Sunday, May 10, 2026

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

That's the Great Exchange. 

You can have this for free. Experience His righteousness, not that lame self-righteousness. 

Remember that Bronze Serpent In The OT: It was a picture of Sin, of Judgment, and of Salvation by Faith

Bronze is that uniquely colored medal of judgment. Remember the 12 bronze bowls under the basin at the Jew's temple?

At first glance, it might seem kind of strange—even unsettling—that God would command Moses to lift up a bronze serpent on a pole to do His work for the perishing. 

Why would the very image of the thing that was killing the people become the means through which God healed and rescued them?

The answer is profoundly beautiful and points directly to Jesus Christ and the gospel.

The Wilderness: God’s Classroom

The wilderness was not wasted time. It was God's training ground.

After the Israelites witnessed the miracles of The Exodus and heard God speak at Mount Sinai, they still struggled to trust Him. When ten spies brought back a fearful report about the giants in Canaan, the people concluded that God was not strong enough to keep His promise.

“As surely as I live... your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness.” — Numbers 14:28–29

Their unbelief sentenced them to forty years of wandering until that generation died (Numbers 14:28–34).

“It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.” ~ A.W. Tozer 

The wilderness was God's school of faith, where He taught His people both His holiness and their desperate need for Him.

When Grumbling Becomes Deadly

Years later, in Numbers 21, the people once again complained against God and Moses:
“Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?” — Numbers 21:5

They despised God's provision and resented His leadership.

In judgment, God sent venomous serpents into the camp. Many were bitten, and many died (Numbers 21:6).

The snakes were not random. They were visible reminders that sin always carries poison.

“Sin is a dragon with deadly breath.” ~ Charles H. Spurgeon

The serpent represented the very curse their rebellion had brought upon them.

The Cure Looked Like the Curse

When the people confessed their sin, God did not remove the serpents immediately.

Instead, He prescribed a viable remedy that required humble faith:

“Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” — Numbers 21:8

Moses obeyed, and anyone who looked at the bronze serpent lived (Numbers 21:9).
There was no magic in the bronze. No healing power in the metal. The cure was entirely from God.

The act of looking was an act of believing.
The dying Israelite was saying:

“I agree with God. My sin has brought this judgment. I cannot save myself. Lord, I trust Your provision.”

But Why a Serpent?

Let's all agree with God's Word. In Scripture, serpents often symbolize sin, evil, and judgment. So why would God use one as a means of healing?

Because God was teaching a unique, breathtaking truth:

We believers now point back in time by faith to the Cross at Calvary, where our sins were judged on the tree. Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe!  They/we don't want our sins judged at the Great White Throne Judgment as some people seem to insist upon having that. People's sin will be judged in only one of two places.. on the cross at Calvary or at that judgment bar and we have time now to choose while we still have breath. ~ @kurtwVs - please KnowGog.org

The symbol of the curse was lifted up so the cursed could live. Those who walked in faith were pointing ahead in time to the Cross at Calvary.

That is exactly what happened at the cross.

Jesus Explained the Meaning
Speaking to Nicodemus, Jesus said:

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:14–15

The bronze serpent was a prophetic picture of Christ crucified.

Christ Became Our Curse. The Father sent Him here, and He willingly became our curse due to love. 

You know Jesus Christ was sinless, yet He willingly bore our guilt.

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” — Galatians 3:13

“God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21

The bronze serpent had the likeness of the curse but contained no venom.

Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3), yet He had no sin of His own.

“The essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting Himself for man.” John Stott 

Look and Live. Repent and believe in Jesus.

The Israelites did not need to perform heroic deeds. They did not need to earn healing.

They simply had to look in faith at God's appointed provision.

So it is with salvation today.

“Look to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth.” — Isaiah 45:22

“Look and live, my brother, live;
Look to Jesus now and live.” ~ hymn by William A. Ogden 

The Christian life begins not by self-improvement, but by fixing our eyes on Christ crucified and risen.

Beware of Turning Blessings into Idols

Centuries later, the bronze serpent itself became an idol. The people burned incense to it until Hezekiah destroyed it and called it “Nehushtan,” meaning “a mere piece of bronze” (2 Kings 18:4).

Even sacred symbols can become substitutes for God.

We must worship the Savior, not the instrument He uses.

The Gospel in One Picture

The bronze serpent proclaims the heart of the gospel:

Sin is deadly.
Judgment is deserved.
God provides the remedy.
Salvation is received by faith alone.
Christ became our curse so we might receive His righteousness.

“God proved His love on the cross. When Christ hung, bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you.’" Billy Graham

Imagine a man getting bitten by a deadly snake. The antidote is provided free of charge, but he refuses to look because the remedy seems too simple. His pride kills him.

Others, with failing strength and blurred vision, turn their eyes toward God's provision and live.

So it is with the gospel.

Many stumble over the simplicity of faith in Christ. Yet everyone who looks to Him with repentant trust is saved.

The Most Important Look of Your Life

Jesus Christ was lifted up on the cross, raised from the grave, ascended to heaven, and exalted above all.

The question is not whether Christ has been lifted up.

The question is whether you have looked to Him.

“Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16

One believing look at the crucified Savior brings forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life.

The Israelites looked and lived.
Will you?

The Great Exchange: Christ Took Our Sin, and We Received His Righteousness

It really happened! “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21

That single verse has been called the heart of the gospel in one sentence. The Cross of Christ by John Stott described it as “the essence of the gospel.” 

Martin Luther called it “the glorious exchange.” 

His Holy Father did not hide His face from His Son Jesus at Calvay -- He heard His Son.

Meditate upon the Word. Here is the suffering of the Messiah.

"My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?
2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them.
5 They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.
6But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7 All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 “He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”
9 But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God.
11 Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.
13 They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death.
16 For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet;
17 I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me.
18 They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.
19 But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
20 Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog.
21 Save Me from the lion’s mouth And from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered Me.
22 I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard." Ps. 22

“Our sin was laid on Christ, and His righteousness was laid on us. This is the very marrow of the gospel.” Charles H. Spurgeon

In these few words, God reveals the most astonishing transaction in human history: the sinless Son of God was treated as though He had lived our sinful lives, so that sinful people who trust in Him might be treated as though they had lived His perfect life.

