Expert: Scott Talbot - 6/30/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hi Scott,
As Christians we hold that the Word of God is our guiding light for life and daily principles. I am just wondering, well...I am seeking the Lord for marriage (as I know that this ought to be done). It has been in my heart for a long time to want to marry a man who is from a different ethnic background than I am. Usually when the Lord puts something in my heart, I feel it very strong. But yet I just want to make sure that I am not wrong feeling this way, out of selfish ambition, you know, and that every decision that I make pertaining to marriage is backed up by the Word of God. My ethnic background is African-American; my sister is married to a African-American man, but I do not feel to marry one. I feel that a gentleman from a different ethnic background is what will make me happy and complement me as a life-long partner (and he has to be a born-again Christian of course, value family, and be active in the church). Am I wrong to feel this way? From my knowledge of God, I do not see anything wrong with this..but if a young lady truly desires, or it is in her heart's desire to marry a gentleman who is of a different ethnic background, where in the Scriptures can she look? Can you help me as an expert; provide me with Scriptures that shows any prohibitions to what type of mate the woman is not to marry?
I know that the Lord knows what is best for me, and He surprises us sometimes with even more than we desired. Apart from not marrying an unbeliever, what does the Word of God say about interracial marriages? Can you also give me samples from the Bible, especially the Old Testament(I am not so strong with Old Testament stories).
Thank you immensely for your time and help. I am sorry for the long question.
Gabrielle

ANSWER: Hello Gabrielle,

There is absolutely nothing in the Scriptures that forbids one from marrying someone of a different ethnic background.

In the Old Testament, under the Mosaic Law, Jews were told to marry those from within the Israelite community. This guideline had nothing to do with ethnic boundaries. Rather, it was designed to maintain Israel's distinct culture and identity as God's chosen people under a Theocracy--a culture in which God chose to make Himself known to all nations of the world.

Other Scriptures, particularly in the New Testament, provide a guideline of marrying within the faith. Christians should not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. This is a principle which you clearly understand.

Nothing in the Bible forbids marrying outside of one's race or ethnicity. That is a purely secular more held by an ever-decreasing number of people.

Here's something interesting to consider. Some of us may identify ourselves as "black" or "African American." Others identify themselves as "white" or "caucasian." Still others call themselves "Asian, hispanic, Latino, Jewish, native American, Pacific Islander, Eskimo" or a host of other things. But none of us is completely any one race. Go back far enough, and most any white person can find some black, Jewish, or native American blood in their ancestry. Any black person can likely find some white, hispanic, perhaps even Asian blood. And, in today's culture, one seldom has to look back too many generations to find other races in their ancestry.

Let's go back even further. We know that the world's population came through Noah and his family--specifically Ham, Shem, and Japeth. Regardless which son we trace our roots back to, we're all descendants of Noah and his sons. Go back even further to the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were the parents of the entire human race. We all descended from the same parents! We're all one family!

Unfortunately, human nature looks for differences and uses those differences as an excuse to look down on another. It might be a different color skin, different color hair, different color eyes, different age, different sex, or a different way one chooses to eat corn on the cob. It's pride to say that "who I am" is the standard, and that anyone else--anyone different--is somehow inferior. Who's to say that my standard is the best one?

Rather than focusing on our differences, perhaps it would be better to focus on our similarities. Take, for example, a black woman (like yourself) and a white Christian man. So your skin might be a bit different in color. Did you ever notice that no two white people have exactly the same color skin? And no two black people have exactly the same color skin? So what's the big deal? And did you ever notice how white people like to sit out in the sun and darken their skin? They know that dark is a good thing!!  ;^)

So your skin color doesn't match exactly. But you both love God. You're both American (presumably, although that doesn't matter). Perhaps you both love jazz, you both want children, and you both love to watch the Hallmark Channel. What does race, skin color, or ethnicity have to do with any of that? Sounds like a pretty good match to me.

Gabrielle, God has a man for you. And what matters more than the color of his skin is the soul inside the skin. Don't let anyone tell you that it's wrong to fall in love--and even marry--a man whose skin color happens to be a different shade.

