We have seen how God makes a distinction between the one who believes, and he who does not believe. Let’s give thanks to God for His grace of saving faith, because there's a dividing line between salvation and condemnation.
I want to apply now this principle of belief versus unbelief in a simple, practical area of daily life - that is marriage. In Second Corinthians, chapter 6, verses 14 through 16, Paul says to Christians:
“Be not 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? [That's a name for Satan.] Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?” (NKJ)
So you see, Paul is carrying on with the same basic classification or categorization - a believer or an unbeliever. And he says in choosing your mate, this is the basic issue. It's not primarily his race or his income level or whatever it may be, but it is - is he a believer or an unbeliever.
Let's suppose a young lady is being courted by a young man and she tries to weigh up the desirability of accepting him as her husband. So she says he's nice looking, he's got a good job, he's got a good income, he's got a nice car, he knows how to take me out and entertain me, but I'm a Christian. Is that enough? The Bible says no. The basic issue is - is he a believer or unbeliever? All the rest is secondary. Now if that young lady goes by natural categories, she may marry that man and it may prove a disaster. But if she thinks in terms of God's categories, she'd probably refrain from marrying him and save herself many heartaches later in life. We have to understand that faith centers primarily in the will, not in the intellect or emotions. It is a decision and so we can decide to think in God's categories - faith or unbelief.
Lord, thank You for your practical guidelines for our lives. Would You also help me to bring my thinking in line with Your thinking, for myself, or to pass this principle on to others, in love and mercy, who need it - and specifically the young generation. Amen.