Because of the sinless life and death of Jesus the God-man, and cuz of His physical resurrection, you can know God the Father through Him. You can now his righteousness for free. He's the only way you've got onto His Kingdom.. that anyone willing has.

That is the gospel. That is grace given for you. That is love beyond comprehension. Come to Him as you are -- no excuses at all lame or otherwise. Hang a U-turn from your wrongdoings. Approach Him by faith.  

Sup with the unequally yoked existence outside God's will? There's a better way to marry and live as a couple!

Let it not be for you.. this becoming unequally yoked. Having a similar victorious walk of Faith and unity help, Especially over the Long haul. There are good reasons to avoid becoming unequally yoked spiritually (outside of Christ, out of his will for you). Ask and pray early.

When two people have sex, they become “one flesh,” and therefore, there is no such thing as a meaningless fling.

Jesus commanded, beckoned, and invited: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" Matthew 11:28–30

It's a yoke lined in wonderful love -- it's a yoke of Lordship for you, believer! Let purity of heart and mind stay, (keeping away from all types of porn). Let selfless friendship start early on in your courting so to speak, and be maintained in Jesus. This is all related to you living God's way instead of your own way. It's related to walking by grace with favor and His blessing. 

Oh, be careful, little eyes, what you see,

Oh, be careful, little eyes, what you see.

There’s a Father up above looking down in tender love,

Oh, be careful, little eyes, what you see.


Oh, be careful, little ears, what you hear,

Oh, be careful, little ears, what you hear.

There’s a Father up above looking down in tender love,

Oh, be careful, little ears, what you hear.


Oh, be careful, little tongue, what you say,

Oh, be careful, little tongue, what you say.

There’s a Father up above looking down in tender love,

Oh, be careful, little tongue, what you say.


Oh, be careful, little hands, what you do,

Oh, be careful, little hands, what you do.

There’s a Father up above looking down in tender love,

Oh, be careful, little hands, what you do.


Oh, be careful, little feet, where you go,

Oh, be careful, little feet, where you go.

There’s a Father up above looking down in tender love,

Oh, be careful, little feet, where you go.


Oh, be careful, little heart what you trust. 

Oh, be careful, little mind what you think.

“Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” Hebrews 13:4

“God made sex like a river—powerful and beautiful. But when it overflows its banks, it destroys everything in its path.” ~ Billy Graham

Marriage is for 4 things:

1.) Children - people were told by God to be fruitful and multiply. Children are a heritage from the Lord see  Psalms 127:3-5 

2.) Marriage is to eliminate too much solitude, it's not good for man to be alone. People need a complement to their lives, we need accountability, companionship, and friendship,

3.) It's to help prevent immorality and

4.) it is to help provide people with righteous loving affection and pleaurable sex. Yes, it's for the sheer joy, exhilaration, thrill and blessing in that union.  Gen 26:6 Isiaac was sporting with his wife.

"Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife. And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister?" Gen. 26:8-9 KJV

Marriage is about sharing your world and experiences with your mate. It about holding them close, protecting them from enemies, from fear and doubt and unbelief. It's about edifying them, reassuring them every day with your actions, attitude and genuine intent, many feelings, few, or no feelings that they are your one and only love on the horizontal plane. And by God's grace, NOTHING & NOBODY will ever come between them!

It's about building a family, a lasting legacy together that will serve as the pinnacle and main foundation for your children and future generations. Going through life and time together seeking Jesus first and together, solidifies that commitment and bond, making it stronger every day. The closer we get to Him, the closer we come together.

Knowing that whatever life throws at you and no matter what problems you may face even on the very worst of days, you know that there is no other person on earth you’d rather go through those times with and understanding these moments that test your strength are temporary and only makes the bond stronger! Don't seek a spouse, seek the Lord first. You might find the person God has for you, hold them, love them and cherish them forever. Don't take them for granted. What beats being loved by the Lord and by a spiritual Christian spouse..being in love with and knowing with certainty that the person in your arms is your spouse in God's will. Friends FOREVER. Through thick and thin, the good times and bad times, come rain or sunshine!

End the fight early, agree on what you can agree on and then shut up. Pray together. Jesus gave was of two feuding people about to appear before a judge in court to settle a disagreement. To “agree with your adversary quickly” is to “settle your differences quickly” (NLT). Jesus urged His followers to settle matters face to face, sooner rather than later, before ever getting to court. The longer we wait to come to terms with an antagonist, the worse the outcome will be for us.

What are the unseen consequences of sex sin before reaching the marriage altar? You know, with hookin' up in fornication with a person outside of marriage and outside both enjoying a love relationship with the Lord? 

Many, why not instead enjoy a union that God will bless, minus all those unseen consequences for your sex sins?

Sex is God’s idea. It is both beautiful and blessed within the boundaries and safety of marriage, but outside of marriage, it can be “extremely destructive spiritually and even physically.”

Are There Really Unseen Dangers with Cohabitation? Are You Shacking Up and Called Common Law Married Now?

But some today would ask, well then, why even get married? Why not just live together? And more and more couples are doing that today. Why not just bypass marriage altogether?

The number of unmarried couples living together soared twelvefold from 430,000 in 1960 to 5.4 million in 2005. The numbers are far higher now.

But we really need a test drive first.

But I just want to kick the tires, man, before I buy into this ride?

The rationale of living together is, well why go through a ceremony? It is just a ceremony. It doesn't really mean anything. We will just live together. It is kind of like taking a car out for a test drive. You know. We will see if we are compatible. We will see how it works out.

But this is wrong on so many levels. Here are some interesting statistics. Did you know that living together actually will increase your chance of divorce? More than 8 out of 10 couples who live together will break up either before the wedding or afterwards in divorce. Eight out of 10.

