The question of how to handle a marriage between a Christian and a non-believer remains a topic of great importance for many. Second Corinthians 6:14 warns against being “unequally yoked” with an unbeliever. This refers to a situation where two people with different beliefs, values and goals are joined together in a relationship, much like two oxen of different strengths and sizes are yoked together to pull a plow. In such a partnership, the oxen would walk differently, causing the load to be unstable, and the work would be more difficult as a result.
Being unequally yoked in marriage to a non-believer can lead to challenges and potential conflicts in the relationship. When one spouse is a believer and the other is not, their views on important aspects of life, such as raising children, managing finances and making decisions, may differ significantly. This can create tension and make it difficult for the couple to work together and grow in their relationship. Ultimately, being unequally yoked can lead to an unbalanced partnership and a lack of spiritual harmony in the marriage.
Actress and musician Chynna Phillips has openly acknowledged that her unwavering faith and “deep dive into Jesus” almost “ruptured” her union with actor Billy Baldwin.
In a recent YouTube video posted on her channel, Phillips revealed that she and Baldwin faced “big challenges” in their relationship, with the past several years proving to be especially testing. “It’s a primary relationship, and when that relationship starts to feel ruptured or damaged, or it starts to feel a little uneasy, that can be terrifying,” she expressed to her followers, emphasizing the impact on their faith-based journey.
“I’ve been with Billy for 32 years,” Phillips, 55, shared in her video. “But we definitely had the hardest couple years of our lives…. These past couple of years have been a real struggle. And I think it’s because, you know, I just took the deep dive into Jesus, and I think that he didn’t quite know what to do with that, because it was kind of all Jesus, all the time.”
In addition to the challenges posed by their differing faith, a “power struggle” emerged between the couple, further exacerbating the issues they faced.
“I know that the Bible says that we’re supposed to submit and they’re the head, and that’s all true…. But it also says that the man is supposed to treat the wife like the church, and all of that. So I think that I was just struggling with like, ‘Dude, I am not 23-years-old anymore…. I’m growing, I’m changing, I’m not the same person I was 30 years ago. And I refuse to have the same marriage we had 30 years ago. It’s time for us to mature and grow,” continued Phillips.
The couple first crossed paths when Phillips was 23, tying the knot a few years later in 1995. In a video, Phillips revealed that at one juncture, she and Baldwin went through a six-month separation, during which he resided apart from their home. Although Phillips did not provide a specific timeframe for this separation, she did file for divorce in 2010, retracting the papers shortly afterward.
“[Billy] was on board,” she said of Baldwin accepting her new faith in Jesus Christ. “But I think that, you know, for him, it was also like, ‘Well, you’re not into the things that I’m into… You’re not into politics, you’re not into wrestling, you’re not into the philanthropy thing that I do.’
“We did a couple things together… but we’ve never really found that one thing that the two of us can latch on to and do together as a team. And so I’m praying in 2024 that we’re going to find that one thing that the two of us can do together, that feels really fulfilling and that is greater than us,” she explained.
In the midst of the challenges faced by couples grappling with being unequally yoked in marriage, there lies a beacon of hope in Jesus Christ. The Bible encourages believers not to lose heart, offering solace and guidance for those navigating the complexities of a spiritually mismatched union. Scripture emphasizes the transformative power of steadfast prayer, love and unwavering faith, reminding couples that God’s grace can illuminate the path to unity and understanding.
As couples weather theses storms of life, they are encouraged to draw strength from biblical teachings and trust in the redemptive power of God’s love. The journey may be arduous, but the promise of hope resides in the belief that through prayer and the living out of one’s faith, the unsaved partner may encounter the transformative light of Jesus Christ. With perseverance and a steadfast commitment to spiritual growth, there is an abiding optimism that love and faith can bridge the gap, fostering a union that reflects the beauty of God’s grace and the possibility of transformation within the sacred covenant of marriage.
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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.
