I used to go to a Korean church in Chicago that believed in arranged marriages. They called it “marriage by faith”. The way it worked was that your bible teacher or head pastor would recommend someone for you to marry and you were strongly encouraged to marry them. This Korean church was very authoritarian. They followed a Confucius concept of obeying. I did not believe in that. That is one of many reasons why I left this church. I always had the desire to marry someone that God placed in my path.
It was very important for me to marry a Christian woman. It really did not matter to me what denomination, as long as they were Christian and God fearing. As a Christian couple, like many other marriages, we go through our ups and downs. It is not easy. But I cannot imagine how much harder it is to marry someone who is not from your faith. It is even worse I believe, if they do not even believe in God.
I married a Christian because of the following reasons.
Honesty, helpfulness and caring.
A calmer temperament.
Most likely no promiscuous behavior prior to marriage (although no one is perfect).
No alcohol or use of drugs
Not materialistic.
Faithful, loving, family oriented.
Prayerful
Most Christians should adopt the qualities of Jesus Christ. Jesus is loving, sacrificial, tender, peaceful, patient, kind, resolute and above all, forgiving. These are just a few of the qualities of a Christian spouse. To those who are seeking or young, do not rush things. Have faith in God. He will give you the desire of your heart. I got married in my early 30’s. It was God's time--the perfect time.
2 comments:
Arranged marriage is the order of the day (mostly...but its changing) where I live. We have both enjoyed the benefits of it (one of our strongest points) and have reaped the problems that have risen out of them.
The most glaring point is that....with arranged marriages the divorce rates were very low. Only the pat decade or two - where there is more of 'love marriages' , divorces have multiplied to a great extent.
The most saddening fact is that about 80% of the divorces filed in court are from 'Christian' families.
I know I'm not being conclusive about the issue.....but India as a country has benefited largely by the arranged marriage system for centuries.
Hello Rajesh,
I think that divorce in arranged marriages is low due to societal pressure. One is less likely to divorce if it is considered a dishonor in the family (with dowry and the exchange of precious metals, and just the stigma that comes with it). But that does not equate with being happy.
I agree, unfortunately divorce is high in couples that considered themselves Christian--but if both have a strong faith and they treat each other with respect, it would not be so high. What I've been trying to highlight in my blogs is that just because a person claims to be Christian does not necessarily mean that he or she is.
I appreciate your comments. They always offer great insights. Thank you.
God bless you
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