So instead of having a good test drive run to see how compatible you are, you are effectively undermining your future potential marriage by living together first. It's simply disobeying God is what that is. It bears very little resemblance to what a BLESSED godly marriage would look like one day for you. In fact, it is selfishness (and basically saying I know better for me than God does), and this actually undermines the marriage.

One person said, "Statistically speaking living together is not a trial of marriage, but rather a training for divorce!"

Yes, the most compelling reason why you should not live together before marriage is that God says it is sin, and we are all to learn in this area early. Learn what, Kurt? To hate hurting a holy God with our sin. Learn to really hate sin and it's destruction.. like He hates it! Hebrews 13:4 says marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and the sexually immoral. He does what He says He'll do.. and not vindictively. 

Unseen Consequences of Sexual Sin Before Marriage

1. A Soul-Level Bond Is Created

God designed sexual intimacy to unite two people profoundly.

“The two shall become one flesh.” — Genesis 2:24

“He who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her.” — 1 Corinthians 6:16

It's true -- sexual union is never merely physical. Even if people say, “It meant nothing,” God says it meant a great deal. Something of the heart, memory, and affections becomes intertwined.


2. A Clear Conscience Is Wounded

Before sin, there may be excitement. After sin, there is often guilt, fear, and inner unrest.

“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away.” — Psalm 32:3

The conscience is God’s warning light on the dashboard of the soul.


3. Trust Is Eroded

When a relationship begins by disregarding God’s commands, it introduces a pattern of compromise rather than obedience.

“He who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much.” — Luke 16:10


4. Future Marriage Can Be Burdened

Past sexual relationships can leave lingering memories, comparisons, regrets, and emotional attachments.

“Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?” — Proverbs 6:27


5. Spiritual Intimacy With God Is Hindered

Persistent disobedience affects fellowship with the Lord.

“If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” — Psalm 66:18


6. Others May Be Hurt

One act of sexual sin can affect parents, future spouses, children, and the believer’s testimony.

“None of us lives to himself.” — Romans 14:7


7. Sin Gains a Foothold

What begins as a “one-time experience” can become a pattern or bondage.

“Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” — John 8:34


8. God’s Blessing Is Forfeited Until There Is Repentance

God blesses obedience, not rebellion.

“No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” — Psalm 84:11

Sex is sort of like rich garden soil: beautiful and fruitful in the garden, but messy and very destructive when tracked in onto a white carpet. In the same way, sex is wonderful in it's proper place God designed for it, but harmful when taken outside that setting.


Why Settle for a Counterfeit of what's real?

Why trade in what's excellently blessed for what's inferior?:

  • A few seconds of pleasure.
  • For years of possible regret?

Why take what God intended to bless and use it in a way He cannot endorse?

Why not wait for a union that heaven itself smiles upon?

“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled.” — Hebrews 13:4

When a husband and wife come together in purity and covenant, they need not hide, rationalize, or fear God’s displeasure. They may receive His blessing with a clear conscience.

“Lust says give and demands to get what it wants; while love righteously waits and gives what is right.” @kurtwVs

“God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.” Jim Elliot

“The safest place in all the world is in the center of the will of God.” Corrie ten Boom

God is not trying to deprive you of joy. He is protecting a sacred gift until it can be enjoyed without shame, fear, or hidden consequences.

  • Wait for the covenant.
  • Wait for God’s timing.
  • Wait for the blessing. 
  • Wait for the marriage bed that is undefiled.

And if you have already failed, there is abundant mercy:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” — 1 John 1:9

The best sex is not merely the most wild or rough and pleasurable. It's not merely married sex by two lost people. It is the kind that is simply blessed by God -- totally wrapped up in His covenant love, protected by His type of fidelity, and maximized by God's anointing inside each believer. Sure, he is the original designer of it Himself.

I can imagine the emptiness and what that's like out in the world as two lost married people carry on year after year, while drinking away, striving together in the flesh while trying to find all the right effects from substances, elixir drinks of comfort etcetera, that can give blackouts. I've come from there even though I wasn't lost and married in the 70s. 

Think about this. Most sinners that you and I know are self-centered and bored. Not at all satisfied for long with anything. They are dead religion-centered, world-centered, education-centered, materialism-centered, or some other dumb idol-centered. Selfish to the core -- we were born in Adam dead in sin, then the second Adam came along and rescued us from ourselves. 

Is being unequally yoked like the closest situation to hell on earth or what? Yes. 

Is it like that for you? Why have your relationships been built on a horrible foundation such as lust, or pride, or greed, or like for his or her family connections of political power with an inheritance waiting? That won't satisfy with our having Jesus inside. A lot of times it's like that too. Thats what it's like in the world -- get all you can, can all you get, and bury that can until later for self.

The clearest and strongest biblical example is of how will be for the believing parents is found in Genesis 26:34–35, where Isaac and Rebekah were deeply distressed because Esau married pagan Hittite women. Scripture says these wives “made life bitter” for his parents, and Rebekah later confessed, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women” (Genesis 27:46).

The consistent biblical princple from the Lord is unmistakable: when God's children unite themselves with those who do not love and fear the Lord, the result is often spiritual compromise, heartache, and grief. The New Testament expresses this plainly: 

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers” (2Corinthians 6:14).

Likewise, believers are instructed to marry “only in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:39). Don't rush into anything. Most people marry, we end up marrying who we date or hang out with as friends. I say only date and marry a growing Christian who not only says they are born again spiritually, but who verifies that with their life over time. Do they love to pray, talk about Jesus and what they are learning at their decent church or Bible study? Do they talk about making an impact for God's glory -- are they doing it now? Do they love God more than they love you? 

Liney and I love God more than we love each other, and we love each other more than we love our kids, and we love our kids more than we love others. Real Christians in love with their Father are more our family than some of our relatives are.  





