Thursday, May 03, 2007

What Would A Christian Court Do?

A Muslim marries a non-Muslim. The non-Muslim must convert. Or else, the marriage is considered null and void.

The Muslim is called an apostate for marrying a non-Muslim. She is put into a rehabilitation center to straighten out her beliefs.

Therefore, the Muslim wants to convert out of Islam. She contends that she did not choose to convert into Islam in the first place. She was merely called a Muslim just because she was born into a Muslim family. She did not consciously choose to convert into Islam, but she cannot consciously choose to convert out of it.

We see the Civil Law and the Syariah Law running concurrently in our country, with the Syariah Court taking precedence over the Civil Court.

See video clip here.

Question of the day: Do religious governments work, or is a secular government for the better good?

Let's examine the similar case according to the Bible. What will the outcome be if we had a Christian Court?

Can a Christian marry a non-Christian?

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?... Therefore, "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord" (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)

The answer is no. It is a clear case of disobedience against the Lord. It is a sin.

So, if a Christian chooses to marry a non-Christian, what is the church to do?

The church will not give its blessing. The church will not perform a wedding, or unite the couple before God under holy matrimony.

Can such a couple ever get to marry at all?

If that couple chooses to marry, they cannot have a Christian wedding. They must do it outside the church, i.e. register with the Civil Court.

Will the church recognize the couple as husband and wife?

Now to the married I command... A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife (1 Corinthians 7:10-11).

Yes. Even though the church does not give the couple its blessings, the church still recognizes their marriage. The church upholds the sanctity of that marriage, with the hope that it works out for the better in due time.

A non-Christian man marries a non-Christian woman. After the marriage, what if one of them decides to become a Christian?

If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him (1 Corinthians 7:12-13).

The Christian spouse is not to ask for a divorce. If the non-Christian does not mind living with a Christian spouse, the sanctity of marriage takes precedence over the freedom of religion.

What if the non-Christian cannot live with his/her spouse that has just become a Christian?

But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases (1 Corinthians 7:15a)

Under the worst case-scenario, the non-Christian can divorce the Christian spouse.

What happens after that? Who gets custody of the children? Who gets the property? Will the divorced spouse be compensated financially?

If the children are above the age of consent, they should be allowed to choose which parent they want to live with. If they are under the age of consent, custody of the children will go to whomever is better able to provide for the children and raise them. Custody of the children does not automatically go to the Christian parent just because he/she is the Christian partner in that marriage. Just as the children's religion is not pre-decided for them.

As for the rest of the arrangements, I believe that it will be done fairly. For "God has called us to peace" (1 Corinthians 7:15b).

The wonderful thing about Christianity is that its laws can withstand the test of time. It may have been written more than a millennium ago. But its laws are still applicable in today's context. And that, I should say, is a very strong test that swings in God's favour. His laws withstand the test of time. In His wisdom, He has given us laws that are not static, but dynamic. He shows us how to live, so we can find our way back to Him.

For these reasons, I dare to believe that a Christian government works.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Joshua, I nominated you for the Thinking Blogger Award...

http://scottthong.wordpress.com/2007/05/06/thinking-blogger-award/

Anonymous said...

bravo my friend,

i hope many young ppl reading this will b blessed.
wat a foresight am touched n believe many young christians in uni will be blessed.

selvin

Marina D' Souza said...

I am really sorry but i think this information is not correct. The Church allows marriage between a christian and non christian under the condition that the children have to be baptised and the christian spouse must do everything possible to bring up the children in christian faith.

I am a Catholic and after research on the topic this was the conclusion i came to. Please let me know if i am wrong.

Hasten said...

By saying "the church", I'm referring to the bible-believing church who stands on the bible's final authority.

If a particular church permits a homosexual marriage (such as a faction of the Anglican church, and also many churches elsewhere), it doesn't mean that homosexual marriages are acceptable.

In the same way, just because a particular church permits an unequally-yoked marriage, it does not mean that it is the right thing to do.

The most important question is, what does the bible say about it?

Three questions:

1. How is it permissible, according to the bible, for a Christian to marry a non-Christian?

2. Where can those conditions (baptism of the child and compulsory Christian upbringing of the child) be found in the bible?

3. Hypothetically, if a marriage between a Christian and a non-Christian can only be permitted under those conditions, how far is that from Islam?

Marina D' Souza said...

Well i respect your views and your interpretation of the Holy Bible.

Unfortunately for me, i am not so sure i consider myself capable enough to interpret it for i am a layperson with limited understanding. If i were to take every verse in the Bible for its literal meaning, i would believe that the earth is flat or that it was created in six days. I therefore, turn to the Catholic Church for enlightenment on most matters.

Anyway the work your doing here is really good. :) God bless you.

Hasten said...

Marina: More questions for you.

1. Where does it say in the Bible that the earth is flat?

2. Even if the earth was created in 6 days, what is the problem?

And one suggestion:

Why not try to ask the Catholic Church the same 3 questions that I asked you in my previous comment? Let me know the response. Will be glad to listen.

I am only a layperson myself. The Holy Spirit illumines us to understand Scriptures for ourselves. Try it, you'll see.

Anonymous said...

what if the husband and wife arent christians and marry, then the husband becomes a "christian" and divorces his wife and takes her children and then she becomes a christian four years later but he has already remarried anther woman and the man will not allow the true mother to be with her kids?

This whole thing is too complicated for scripture at times. I know in my heart the above situation is wrong though.

Hasten said...

Firstly, if the husband becomes a Christian after marriage, he is not to divorce his unbelieving wife (1 Corinthians 7:12-13). So, the divorce is not supposed to happen.

Secondly, even if the Christian man divorces his unbelieving wife, he is not supposed to marry another woman. That will be adultery (Matthew 19:9). That too, is not supposed to happen.

The complication about the man not allowing the true mother to be with her kids is a problem that compounded itself as a result of violating the first two commandments.