Scott

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Scott, thank you so much for your pastoral support! God extremely bless you! It's sometimes hard to take time out and talk to your pastor on Sunday, so I contemplated since yesterday on asking an expert here on this website. Then I hesitated, and then I finally made the move. You are alright in my book! Thank you so much for the beautiful, godly advice! Thanks also for the good sense of humor (the corn on the cob joke and the baking of Caucasians in the sun!)By the way the gentlemen that I want to marry is a Brazilian, and guess what? He has some African ancestry in him anyway! Tell that 2 my sister and some of our friends!Looking at Brazilians on Wikipedia, and reading the demographics, I see that they come from a vast line of indigenous populations and African roots in their lineage. Intermarriage of the whites with the African slaves! God is a beautiful Creator of our human race. Again, your responses to my questions made my day and thank you for alleviating my worries. And thanks again for being funny in your responses (the corn on the cob joke and Caucasians baking in the sun to try and change their pigmentation). God bless you. And have a good evening!
Gabrielle

ANSWER: Gabrielle,

You are very welcome. Feel free to come back to the site if there is anything else with which I might help. Have a good evening. I'm off to the tanning salon!  ;^)

Scott

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes Scott I did have another question. But please promise that you will not be mad for the overbearing concern:> And please do not be offended if I do offend YOU in any way by my concerns:>
Okay, ready? Recently I stumbled upon a very disturbing article on a website and the author is basically expounding on his thesis, using I Corinthians 13: 8-10, that tongues have ceased. Now, being a fervent believer in the Word of God and the truth of His Word, and the Scriptures, I know that the devil has definitely worked his way through the church to manipulate and mimick what was meant to be a gift of the Spirit. We see the first sign of the gift of the Spirit following those that believe, in accordance to the words of Christ (Mark 16:16)with the early apostles in Acts 2. But Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour also declares in Matthew 16 (verses 18,19) that the gates of Hell would manage to compromise HIS church, but that it would not prevail because He would be made chief of the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:19, 20, 1 Peter 2:4-7). Thus the church which we know of today, and what characterizes us as believers, is comprised of those who are indwelt by the Spirit, the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3: 26-29, Ephesians 2: 20-22). If the church of the living God is the body of believers built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ as the chief cornerstone, and our bodies are a habitation or a dwelling place of God in the Spirit, how are these 'other' spirits making its way through the church and violating our very essence/core of beliefs in the power of the Holy Spirit to STILL work in the church today? Umm, I mean, I do NOT understand --- it is quite bewildering to see how the devil has managed to make its way through the church to corrupt tongues --- but then I am reminded why else would the apostle Paul have composed, and forewarned in 2 Thessalonians 2 about a falling away (false gifts, signs, and miracles) and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit write 1 Corinthians 14? As a basis for believers to know that tongues is real and is an active gift of the Holy Spirit? Or for us to go to the previous chapter (1 Corinthians 13:8-10) and refute the true meaning of the gift of the Spirit by writing a repudiating article about tongues that it has ceased? I simply do not get it. A true Christian should know that to absolutely reject tongues and not use it in its appropriate manner as counseled through the apostle Paul by the Holy Spirit is a violation of God's Word. Period. God's Word says that tongues must be interpreted for the building and edification of the church, because it is 'mysteries' uttered in the Spirit. The Apostle Paul says (in 1 Corinthians 14:15)"What then will I do,....pray with understanding" because when speaking in a tongue his spirit prays but his mind is unfruitful (verse 14). Paul keeps emphasizing that we as believers should pray for interpretation because God's wonderful works and mysteries should not be hidden, and not be without understanding, and should be declared among the people! Then I ask myself: how else did those of the circumcision group who came with Peter as he preached to the Gentiles in Cornelius' household know what the Gentiles were saying when God poured out His Spirit upon them? They heard them speak in tongues and magnify God (Acts 10: 44-46)!!! Their 'mysteries' were followed by interpretation. That was the counsel of God in bestowing the gift of tongues to those who believed. The apostle Paul says that tongues is also a sign for unbelievers in the Christian faith. Why don't believers choose to understand this concept and sincerely ask God for help to discern whether or not they are being guided by the Holy Spirit when they find themselves speaking in tongues? Every believer is warned to test the spirits (1 John 4:1, 1 Corinthians 14:30-33). So why are we not doing this? The Corinthians apparently had a problem and had fallen prey to some spirits and were abusing the gift, which then led to the apostle Paul writing 1 Corinthians 14 and stating towards the end of the chapter that God is not a God of confusion. What is your stance on tongues that is existing in today's church Scott? Do you also like me, have strong oppositions to this new wave of Pentecostalism existing in today's church? What's going on? Do you believe that this gift is still bestowed upon believers today? And if people in the church are really under the influence of another spirit when speaking tongues, and if authors are writing articles that tongues have indeed ceased because of the prevalence of these spirits, and if we suspect that these claims to have received the gift of the Spirit are questionable, yet not insisting that all of these experiences are false in accordance to the Word of God, where does that leave today's church (from 1st century, now to the 21st century)! Where does that leave us as a whole, as believers? WHY are people still writing articles like these? What spirit is working in them to write these articles?
Again, I am terribly sorry for my babbling. I hope that your brain is not pounding right now from reading all of this. And I sure hope that I did not offend you by my statements. I am just highly concerned, and very worried. Please help me answer my concerns in good faith. Thank you for your time and help. God bless you.
Your sister in Christ, Gabrielle