Everyone is using dating apps to find a mate, so how can I even begin to marry in the faith apart from the digital stuff? Doesn't your heavenly Father see all and know what's best for you to do and just the right time? He's still able to guide His kids as they earnestly seek Him

“If you are a Christian, never choose as your life's partner one who is not in Christ.” ~ Charles Spurgeon 

“Anything is better than choosing a partner for life who does not fear God.” ~ J.C. Ryle

A simple biblical truth is this: When a child throws up and chooses to marry outside the will of God, or shack up playing married out of God's will the consequences rarely affect only that child; they often pierce the hearts of faithful parents and can influence generations to come. But when a believer marries another genuine believer, Christ becomes the shared center of the home, and the marriage is built on the strongest possible foundation.

To me, it sort of seems two people are not unequally yoked when they're both lost as lizards, and there is no yoke of Lordship from Christ on either. Many find each other while lost in sin, but all bear some yoke. 

Sinner, sin because they're sinners. They shut up because they're sinners. It's according to their nature to do this stuff and ge addicted to different idols. I never want to talk down to, or look down on them because of this type of such behavior cuz that's where we've all come from..the worldly existence of being physically alive but inwardly spiritually dead and lost. 

If the lost get too oppressive with superiority judgments against Boomers, or controlling, or hateful accusatory due to some cultivated long-term bitterness or even punishing via cut-off trainings.. we have walk away power and split for a season. 

The Bible warns us from getting a root of bitterness -- must continue to forgive and let go of it all.

What a relief to find kind-hearted Jesus who comforts and restores.

When a Child Marries Outside the Will of God: The Hidden Heartache of Unequal Yokes
One of the saddest family scenes in all of Scripture is found in the life of The Book of Genesis Esau.

“When Esau was forty years old, he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite; and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.” — Genesis 26:34–35 esv

The Hebrew expression translated “made life bitter” conveys deep emotional anguish and spiritual grief. Esau’s marriages did not merely disappoint his parents—they pierced their hearts. Later Rebekah cried out:

“I loathe my life because of the Hittite women.” — Genesis 27:46

This is the cry of a godly mother whose son chose romance over righteousness, desire over discernment, and personal gratification over the revealed will of God.

Esau: A non-righteous worldly success to a degree, and yet a Spiritual Failure

Esau was strong, adventurous, and admired by his father. Yet beneath his rugged exterior was a man who had little appetite for the things of God.

“Thus Esau despised his birthright.” — Genesis 25:34

And later on:

“See to it that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.” — Hebrews 12:16

The word “unholy” (Greek: bebēlos) means profane, secular, and worldly—someone living outside the temple, outside the presence of God. Esau valued what he could taste and touch more than what he could not see. Like many today, he succeeded in the world but failed where it mattered most.
J. Vernon McGee once summarized Esau this way:

“Esau was a success in the world and a failure with God.”

Unequally Yoked: Pulling in Opposite Directions

The New Testament gives a clear and timeless principle:

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” — 2 Corinthians 6:14

You know the farming apparatus, right? A yoke was a wooden beam joining two oxen to pull a load in the same direction for a good purpose. If one animal was stronger, taller, or moving in a different direction, the work became SO frustrating and inefficient. Instead of moving forward, the team strained and veered off course. Sometimes they circled.

That is what happens when a Christian binds his or her life to someone who does not love Jesus Christ.

One seeks God’s will; the other may seek self-will.

One treasures Scripture; the other may prize comfort, money, pleasure, or human approval.

One wants Christ enthroned; the other wants something else at the center.

The result is often continual tension.

“If you are a Christian, never choose as your life's partner one who is not in Christ.” ~ Charles Spurgeon 

“Anything is better than choosing a partner for life who does not fear God.” ~ J.C. Ryle

And Scripture commands that a believer marry:

“Only in the Lord.” — 1 Corinthians 7:39

What If Both People Are Unbelievers?

When two unbelievers marry or live together, they are not “unequally yoked” in the specific sense of 2 Corinthians 6:14, because both share the same fallen nature.

According to Epistle to the Ephesians Ephesians 2:1, all people apart from Christ are “dead in trespasses and sins.” We were all born in Adam, spiritually dead, self-centered, and prone to worship idols of every kind—money, pleasure, education, status, politics, family, or self.

Yet Christians must never look down on unbelievers.

“Such were some of you.” — 1 Corinthians 6:11

The ground at the foot of the cross is level. Every Christian is simply a rescued lost depraved sinner.

“I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior.” ~ John Newton

But Good News -- The Second Adam Came To Save -- He Rescues Us from Ourselves

The first Adam plunged humanity into sin and death. The second Adam, Jesus Christ, came to redeem us.

“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” — 1 Corinthians 15:22

Christ does more than forgive our sins. He changes our desires, renews our minds, and becomes the true center of our lives and homes.

What a relief to meet the compassionate Savior who says:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

The Best Foundation for Marriage

A marriage built on physical attraction, financial advantage, family prestige, or personal ambition rests on sand. But when two genuine believers are joined together, Christ becomes the foundation.

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” — Psalm 127:1

“A threefold cord is not quickly broken.” — Ecclesiastes 4:12

In a Christ-centered marriage, the husband and wife are not merely committed to each other—they are two unique individuals, but are one. Yes, jointly surrendered to the Lord.

I feel compassion, I feel pity for em, we've seen so many heartbroken couples. We've talked with so many singles who have no more hope. So many people who deeply longed for a decent harmonious marriage have given up on the idea of marriage completely these days. 

When Adult Children Choose Poorly, Many Suffer, Not Only Themselves. 

When an adult child rejects biblical counsel and enters an ungodly relationship, faithful parents often experience deep sorrow. The pain can be overwhelming, but it need not lead to despair.

Parents should consider these ideas and prayerfully:
  • Continue loving without compromising the truth.
  • Pray persistently.
  • Model genuine Christianity.
  • Speak graciously and wisely.
  • Set healthy boundaries when necessary.
  • Trust God with what they cannot control.
Monica of Hippo prayed for years for her wayward son, Augustine of Hippo. Her tears were not wasted; God transformed him into one of the most influential Christians in history.

