the UPC.
If you are NOT in the UPC - It would be best to marry someone NOT UPC!

If you are a Christian - to marry a non-Christian would be a violation of the Word of God - forget the manual! You would be unequally yoked with an unbeliever in more ways than one.

I do know people in the UPC that think if you are not UPC - you are an "unbeliever" - Unbeliever in what? The UPC?
Some of you have UPC on the brain -I promise you - there a a great big WORLD out there - much bigger than the UPC!

Agreed!

Which is why I said "Apostolic.":tiphat

Why would it not be?

If one is an "Apostolic" and he marries an "unbeliever" why would he/she do that?

In this thread are Baptists and AOG considered "unbelievers"?

Acts 2:38 message believers=Apostolics.

It would certainly be better for one to marry within his/her own denomination.

UPC and believers
 

LOL - Come on man - say what you mean! Stop beating around the bush!

That isn't the point.

When Paul taught about unbelievers there wasn't many denominations.

How about making it plain.

A believer in God marries one who is an atheist!

Is it a sin?

How much plainer can you get?

I don't believe denominations save you.
Believing and obeying right doctrine does.

Yes a sin, and speaks of cavalier Christianity - the real sin. How can something sacred be reverenced by an atheist?

IMHO - Stephen

I agree.

That was the question-not about denominations.

What "SAVES" You?
 

WRONG!
Walking in obedience to the WORD OF GOD is what saves you. This shows just how twisted some people are. "Right doctrine" and WHO determines what that "right doctrine is"????
You can pick out a scripture and say If you do not obey this doctrine - you are lost! Well- you have to RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF GOD. If you obey Acts 2:38 and don't obey Matthew 22:39 or Galatians 6:1 then are you "saved"????
I might help some to read Ephesians 2:8 to see that is is NOT what YOU do that saves you - but what HE has already done that saves us.

The Charismatic pastor in my town accused me of believing in "Baptismal Regeneration" and said in a public ministers meeting - "This pastor believes that water baptism and speaking in tongues saves you - I replied - that is NOT TRUE and I have NEVER preached such in my life. I do believe in Water Baptism and in the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues but I know a LOT of people that have been baptized and speak in tongues - but THEY ARE NOT SAVED!

AB.... You carrying a "chip" tonight???

Night!
 

No - just been up WAY too long! LOL
Night guys - I think I might be a little MOODY tongiht! LOL :toofunny

Get some sleep.... Bro....

Eat some Pancakes in the morning......smothered in butter & syrup then come back around.... :happydance

You'll be a much sweeter...kinder....Atlanta Bishop!!!!:friend

I don't believe Paul was speaking about your run-of-the-mill unbeliever, but idolators instead. Read the remaining verses.

I don't know bout that. Most unbelievers I know are "idolators" what with thier cars, jobs, money, houses, sports, etc, being their modern day idols.

So your point is??

Don't we all own those things?

If most people you know 'worship' those things, which is what idolatry is, then you hang with stranger people than I do......LOL!

Most people I know in the world are idolators-even some in the Church.
Idolatry is simply putting to much empasis on things than out to be put on them.

According to who's definition?

That's certainly not how Paul defines 'idolatry'.

I believe that its unbiblical.

No, I do not feel it is a sin.

There are many ways to be unequally yoked, and yes, spirituality differences are one part.

I have known of very compatible and successful marriages of those who have married outside our religious belief system, and known others who married in the same belief system that have had terrible, conflictual, and unsuccessful marriages.

The Bible, in Corinthians talks of those who are married to unbelievers and if the unbeliever is pleased to dwell with them they should stay married and they may win their spouses to the Lord.

I have a dear friend, Esther [Gill] Hipes, who married outside our religious/Apostolic faith but he definitely believes in God and has been supportive of all her involvement in the church and her ministry opening a reading school for those who needed special tutoring. Many Apostolic men would not have been so supportive of a women and her ministry.

I have, and others like myself, have married in the church to find that all we had in common was the church...and have not been successful in marriage. I wish, of course hindsight is 20/20 that I had married one of the nerds that I knew at JCM who were more into intellectualism, the arts, ect...I would have been more happy.

So, I think the scripture is not clear/black & White/specific on the issue of unequally yoked...but I do agree with Paul in stating that one is more free to tend to the things of God when unencumbered with a spouse, but those who have no physical self control need to marry so as not to sin in the flesh.:tiphat

Blessings, Rhoni

where do you come up with this kind of insanity.

skvadderhoved.

okay, I've looked over just a few of the posts.............Are we talking about people being unequally yoked with unbelievers or people being unequally yoked with believers of a different organization????:crazy

If you marry an unbeliever, you are asking for a lot of grief...... In your marriage and in raising your family. I don't care how supportive your spouse it, when you believe truth, and you know that those who don't live truth are lost, then you are asking for a lot of grief when you marry that someone. come time to bring children into this world, how are you going to instill that there is just one God if your spouse doesn't believe it??? Okay, so maybe they believe in one God... How are you going to teach them faithfullness to God in going to church and living a holy separated life if your spouse doesn't do it with ya? I know, it's been done before.....But I will say it most definitely was not easy... It is different when people are in the world and then on comes to know Christ.....

Now if this thread is about a UPC person marrying another non upcer like an, independent or AMF person, all I have to say is.............................???>???? what kind of foolishness is that????? I hope that isn't what I read because that makes absolutely no sense at all....

If a believer marries someone who has not been born again they have sinned and made their own hardships. PLUS the devil has become their father-in-law.:tiphat