Of Marriage & Family

Lawful and Faithful Marriage

Confessional Text

It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able to give their considered consent¹⁰²; yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only other Christians¹⁰³ who are not their relatives¹⁰⁴. Therefore, those who profess true faith in Christ, should not marry unbelievers, those who profess a different faith, or those who have false faith - even if that faith falsely claims to be "christian", if it does not conform to sound, biblical, evangelical doctrine. Believers should not be unequally yoked¹⁰⁵ by marrying those who are not protestant/ evangelicals, have a wicked lifestyle, or maintain damnable heresy which leads people away from Christ¹⁰⁶.

Scriptural References

[102]

1 Timothy 4:3

Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created

[103]

1 Corinthians 7:39

A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord

[104]

Leviticus 18:6-18

None of you shall approach anyone who is near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness

[105]

2 Corinthians 6:14

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers

[106]

Nehemiah 13:25-27

So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God

All scripture quotations are from the ESV (English Standard Version).

Historical & Theological Background

Throughout church history, Christians have recognized that believers should marry "in the Lord"—that is, marry fellow believers. The Reformers strongly opposed forced celibacy while affirming that marriage between believers strengthens both partners spiritually. Marrying unbelievers creates spiritual conflict and often leads to compromise. Scripture also prohibits marriage to close relatives (Leviticus 18) and warns against marriages that lead to spiritual unfaithfulness (Nehemiah 13, 1 Kings 11).

African Contextual Commentary

In Africa, Christians often face family pressure to marry within their tribe or to non-Christian relatives for economic or political reasons. This statement affirms that believers must prioritize spiritual compatibility over tribal, economic, or family considerations. Marrying an unbeliever—whether Muslim, traditionalist, or nominal Christian—violates God's command and creates ongoing spiritual conflict. African Christians must have courage to marry fellow believers even when families object. Additionally, this guards against marrying those in prosperity cults or syncretistic movements that claim to be Christian but deny essential doctrines. True spiritual unity requires shared commitment to biblical faith.