“The child of those tears shall never perish.” ~ Augustine of Hippo

Guarding Against Bitterness - good idea!

Family pain can produce resentment inside if it is not surrendered to God.

“See to it.. that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble.” — Hebrews 12:15

The answer is forgiveness and trust.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” — Epistle to the Romans Romans 12:21

“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” — Romans 12:19

Parents, if your son or daughter has married outside of marrying a reborn and growing Christian, one inside the family of God, you are not the first godly parent to feel the pain and horrible grief from that. Didn't you pray for them in faith when they were single and younger? Lots of hopes have been dashed on the rocks. Too many marriages have been on the rocks for too long until they are no more. Isaac and Rebekah sadly walked this painful path real long way before you did.

Keep on praying for them -- God loves them. He always has and always will. He has a good plan. He gives second chances because of Christ's Cross and bodily resurrection. 

Are they lucid at times? Keep your communication kind and simple. Keep on loving even if that becomes super hard to do.. due to attitudes of synisism, anger, or obstinate behavior. 

Keep on being and giving witness for Jesus. Keep sharing your own story of faith. Keep trusting God. He is more than able to do what you cannot.. even when you are far away from them.

The same Lord who changed Saul the Apostle into Paul the Apostle and Augustine of Hippo from a prodigal into a pastor can awaken your loved one as well.

Are you real or like fake fruit in a bowl on the table -- are you a young Believer?

Pray for your spouse early before you even meet them. Don't chase after people--don't seek first a spouse. Seek Christ and his will for you first. Be so after Him and His will, someone might need to run towards Jesus to catch up. 

The Apostle Paul questioned, are you unmarried, don't seek a wife. You can be open to such, but seek the Lord. 


Was Paul always a single man? Not sure, maybe he was married for a time? 


 Choose your spouse with your Bible open and your knees bent in prayer.

Beauty fades. Money disappears. Charm can deceive. But a husband or wife who genuinely fears the Lord is a priceless gift.

“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” — Proverbs 31:30

To marry a guy or a lady outside the will of God is to invite unnecessary sorrow. To marry another Christian, I mean “only in the Lord” is to place Christ at the center for your relationship, right where He belongs. If you are both outside of having a relationship with Jesus, then come to Him now, or come back to Him now


The wages of sin are death--who really wants that!?

Sin does make one stupid, and then it brings gobs of grief. 

We'd have no deaths, rapes, or wars here if it weren't for sin in this world. Grace brings hope. Jesus brings life both abundant and eternal life that starts at the point of repentance and faith (spiritual regeneration inside)!

Factoid: Since 36 BC there have been over 15,000 wars. And before World War 1 there were 2.6 new wars every year. But since World War 2 ended, there have been three new wars every single year (Said MaCarthur Jn.)

History is His story and He is still working. And no family story is beyond the reach of the redeeming love of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God’s Design for Sex for More Than Just Pleasure in a Straight Marriage. The Holy Fire of Sex, so to speak, is to Remain Within the Safe Fireplace of Marriage

Sex is one of God’s most beautiful and powerful gifts. Like fire in a fireplace, it brings warmth, light, intimacy, and joy when it remains within the boundaries God established. But when that same fire escapes the fireplace, it can destroy everything in its path.

The Bible is crystal clear: sexual intimacy is God’s sacred gift reserved exclusively for one man and one woman joined together in the covenant of marriage.

“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” — Hebrews 13:4 

The marriage bed is pure because God Himself designed it. Outside of marriage, sexual activity becomes defiled, not because sex is dirty, but because human beings are taking something holy and using it apart from the holy covenant for which it was created.

“The Christian idea of marriage is based on Christ’s words that a man and wife are to be regarded as a single organism.” ~ C.S. Lewis

“The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian does make me a different kind of woman.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot 

Likewise, the fact that a person has sexual desires does not justify acting upon them outside God’s will. Christianity does not merely restrain desire; it redeems and sanctifies it.

Listen, the duration of orgasm is surprisingly brief compared with the potentially lifelong consequences of sexual decisions. Please live for the Lord -- experience Him firsthand, rather than living for lesser things! 

Typical Duration of the pleasure that some people absolutely live for?

Male Orgasm

In most men, the subjective experience of orgasm usually lasts about 3 to 10 seconds, with ejaculation typically occurring during that period. Medical and sexology references commonly describe male orgasm as a short, intense neuromuscular event rather than a prolonged state. 

Female Orgasm

In women, orgasm often lasts about 10 to 20 seconds, though some women experience shorter or somewhat longer episodes, and multiple orgasms are physiologically possible. (general averages, it varies)

A Sobering Perspective

A few seconds of physical pleasure can set in motion consequences that last for decades:

  • A damaged relationship with God
  • Loss of trust
  • Unplanned pregnancy
  • Sexually transmitted infections
  • Emotional wounds
  • Guilt and shame
  • Broken families
  • A compromised testimony
  • Long-term regret

In other words, a moment can alter a lifetime.


Esau: Trading the Eternal for the Immediate

Esau is a powerful biblical example. For one meal, he surrendered his birthright.

“Thus Esau despised his birthright.” — Genesis 25:34

The author of Hebrews applies this as a warning:

“That no one be sexually immoral or godless like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.” — Hebrews 12:16

Esau traded a lasting inheritance for a passing appetite. Sexual temptation often presents the same exchange: surrendering future blessing for momentary gratification.


Moses Chose Better

Moses chose “the reproach of Christ” over “the fleeting pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:24–26).

The Bible does not deny that sin can be very pleasurable for a time. It emphasizes that this type of pleasure is very temporary, while the consequences are not at all.. they may endure much too long for you.


Why Wisely Sacrifice in Doing the Will of God? 

