Unscriptural Marriages
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The believing one reasons that in his new relation he must concede
somewhat to the companion of his choice. Social, worldly amusements
are patronized. At first there is great reluctance of feeling in doing
this, but the interest in the truth becomes less and less, and faith is
exchanged for doubt and unbelief. No one would have suspected that
the once firm, conscientious believer and devoted follower of Christ
could ever become the doubting, vacillating person that he now is. Oh,
the change wrought by that unwise marriage!
What ought every Christian to do when brought into the trying
position which tests the soundness of religious principle? With a firm-
ness worthy of imitation he should say frankly: “I am a conscientious
Christian. I believe the seventh day of the week to be the Sabbath of
the Bible. Our faith and principles are such that they lead in opposite
directions. We cannot be happy together, for if I follow on to gain a
more perfect knowledge of the will of God, I shall become more and
more unlike the world, and assimilated to the likeness of Christ. If
you continue to see no loveliness in Christ, no attractions in the truth,
you will love the world, which I cannot love, while I shall love the
things of God, which you cannot love. Spiritual things are spiritually
discerned. Without spiritual discernment you will be unable to see
the claims of God upon me, or to realize my obligations to the Master
whom I serve; therefore you will feel that I neglect you for religious
duties. You will not be happy; you will be jealous on account of the
affections which I give to God; and I shall be alone in my religious
belief. When your views shall change, when your heart shall respond
to the claims of God, and you shall learn to love my Saviour, then our
relationship may be renewed.”
The believer thus makes a sacrifice for Christ which his conscience
approves, and which shows that he values eternal life too highly to
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run the risk of losing it. He feels that it would be better to remain
unmarried than to link his interest for life with one who chooses the
world rather than Jesus and who would lead away from the cross of
Christ. But the danger of giving the affections to unbelievers is not
realized. In the youthful mind, marriage is clothed with romance, and
it is difficult to divest it of this feature, with which imagination covers
it, and to impress the mind with a sense of the weighty responsibilities
involved in the marriage vow. This vow links the destinies of the two