Answer
Hi Gabrielle,

It's nice to hear from you again.

The issue of speaking in tongues is a difficult issue, and many good Christians differ on their understanding of the Scriptures on this matter. In fact, my understanding may differ from yours, so I apologize in advance. My aim is not to offend but rather to encourage healthy debate and drive us to the Scriptures for further study and application.

If you study the Scriptures, you will find that there were various periods throughout history during which God gave man new revelation. This revelation ushered in a time period during which God dealt with mankind in a specific way. He gave guidelines and instructions, and He required man to adhere to those instructions.

Several examples of this include 1) The Garden of Eden (before the Fall); 2) Adam & Eve and Family (after the Fall); 3) God's Covenant with Noah; 4) God's Covenant with Abraham; 5) The Mosaic Law; 6) The New Covenant introduced by Jesus Christ. There are also several future periods: 1) The Great Tribulation; 2) The Millennial Kingdom; and 3) The Eternal State.

Each time God gave revelation to mankind, He authenticated that message through various signs and wonders--whether performed directly, or through a prophet or other spokesperson. (This is why we find an unusual display of miraculous events occurring only during specific times ... because it accompanies new revelation and the ushering in of a new "dispensation." The following three links can be used for further study on this topic:  

http://www.christianhomesite.com/belfast/text/Miracles.htm   http://www.thebookwurm.com/dispchrt.htm    http://www.gracenotes.info/topics/dispensations.html   

Christ's advent, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection ushered in a new dispensation, a new way in which God dealt with mankind. Man was no longer under the Mosaic Law, as Christ fulfilled the Law, and the Law had served its intended purpose. There was a new arrangement, a new way in which God was dealing with men, working not just through the nation of Israel, but directly with Jews and Gentiles alike. New revelation was given, not just by Jesus, but also by His apostles, as recorded in the gospels and in Acts. These were miraculous signs that authenticated that God was the author of the message ... that it wasn't just someone dreaming up a new religion or cult (which was fairly common in those days).

The miracle of tongues was one of those miraculous signs that God used to verify His message. The word translated "tongue" in the English New Testament is the Greek word, glossa, which literally means "language." Therefore, when reading passages that deal with this topic, it may be helpful to substitute the word "language" for "tongues" to give a clearer understanding. (See Acts 2, in particular.)

Here's what happened. God gave a number of people the ability to speak in other languages. He also gave to others the ability to interpret what was being said, when there were those present who could not understand. From the context, it is clear that these were known languages--known to some of the hearers, while not known by the one speaking. The miracle of tongues was a phenomenon in which one was given the supernatural ability to speak a language unknown to him, to listener who could understand that language. This is what made the miracle valid. It wasn't mere gibberish, but rather a known language. (Consider the fact that unintelligible speech would not necessarily make an impression on others, nor would it necessarily be understood as a miracle. Rather, it would simply create confusion.)

I believe that, after God's message (the message regarding the new dispensation) was received and authenticated (which may have taken a few years), the miracles were no longer necessary and were done away with, set aside. Consider I Corinthians 13, which I believe confirms this:

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ... 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears ....

Here, I believe that the phrase, "that which is perfect," (literally, "complete"), refers to the Bible. See also II Timothy 3:16-17: "16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." To paraphrase, God tells us here that the Bible is all we need to know and understand what God wants for us. In other words, signs and miracles are no longer necessary.

This is what I believe, based on my understanding of the Bible. If you disagree, I hope that you will not hold this against me. Rather, I invite any further discussion on the matter, and any insight you are able to gain from the Bible.

Scott