When I was young, preachers constantly exhorted young people to never marry a non-Christian. They drummed 2 Corinthians 6:14 into us: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” It was a good message, and I could not have ever thought of marrying someone who didn’t love God with all his heart.
However, I don’t think that message is explicit enough for today. There are many young Christian men in the church who confess they are born again but who live worldly lives. How much do they even know of God’s Word? There are many who have never been taught God’s plan for family life. They are not ready to take the responsibility of providing for a wife (without the wife working) and would run away at the thought of having a baby as soon as they are married!
I talk to so many wives who are desperate to have another baby, but their husband does not want any more. This is a difficult burden to bear as God has put within women an innate desire to bring forth life. The Bible is true when it says that there are four things that never say “it is enough” and that are “never satisfied.” One is “the barren womb” (Proverbs 39:14, 15).
Therefore, it is vital that a young person checks out these important issues of life before embarking on a relationship.
Amos 3:3 states: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” To have unity and oneness in marriage, we need to be agreed, especially on the most important and vital things of life. We won’t always agree on little things. There are things my husband and I don’t agree on but they are not the important issues. And we don’t mind not agreeing. It’s quite fun to discuss our differences. We always say, “We don’t have to agree with one another; we just have to love one another.”
But back to our subject, conversely this also happens with young men. I know many young men who long for a godly wife, a young woman who is ready to be a mother and homemaker and have the children God planned for them. But they can’t find these women. They find a lovely Christian girl in the church only to find that she wants to finish her college before getting married and then pursue her career rather than having children.
These things need to be sorted out before marriage.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
You will want to read: WHAT QUALITIES SHOULD A GIRL LOOK FOR IN A HUSBAND?
Painting by Henri Jean Guillaume Martin [1860-1943], French painter.