There are times for that:

  • Your peace with God inside as Lord
  • Your self-respect
  • Your future marriage
  • Your witness for Christ
  • Your children’s stability
  • Your eternal reward

for a sensation that may last less than twenty seconds?

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” ~ Jim Elliot 

Die to yourself and to those addictions your fleshly nature demands! 


God’s Better Plan For You, Than You Have For You

God is not against pleasure. He created it. But He designed sexual pleasure to flourish within the safety and sanctity of marriage.

“At your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” — Psalm 16:11

The enemy offers immediate gratification followed by emptiness and regret. God offers holiness, a clear conscience, enduring joy, and pleasures that do not poison the soul.

A male orgasm may last only a few seconds. A female orgasm may last a few seconds longer.

But obedience to God yields blessings that can endure for a lifetime and into eternity.

Do not trade your birthright for a bowl of stew.

Do not surrender your future for a fleeting sensation.

Do not exchange lasting joy for temporary pleasure.

Choose Christ and keep on daily rechoosing Him as your Lord, believer. Choose holiness in Him, not some manufactured or religious type of that. Choose the path you will not regret when you stand before God.

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Jesus Christ (Mark 8:36)

You See That God In The Bible Clearly Condemns All Sexual Sins -- They Do Worse That Hurt His Heart. 

Scripture specifically names and condemns both adultery and fornication.

Adultery

Adultery is consensual sexual relations involving a married person and someone other than his or her spouse.

  • Proverbs 6:32
  • 1 Corinthians 6:18
  • Hebrews 13:4

Fornication (Sexual Immorality)

The Koine Greek word porneia refers broadly to all sexual activity outside God’s design, including prostitution, incest, homosexual practice, adultery, and premarital sex.

  • Matthew 15:19
  • Romans 1:29
  • 1 Corinthians 5:1
  • Galatians 5:19

Though the phrase “premarital sex” does not appear verbatim in Scripture, the concept unmistakably falls under the Bible’s repeated prohibition of sexual immorality.


Marriage Is God’s Only Authorized Context for Sexual Union

“Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” — 1 Corinthians 7:2 (KJV)

Paul presents one problem and one solution:

  • Problem: Sexual immorality (porneia)
  • Solution: Marriage

If marriage is the God-ordained answer to sexual temptation, then any sexual relationship outside marriage is included in what Paul calls immoral.

The logic is straightforward and inescapable.


Yep, Sex Before Marriage Is Sin

Two unmarried people may deeply love each other. They may be emotionally committed. They may even intend to marry. Yet until they enter into a covenant before God and witnesses, they do not possess the biblical right to consummate that union sexually.

Love does not authorize what God has forbidden.

Sincerity does not sanctify disobedience.

Intentions do not replace covenant.

“Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other?” A.W. Tozer 

When two believers are surrendered to God, they will ultimately come into harmony with His standards, including His standards for sexual purity.


God Created Sex for Three Sacred Purposes

1. Procreation

God designed sexual union as the ordinary means of bringing children into the world (Genesis 1:28).

2. Pleasure

God created sexual intimacy to be deeply pleasurable within marriage.

  • Proverbs 5:18–19
  • Song of Solomon chapters 4–7

3. Bonding

Sex unites husband and wife emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

“And they two shall be one flesh.” — Genesis 2:24

Sex is never merely recreational. It is covenantal. It is a profound act of self-giving and one-flesh union.


So Why is Premarital Sex a Serious Distortion?

When unmarried people engage in sexual intimacy, they claim the privileges of covenant without making the covenant itself.

They enjoy:

  • The pleasure of union
  • The intimacy of bonding
  • The possibility of creating a child

Yet they do so without the lifelong vows of faithfulness and responsibility that God intended to protect both partners and any children conceived.

This is like cashing a check from an account you have not opened.


“Flee Fornication”

The Bible does not say to flirt with sexual sin, negotiate with it, or test its boundaries.

“Flee fornication.” — 1 Corinthians 6:18 

Joseph is the classic example. When tempted by Potiphar's wife, he ran from the situation rather than reasoning with temptation (Genesis 39:7–12).

Purity is preserved not by proximity to temptation, but by distance from it.


The Will of God for Every Believer

“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:3 

God’s will is not mysterious here. His desire is explicit: His people are to be set apart and sexually pure.


The Body Belongs to the Lord

“Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.”
— 1 Corinthians 6:13 

The Christian body is not private property to use however we please. It is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19–20), purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, sexual purity is an act of worship.


Honor God With Your Sexuality

The Bible consistently condemns sexual immorality in every form:

  • Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25
  • Romans 1:29
  • 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:13, 18; 7:2; 10:8
  • 2 Corinthians 12:21
  • Galatians 5:19
  • Ephesians 5:3
  • Colossians 3:5
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:3
  • Hebrews 13:4
  • Jude 7
  • Revelation 2:14, 20–21; 9:21; 21:8

The testimony of Scripture is unanimous: sex is blessed within marriage and forbidden outside of it.


The Practical Fruit of Obedience

God’s commands are not arbitrary restrictions. They are loving protections.

Obedience to biblical sexual ethics reduces:

  • Sexually transmitted infections
  • Abortions
  • Unwed pregnancies
  • Fatherlessness
  • Emotional trauma
  • Broken trust

But even if there were no practical benefits, we would still obey because God is holy, wise, and good.

“You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” ~ Augustine of Hippo


Common Rationalizations

Many claim:

  • “We love each other.”
  • “We are committed.”
  • “We plan to get married.”
  • “Everyone does it.”
  • “God understands.”

Yet nowhere does Scripture permit sexual relations based on feelings, intentions, or social norms.

The decisive question is not, “Do we love each other?”

The decisive question is, “Are we husband and wife?”

If the answer is no, then sexual intimacy is outside God’s will.


For Those Who Have Fallen

The gospel offers both truth and mercy.

Some have committed sexual sin and carry deep regret. The good news is that Christ cleanses repentant sinners completely.

“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
— 1 Corinthians 6:11 (KJV)

John Newton, once a slave trader, later wrote:

“Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!”

