Expert: Cooper P. Abrams III - 11/15/2007

Question
I am a Baptist and have been dating someone that is Catholic. I was raised to not fornicate or cohabitate before marriage and he believes that this is okay and always says that God understands and forgives us. He tells me that I am confused and believes that it is okay to have sex and live together before marriage. We go to separate churches and he says that he cannot leave his Catholicism. If we were to get married, he stated the counseling and marriage must take place in the Catholic church. I have tried to understand his way of thinking, but see that our differences of religion will pull us apart. If two people are married and attend different churches, where is the unity in that covenant and how can I be wrong for wanting to remain holy until marriage?

Answer
Hi Tracie,
  Thank you for your question.  I will try to tell you what the Bible says about your situation.  
  First, God tells us "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14)
  Roman Catholics practice a false religion of a works for salvation.  They pray to Mary, believe she is the mother of God, pray the rosary, believe that taking the Eucharist is actually eating the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ.  They confess their sins to a priest and believe that in the name of the Catholic church he gains them forgiveness.  The sprinkle (not biblical baptism) infants and believe this makes them a member of the RCC church which assures them of heaven.  The believe they will have to suffer for their unconfessed sins in a fictional place they call Purgatory.   This is but a few of the RCC biblical errors. If a Catholic believes what their church teaches and practices, they are not saved according to the New Testament, because what the believe in contrary to the clear teaching of the New Testament.  They are doing rituals and ceremonies (sacraments) which they believe will merit them heaven.  
   Baptists are Christian people who believe and follow the teachings of the Bible.  God says "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)  Baptist believe God and by faith put their faith in Jesus Christ...not in doing works, rituals, sacraments or joining a church.  Baptist love the Lord and His word and serve Him because they are grateful of His grace and mercy.  
    So when God tells a true Christian not to be unequally yoked with an unbeliever...that means Christians are to marry other Christians...not unsaved persons who do not believe or follow God's word.
    Your Catholic boy friend shows his spiritual condition by trying to get you to go against you godly convictions.   Do you think he interested in serving the Lord?  Which do you think are more important... satisfying his desires or living a godly life that honors
Christ Jesus.   Does he really respect you and if he really loved you (basis of a true marriage) he wouldn't he respect you and your desires?
    His way of thinking is actually easy to understand.  Do you think that his behavior is selfish and thinks that committing sin is okay.  God says that sex outside of marriage is fornication and God strongly and repeatedly condemns this sexual sin.   If your boy friend loves you would he want to tempt you to commit sin?     
    My answer is straight forward and presents what the
Bible teaches.   This is not my or Baptist opinion, but rather God's very word.
    My I suggest that you go and talk to your pastor and get sound biblical counseling.  Many Christians who marry outside of their faith find it is often causes continual conflict.   It the marriage produces children...will they be brought up as Catholics and be raised in a false religion.
    I hope this helps you understand what the Bible teaches so you can make your decisions based on your beliefs.
If you have further questions or comments please write.
Cooper Abrams
http://bible-truth.org
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:1-2)