@trappedcat3165 Exposed

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? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

(2Co 6:14-18)

I was in a conversation with a YouTube user named trappedcat3165, who made a comment on Mike Winger's video titled "Are Divorced People Free To Marry Another Biblically?".

Now, the thread started with user sarahm.7081 who said:

Everybody focuses on unbiblical grounds for divorce, but what about the unbiblical grounds for marrying in the first place?
 

Sarah is correct.  As Christians, you must never marry an unbeliever, period.  The above scripture makes it clear.  Anyway, here was trappedcat3165's reply:

Marrying a non believer is not a sin. Joseph married an Egyptian. Hosea was instructed to marry a harlot. Also, every marriage that is not adultery or fornication is joined and orchastrated by God which is the reason they are not to separate. Their status as believers does not mean God is not involved in joining them. That said, marrying a non believer is not going to be easy. It's not a sin.

The first sentence, at least, is a lie.  I responded with the following:

It is true that God causes all marriages, including mixed marriages, for God causes everything (Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 2:10, etc.) And even marrying a believer is not easy (I Corinthians 7:28). Yet, 2 Corinthians 6:14 (about not being unequally yoked together with unbelievers) is also true, and must be obeyed. So why wouldn't entering into a mixed marriage be a sin?

trappedcat3165's response:

I'm not speaking about God's providence over all things or His permitting or preventing of whatsoever comes to pass. The joining that I am referring to is the reason married persons are directed to not separate. God actively joins all morally valid marriages, including those of unbelievers. He does not actively join adulterous marriages. The passage on being unequally yoked is not about marriage. It is about being yoked spiritually in the unbelievers idolatry. It is not about physical unions via marriage or companionships that provide opportunity to serve others. Marriage and friendships are not all spiritual joinings. Befriending or marrying an unbeliever is not a sin. Paul warned about those who forbid marriage. Interpreting "yoked" to mean marriage is absurd. That bad interpretation of necessity would teach that God desires believers to separate from the unbelieving spouse, which is never commended. There are no commands hindering marriage except for those marriages that are sexually immoral from the start, such as incest, bigomy, beastiality, same sex, and adultery.

The issue wasn't whether or not God joined illegitimate marriages, that's for another day to discuss.  The issue was getting married to an unbeliever IN THE FIRST PLACE.  trappedcat3165 suggest that 2 Corinthians 6:14 was not about marriage.  Yet, everything involved in marriage, the legal status, the vows, heck, even SEX (Genesis 2:24), SCREAMS being yoked together!  It SCREAMS a union!  So I responded with the following:


Is not marriage the very definition of being yoked together, whether equally or not? So marriage is a legitimate application of that verse. Yes, I Timothy 4:3 is true, but Paul was speaking of marriage in general, not specific marriages.


For reference, I Timothy 4:1-3 says:

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

trappedcat3165's response: