MARRIAGE BETWEEN BELIEVERS vs. UNBELIEVERS

 

God has made it clear that it is NOT to the "wicked" or "unbeliever" that He makes a covenant, but with HIS PEOPLE!!! According to Psalm 50:16, we can see that God is even outraged when the wicked recite His laws or try to claim a covenant with Him! An unbeliever (wicked) must FIRST come THROUGH THE BLOOD to have any promises, protection, or covenant with the Father!

 

 ^“But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?”  Psalm 50:16

 

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. '" John 14:6

 

 "For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee." Psalm 5:4

 

 “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence His soul hateth." Psalm 11:5

 

 "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind.”  I Corinthians 6:9

 

 "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36

 

There are some "teachings" in the body of Christ, today, that minimize the redemptive work of Jesus' BLOOD, by refusing to realize that the sins committed BEFORE SALVATION are washed away, and we become NEW CREATURES! Some want to hold the "enemies of God" (unbelievers) to the same standard that God has for His church, by holding them to “COVENANTS" made BEFORE KNOWING GOD!!! Look what God's Word says...

 

"But unto the wicked, God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take My covenant in thy mouth?'" Psalm 50:16

"For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." Hebrews 8:7-13

  

Thank God for the BLOOD of Jesus! As we know, the Old Testament points forward to the BLOOD and the Cross, and the New Testament points backward to the BLOOD and the Cross!  IT'S ALL THROUGH THE BLOOD!

 

"For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Matthew 26:28

 

"In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace;  Ephesians 1:7

 

We must remember that the Word of God, both, the Old and New Testaments, were NOT written to the UNBELIEVERS but to BELIEVERS, God’s people. 

 

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”  Ephesians 2:13 

 

"For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”  Colossians 1:19&20

 

"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Ephesians 2:12 & 13

 

Thank You, Jesus that You make us NEW CREATURES through faith in Your shed BLOOD! EVERYTHING MUST PASS THROUGH THE BLOOD TO GET TO THE FATHER!

 

"Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

  

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a NEW CREATURE." Galatians 6:15

 

 "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”  Romans 5:9

 

 "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled. In the body of   His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight:" Colossians 1:21&22

 

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. '" John 14:6

 

There are those who believe that if someone was "divorced" BEFORE coming to Jesus - the sin of that divorce carries over into their "new life" in the Lord - even after they have been washed in the BLOOD and made a new creature! This philosophy is erroneous and holds a BLOOD-washed-child-of-God in bondage to a sin committed BEFORE salvation, which makes a complete mockery out of Jesus' death and resurrection of new life!

 

God does not hold the wicked to a "Holy Covenant"... But He does... HIS CHILDREN!

 

To NOT acknowledge that God makes a PURE DISTINCTION between a believers vs. unbelievers - the righteous vs. the wicked, is to NULLIFY God's work at the cross!

 

 "Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.”  Malachi 3:18

THE ONLY COVENANT THAT GOD ACKNOWLEDGES IS THROUGH THE BLOOD!!!

Even precious ones standing for marriages can get “off track” because of wanting restoration so badly. It must be God’s Will and God’s Way.

 

What if one spouse becomes a believer and the other is still an unbeliever?

 

The BLOOD is so powerful, that the Word even tells us that the BLOOD that covers the BELIEVING spouse SANCTIFIES HOLY the UNBELIEVING spouse and even their children!!!

 

 "For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy."  I Corinthians 7:14

             

Now people take this as though it gives the same covering, promises and commands as when both spouses are believers, and it does not. But there is still hope for the believing spouse but they must apply God’s Word accordingly…making sure that their walk with Jesus is always at the forefront and not the act of standing for a marriage, as is the same case in a believer standing for a backslidden spouse. SALVATION always comes first! 1 Corinthians Chapter 7 gives a play by play, line upon line guide as to the Will of God, in both kinds of these situations. But the church adjusts it to mean what they want it to say or else totally ignore it.

Teachings on Marriage 1 Corinthians Chapter 7 (Verses 1-16)

Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.  Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:  But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

Believers are not to depart (divorce) for God HATES divorce (Malachi 2:16) but if one does (being disobedient) they must remain unmarried! There is NO “remarriage” since they were both believers, having passed through the blood covenant! It doesn’t matter if they “find” another “believer” they cannot go through a “marriage ceremony” with anyone else or it is nothing but “sanctified adultery”, ongoing adultery! God will not be mocked! (Galatians 6:7) He sees and He knows! Ignorance or playing ignorant will not stand on Judgment Day! But you say THIS IS TOO HARD OF A WORD! Yes, that is why it is better not to marry than to marry and ever think you can divorce! (Matthew 19:1-12; The Pharisees asked Jesus why Moses allowed a certificate of divorce. Jesus replied to them that it was not suppose to be that way because that is NOT how God ordained it from the beginning. Then He told them that it was because of their HARD HEARTS! Jesus told them that God had made them ONE FLESH and that what God joined together, man SHOULD NOT separate! The disciples were listening to all of this and were so shocked by how "hard of a word" it seemed that they actually said to Jesus: "IF THIS IS THE SITUATION BETWEEN A HUSBAND AND WIFE, IT IS BETTER NOT TO MARRY!" After they had realized how SERIOUS, LIFE-LONG, and FINAL marriage was in GOD'S EYES, the disciples even thought, WOW, This is too hard!) Believers are to work out their “problems” (reconciliation) realizing that any thought of “divorce” is only a show of a HEART problem they have with God!