There is no stain so deep that the blood of Christ cannot wash it away.

The Bible speaks with one united voice:

Jesus is God's best Gift to you. Sex is God’s gift for straight married couples.

Marriage is God’s boundary.

Purity is God’s will. All type of porn is not His will for you ever. 

Judgment awaits persistent rebellion.

Grace is available to all who repent and trust in Christ.

Sex between a husband and wife is honorable, holy, joyful, and blessed by God. Every sexual relationship outside that covenant, including premarital sex, is sin.

God is not trying to deprive us of joy. He is protecting a sacred gift so that it may be enjoyed as He intended.

When we honor God, He honors us plain and simple (1 Samuel 2:30).

And when we submit all of our desires to His Word, we discover that His commandments are not at all burdensome, but they are life-giving and wise (1 John 5:3).

“Purity is the ability to contemplate defilement.”
Simone Weil

“The will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us.”
— from Billy Graham I think

“Good guard rails. See His Top Ten List. God’s commands were never and are still not designed to rob us of good pleasures, but to protect us from any type of destruction.”
—  @kurtwVs 

Elisabeth Elliot

“Sex is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master.”
Timothy Keller

“The bed is undefiled, not because desire is absent, but because desire has been brought under the lordship of Christ.”
— Hebrews 13:4

“You can never satisfy a heart with what only inflames the flesh. The soul was made for God.”
Augustine of Hippo

“The safest place in all the world is in the center of the will of God.”
Corrie ten Boom

“When obedience to God contradicts your feelings, obey God and let your feelings catch up later.”
Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.”
G. K. Chesterton

“God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.”
Jim Elliot

“The reward of holiness is not the absence of temptation, but the presence of God.”
— Psalm 16:11

“Marriage is the God-ordained greenhouse where sexual love can grow into something beautiful, fruitful, and enduring.”
— from Genesis 2:24 and Hebrews 13:4

“The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.”
— 1 John 1:7

“There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”
Corrie ten Boom

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:8)

Honor Marriage as Sacred

“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” Hebrews 13:4

God places a hedge of honor around marriage. Sexual intimacy is holy when protected within the covenant of husband and wife. Outside that covenant, the same act becomes a matter of divine judgment.

“Marriage is not a human invention. It is a divine institution.” John Stott


Run From Sexual Sin, Sprint or Run like Joseph Did

See 1 Corinthians 6:18–20

“Flee from sexual immorality... you are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

The believer does not belong to himself. He has been purchased by the blood of Christ. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and are to be used for worship, not immorality.

“You have been bought with blood; do not become the slave of your passions.”
Charles Spurgeon


What Do You Long For and Pray For? Marriage Is God’s Provision. You Have Not Because You Ask Not.. Or Maybe It's Cuz You're Bitter, Have BO, and Godzilla breath, Bro

1 Corinthians 7:2

“Each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.”

God’s answer to sexual temptation is not experimentation, but covenant commitment. Marriage sanctifies sexual intimacy by placing it under lifelong vows of faithfulness.

“God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.”
Jim Elliot


The Works of the Flesh Exclude From the Kingdom

Galatians 5:19–21

Sexual immorality is listed among the works of the flesh that characterize those who live in rebellion against God.

Sin will take you farther than you want to go, it will keep you longer than you want to stay, and it will cost you more than you want to pay!


Sin Reveals the Trueness of the Father

John 8:41–42

Our actions disclose our spiritual allegiance. Those who truly know God love and submit to His Son.

“The proof of your love for God is your obedience to God.” A.W. Tozer


Sexual Sin Destroys Marriages

Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:9

Jesus identifies sexual immorality as a devastating breach of the marriage covenant.

“A good marriage is one of the closest things to heaven on earth.” Martin Luther


The Church Must Never Tolerate Gross Immorality

1 Corinthians 5:1

Even pagan society was shocked by the incestuous sin Paul confronted in the church at Corinth.

“The church is to be a hospital for sinners, but not a hotel for sin.”
— Common pastoral saying


God Always Provides a Way of Escape

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation is irresistible. God faithfully provides an exit route for every believer who is willing to take it.

The strongest temptation is no match for the faithfulness of God.


Sexual Immorality Has Eternal Consequences

Revelation 21:8

Persistent, unrepentant sexual sin belongs to the catalog of sins leading to final judgment.

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” — Hebrews 10:31


Your Body Was Made for the Lord

1 Corinthians 6:13

You've been bought at a price. You are not your own. The body was created for God  Yes, to serve Christ, and not to gratify lust.

“The body is the servant of the soul and the soul is the servant of God." Augustine of Hippo


Sexual Sin Begins in the Heart

Mark 7:20–23

Jesus teaches that immorality flows from within, from an unguarded heart.

“The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.”
Adrian Rogers


Put Sin to Death

Colossians 3:5

Believers are commanded to mortify sexual sin, not manage it.

“Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.” John Owen


There Is Hope for the Sexually Broken

1 Corinthians 6:9–11

“Such were some of you.” These are among the most hope-filled words in the New Testament. Christ washes, sanctifies, and justifies repentant sinners.

“There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us.” Richard Sibbes


Sodom and Gomorrah Stand as a Warning

Jude 1:7

God’s judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah reminds us that sexual rebellion is no trivial matter.

“God is not mocked.” — Galatians 6:7


Purity Should Mark Every Saint

Ephesians 5:3

Sexual immorality should not even be associated with those who belong to Christ.

“The holier a man becomes, the more he mourns over the unholiness that remains.” J. C. Ryle


God’s Will Is Your Sanctification

1 Thessalonians 4:3–4

The revealed will of God is clear: abstain from sexual immorality and live in holiness and honor.

“God is more concerned with your holiness than your happiness.” John MacArthur


Seduction Carries Responsibility

Exodus 22:16–17

God’s law required accountability and responsibility when sexual boundaries were violated.

Sin always creates obligations the sinner never anticipated.


