16 Question 3

Let’s read Deuteronomy 7:1-4 – “When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.”

Some have supposed that this scripture teaches that we should not marry outside our race, but this division between the Israelites and the others had to do with religious separation, not racial separation.  We saw from the portion we just read that the danger here was that “they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods” as we read in verse 4.

There is nothing in scripture that would forbid two people marrying just because they are of different races.  But, even as the Israelites were told not to marry outside their race as God’s people, Christians are also told not to marry outside our race as God’s people.  2 Corinthians 6:14-15 says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?”  A believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should not marry someone of a different faith or of no faith at all.  This would create an unequal yoke.

Scripture instructs the believers that we are not to have prejudice for or against others, no matter what the physical differences may be.  James 2:1-10 says, “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;  And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:  Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?  But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

Reading from the NIV, we learn this in Acts 10:34-35, “Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”  The Lord does not show favoritism, and we as His people show not show favoritism for or against others either.  However, before we commit to marriage with anyone, we need to be sure this is the mate that the Lord wants us to marry.  Be in much prayer and get good Christian counseling before you are joined in marriage.  (16.3)