[George]

Originally Posted by Jassy

I have a question regarding 2 different races marrying.

I know a married couple where one is black and one is white - and they love each other and, most of all, they love God. The Lord is FIRST in their marriage.

Another Christian friend of mine says that is totally UNbiblical - that God DIVIDED the races and never wanted intermarriage.

In these days of the internet, with people meeting online, it's much more likely that this may happen. Is it wrong?

Can anyone address this topic and tell me what the truth is?

Jassy

Aloha sister Jassy,

Most of the "ideas" of not marrying people of another "color", "race", or "culture" come from either mixing up God's requirements for the Israelites - not to marry the Pagan idol-worshiping women of the land of Canaan {requirements meant for the Nation of Israel, i.e. Jews/Hebrews - NOT Christians, who are all brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of their race, culture, or color of their skin.}, or some "Christian" pastors and teachers teaching discrimination against certain people because of their own (pastors/teachers) "cultural" upbringing.

This is just one more issue meant to DIVIDE Christian brethren from each other. Please check out this Thread on "Interracial marriage" on the A.V. 1611 Bible Forums in addition to the "Thread" that Brandon listed:

http://av1611.com/forums/showthread....1530#post11530

There was an acrimonious exchange on this Thread between myself and a young woman (who was a new believer) who had accepted the teachings of brother Peter Ruckman on this issue and who then took those teachings to the extreme (as many of brother Ruckman's followers sometimes do).

Lets examine the issue:

Although Jacob married his "kin" - his choice for a wife (RACHEL) was an idol-worshipper ("purity" of color, race, & culture didn't seem to matter) and please NOTICE: God chose the Priest's (Levi) and the King's (Judah) from the offspring of Jacob & LEAH (Jacob's SECOND WIFE - and NOT the wife of his choosing!).

That's the Bible record, do you think that we Christian men should have "two wives" at once (just in case things don't work out with the first? ). Do you see how someone can twist and wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction?

Joseph married Asenath outside of his "race" & "culture" (with no condemnation from God).

Moses married Zipporah outside of his "race" & "culture" (with no condemnation from God).

Salmon (Boaz's father) married Rachab (an harlot!) outside of his "race" & "culture" (with no condemnation from God).

Boaz married Ruth outside of his "race" & "culture" - (a Moabitess, who had a Book in the Bible named after her - One of only two Books in the Bible named after a woman - imagine that!).

David married Bathsheba (within his "race" & "culture") - for whom he committed adultery and murder (and yet God still gave the kingdom to Solomon - their offspring).

The Prophet Hosea was commanded by the Lord to marry an adulteress (an harlot) - would that mean that Christian men should do the same? You see the trouble people get in when they don't "discern" between the "Jew", the "Gentile", and the "church"?

THE CHURCH OF GOD:

Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Do you think that God cares that much about the color of a person's skin, or their "race" (whatever that is), or their "culture", as much as He cares about their heart, and their soul? I trow not!

This "teaching" about "races" and "cultures" is NOT sound Biblical doctrine for this age that we live in. It was sound doctrine for the Jews/Hebrews/Israelites when they came into the land of Canaan after they conquered it.

Please read my Posts in the Thread I gave you the link to.

"Mixed" - cultural and "race" marriages are not EASY, there are a lot of "problems" and "pitfalls", some that are common to all marriages, and some that are specific to a "mixed" marriage. But all of those problems and pitfalls stem from cultural and racial prejudices and biases - NOT from God's "disapproval" of of the joining together of two "different" people from two "different" cultural and "racial" backgrounds.

I speak on this subject with some authority, since I have been married to a Filipina woman (of another "race"; another "color"; and another culture, and in addition who was 17 years of age when we married, and was a Catholic to boot!) for over 48 years now, and God has blessed our union with seven children; 17 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

If it's "TRUE LOVE" based in God's word it will "work out" [Romans 8:28]. If it's not - all of the "SAFEGUARD'S" (the correct "color", "race", and "culture") in the world won't matter!