Present Your Body to God

Romans 12:1–2

The Christian life involves offering the whole body to God as an act of worship.

“Either your body will be a tool in the hands of sin, or an instrument in the hands of God.” — Mr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones


Confession Brings Cleansing

1 John 1:9

For those who repent, God promises full forgiveness and complete cleansing.

“There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”
Corrie ten Boom

God did not create sexual boundaries to rob us of joy, but to protect what is sacred. His commands are not burdensome; they are wise, loving, and life-giving.

When we honor marriage, flee temptation, submit our bodies to Christ, and walk in repentance, we discover that purity is not deprivation. It is freedom.

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Jesus Christ (Mat. 5:8)

As Charles Spurgeon once said:

“If Christ be anything, He must be everything.”

That includes our bodies, our desires, our relationships, and our sexuality.

Sexual purity is not merely about avoiding what is wrong. It is about treasuring what is holy, protecting what is sacred, and honoring the God who loved us and gave Himself for us. When Jesus Christ becomes our greatest delight, obedience ceases to feel like deprivation and becomes an expression of love.

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” — 1 John 5:3

Every human being is under some kind of yoke today and every one of us has a master passion. Do you do idol worship? What type? 

The central question is not whether a lost also bears a yoke -- whose yoke they are carrying and to whom they are spiritually bound.

A person is either:

  1. Under the yoke of sin and Satan, or
  2. Under the gracious yoke of Jesus Christ.

There is no third category of spiritual neutrality.


1. The Natural Condition of Every Unsaved Person: The Yoke of Sin

Before conversion, all people, regardless of sexual orientation or marital status, are enslaved to sin.

“Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”
— John 8:34

“You were dead in the trespasses and sins... following the prince of the power of the air.”
— Ephesians 2:1–2

“For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.”
— Romans 6:20

The Bible teaches that unbelievers are not spiritually free. They may appear successful, moral, affectionate, or deeply committed, but apart from Christ, they remain under a spiritual bondage.


2. Sinners Go With A Yoke of Bondage - It's Not What They Want To Keep Living With Though Some Come To Really Love Their Sin

The Bible uses the imagery of a yoke to describe spiritual slavery and oppression.

“A yoke of slavery.”
— Galatians 5:1

“His servants you are whom you obey.”
— Romans 6:16

“The snare of the devil... captured by him to do his will.”
— 2 Timothy 2:26

The unsaved are yoked to:

  • Sin
  • Self
  • The world system
  • Satan
  • Spiritual darkness
  • Coming judgment

3. What Yoke Does an Unsaved Married Heterosexual Couple Bear?

A man and woman who are legally married but do not know Christ may enjoy real human affection, mutual sacrifice, and social stability. Marriage itself is part of God’s common grace and creational design (Genesis 2:24).

However, spiritually speaking, if both are unregenerate, they are still under the yoke of sin.

Their marriage may be:

  • Legitimate in civil and creational terms
  • Beneficial to society
  • Better than sexual immorality

But it does not reconcile them to God.

Two morally respectable unbelievers are still two sinners walking together under the same bondage.

“There is none righteous, no, not one.” — Romans 3:10


4. What Yoke Does an Unsaved Same-Sex Couple Bear?

The same spiritual principle applies, with an additional moral dimension.

If two people are outside Christ, they are already under the yoke of sin. If they are involved in behavior the Bible explicitly identifies as sinful (Romans 1:26–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11), they are also practicing conduct contrary to God’s revealed design.

This does not place them beyond God’s grace, but it does mean they remain in need of repentance and salvation through Christ.

The key issue is not that one sin is uniquely unforgivable, but that all unrepentant sinners remain under condemnation apart from Christ.

“And such were some of you. But you were washed.” — 1 Corinthians 6:11

That verse is one of the most hope-filled statements in Scripture. Christ transforms all who come to Him.


5. Unequally Yoked: 2 Corinthians 6:14

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.”

The Apostle Paul uses the picture of two animals harnessed together. A believer and an unbeliever are moving under different masters, driven by different values, and headed toward different eternal destinies.

  • The unbeliever bears the yoke of sin.
  • The believer bears the yoke of Christ's Lordship.

These two yokes are fundamentally incompatible.


6. Christ’s Yoke

Jesus offers a radically different yoke.

“Take my yoke upon you... For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” — Matthew 11:29–30

Christ does not remove all responsibility. He replaces cruel bondage with loving lordship.

Sin promises freedom and produces slavery.

Christ demands surrender and gives true freedom.


7. Here's A Basic Table For Ya

ConditionSpiritual Yoke
Unsaved single personYoke of sin and Satan
Unsaved heterosexual married coupleYoke of sin, despite a valid marriage
Unsaved same-sex coupleYoke of sin, including conduct contrary to biblical sexual ethics
Saved ChristianThe gracious yoke of Christ
Believer married to unbelieverUnequal yoke (2 Corinthians 6:14)

“No man is free who is not a slave of Jesus Christ.”
Charles Spurgeon

“The command of Christ is liberty, because He commands what heals the soul.”
Augustine of Hippo 

“Sin is a cruel taskmaster.”
John Calvin 

"In the service of Christ there is a perfect freedom to do as one ought to do, and you really like this wonderful liberty."  @kurtwVs

“The devil paints sin with the colors of pleasure, but hides the chains.”
Thomas Brooks (reflecting a central theme in his writings)

Every unsaved person is already yoked, whether single, married, heterosexual, or homosexual. The yoke they bear is the yoke of sin and spiritual bondage.

Some relationships may reflect aspects of God’s common grace and human affection, but no relationship can remove the deeper bondage of the heart.

Only Jesus Christ can break the chains of sin and replace them with His gracious yoke.

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
— John 8:36 (KJV)

The most important question is not, “Whom am I joined to?”

The ultimate question is, “To whom am I yoked?”

If you are yoked to Christ, you have found the only Master whose burden is light, whose love is perfect, and whose service leads to everlasting life.