But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

Even if a Christian is married to a non-Christian, the Christian cannot be the one to leave the marriage. They are to be Jesus’s outstretched arms to their unbelieving spouse, for SALVATION has always got to trump, for it is eternal. But if the unbeliever wants out of the marriage, then God does not hold the Christian spouse bound in this case. This is why God’s Word asks, how do you know that you will get your spouse saved or not? This is where many Christian’s feel that they can apply the same Word of God’s promises to their unbelieving spouse as those marriages between both believers, and THEY CANNOT!

So, is there no hope then for that Christian spouse when the unbelieving spouse leaves? There is always hope in Jesus Christ, but His will comes first and seeking that is utmost!

Live According to Your Calling (1 Corinthians Chapter 7 - Verses 17-24)

But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. Is any man called being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

God can restore that marriage but salvation is always the most important thing. We were bought with the High Price of Jesus’s Blood and we are to be God’s servants above all! God knows if the Christian spouse stays with the unbeliever if their own salvation is at stake. He wants the Christian spouse to seek His will and truly become His servant and answer the call in which God has given them. If it be His will to bring back the unbeliever, it will be for their salvation NOT for a marriage! For SALVATION must come first! We are called to be God’s servants no matter what He asks of us! That Christian spouse must realize that God knows better than they if that unbelieving spouse is holding them back from the call that God has for them! This is why the Christian is not to leave but if the non-Christian leaves the Christian is then to place God back first, as He would not have been in an unbelieving (divided) household.

Instructions to Unmarried and Widowed (1 Corinthians Chapter 7 Verses 25-40)

Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be. Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you. But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

See, we think with emotions and opposite of God. We need to see things and understand things as God does! (Isaiah 55:8) He sees everything eternally! That has got to be our heartbeat, for time is ticking down and God sees it and wants our hearts to beat for the eternal NOT temporal. Even marriage is temporal, not eternal. So our heartbeat has got to always be for the salvation of our Christian spouse or for the call on our life to win the lost for Jesus Christ if our unbelieving spouse has chosen to leave the marriage!

But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry. Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

THIS SHOULD BE A SOBERING MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH TODAY! WE NEED TO PREACH IT, AND TEACH IT, TO OUR CHILDREN AND TO THEIR CHILDREN... THAT IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO STAY IN YOUR MARRIAGE UNTIL DEATH, THEN STAY SINGLE AND SERVE THE LORD!

The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.

When a Christian spouse dies in a Christian marriage, then that living spouse is free to marry another but they must be a Christian and it must be God’s will. They are to first and always be seeking God first and His Kingdom and not their temporal/emotional wants. (Matthew 6:33)

The Word of God is VERY clear...line upon line...explains even to the depth of marriage between believers’ verses unbelievers BUT the church will not apply it! To them it is “too hard of a word” and the church and world are reaping the consequences of not living God’s Holy Word! Because the Fear of God has been abandoned and watered down there is no change (Psalm 55:19) so we see marriages destroyed then families destroyed then churches destroyed and nations destroyed!

We must repent and return to DOING what God’s Word says!

Marriage is a Holy Covenant between a man, a woman and God! But not even marriage comes before salvation and doing God’s will on this earth. When we seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and His RIGHTEOUSNESS then all these things shall be added unto us. (Matthew 6:33)

BOTTOM LINE: Divorce is a heart issue! Jesus said IT WAS BECAUSE OF HARDNESS OF HEART that Moses even gave a divorce decree, and that it wasn’t to be that way. So, if we are not to have hard hearts, which leads to damnation, we would never have a divorce issue! As Jesus said in Matthew 19, it’s a hard word! Why would He say that out of everything in the Word of God? It’s because marriage is that final! People try to use the word “fornication” in one verse wanting it to mean adultery or even looking at pornography. Not if you are seeking Truth and taking the entire Bible as a whole will you swallow that! We have heard it said the “adultery” is the exception clause! Is that really what Jesus was saying to the disciples? Why is fornication first used by Jesus in Matthew 19:9, then the word adultery used at the end of that same verse? When “putting away” means divorced, why in this same verse does a man who “marries” a woman that was “put away” (divorced) then commit adultery, when she would not have been the one divorcing because of it, her husband would have.

The sad truth is that unbelievers can stay married and never divorce, and yet this means nothing, because without Jesus as their Lord and Savior they die and go to eternal damnation, hell! Likewise, an unbeliever could get married and divorced ten times and this means nothing, because they are already condemned without Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. How many times they get married will not have an impact on them going to hell or keeping them out of it! ONLY repenting of all their sins and making Jesus their Lord and Savior will keep them out of eternal hellfire! This, again, is why SALVATION must be our heartbeat!

CLOSING: If you are single, seek God and keep seeking God and serving Him. If it be His will for you to marry, He knows the day, hour and person. Just keep serving Him until He brings the time.

If you are both Christians, you are to be together until death. If one leaves then the other stands in the power of God to draw the other back to God for (1) their salvation (2) your healed marriage.

If you are a Christian and are married to an unbeliever, you stay in the marriage, praying for their salvation. If they choose to leave the marriage you are not bound to stand for them, UNLESS God calls you to do this. This is why, in all things, we are to be seeking His will and serving Him, not our own fleshly wants or desires.