Married to a catholic... Please Help!

The fact remains, you can't marry a peach, and then complain your spouse is a peach just because you've become a nectarine.

 

Actually, what happened is they married as unbelievers and now that Bruce is following Christ, it has set his wife against him and she is persecuting him. He does have a biblical right to divorce his wife, but because of his love for his children and his earnest desire they not be raised in Antichrist's religion, he has chosen to bear his cross and stay.

Bruce should follow Christ and the Bible above his love and commitment to his marriage covenant. If you are suggesting otherwise you are advising a man of God to deny Christ. Shame on you.

 

No, he doesn't. He's only allowed to if she departs. But that's probably better left for a different thread. Bruce doesn't want to divorce, so it's not an issue. No responsible husband/father would divorce in this situation.

It is not necessary to compromise one's marriage in the course of following Christ in this situation. If you're suggesting otherwise, then the shame is on you.

 

I am taking your post as telling him to compromise with Antichrist, or for some, at least an Antichristian religion. So, no, the shame is on you.

And yes he does have the right to leave. It is not preferrable, but allowable.

 

No, I'm telling him to compromise with his wife, and that doing so will not only preserve his marriage and family, but also be a shining light of Christ in their marriage. This shining light will, I suspect, bring her into his faith, but it requires time, which can be years.

The bible doesn't say to divorce an unbelieving spouse, it says remain married and continue being a living witness and testimony of Jesus Christ. That's what I'm suggesting he do.

 

I won't argue the divorce point too much. My understanding is that while it is the Apostle's admonision for the believing spouse to say, it is not REQUIRED. It is actually up to Bruce.

And just how does one compromise with the papacy? How does one compromise with an unbelieving spouse who is devoted to an Antichristian religion and is persecuting the believer?

 

I would take it in steps.
1) find common ground. - The Catholic Church Believes the same principles about Jesus ie... Jesus is God. Jesus is man. Jesus lived as an example for us. Jesus died for our sins. Jesus raised up on the 3rd day and is seated with the father and is coming agian. That is common ground.
2) The Catholic Church does venerate scriptures. So I would find a bible study (if I could get away with it from my baptist church that wouldn't be offensive if not I would sign up for a Catholic Bible study with my wife).
3) Find and point out specific things about Jesus life that we are to emmulate.
4) have devotions with my wife and be open to what she thinks. And tell her what I think in a non-threatening way.
5)As scriptures are revealed and the life of Jesus is revealed then she maybe more willing to question practices and things that she can't find answers for.
6) through all this try to emulate Jesus myself.
7) pray continually.
8) after this she may be open to the gospel herself.

I left the catholic church because of the witness of missionaries. Not anything they said but how they lived their lives in accordance with scripture. Not being able to do this on my own and live rightly on my own eventhough I participated in the Church I realized I needed something more. I needed Christ in my life and when I asked him in my life changed and my love for learning the scriptures lead me away from Catholicism. It wasn't well crafted debates that lead me to the lord but the example of the true beleivers in Jesus. You can tell when people are good because of what Jesus is doing in them. And when people do good because they feel they must. One is natural the other is worked at. Difference is easily seen.

 

In the interest of preacekeeping, I'm in communion with you here.

Bruce isn't married to the Pope, so that's irrelevant.

I already addressed what I think Bruce should do above. Things change when we have kids. Their well-being comes first, and I believe Bruce wants what's best for them and his family.

 

The Papacy is the Man of Sin, Antichrist. I don't what doctrines they say they agree with. By their practices they deny them all.

 

Of all the stupid things you've said Johnv, this one takes the cake. What if his wife was a Muslim, would you advocate him worshiping with her? It amounts to the same thing.

 

I disagree with your eschatology. I believe Nero was the Anti-Christ spoken of by John the Revelator. However, that doesn't mean there aren't modern Day Anti-Christ. Also when you say by their practices they deny them all I'm not sure what you mean. They are the largest religious donator to charitable causes like feeding the poor etc.. or do you mean the sacraments? Kind of hard to say all their practices deny everything about Jesus Christ. However, when dealing with a spouce who is Catholic it is better for us to show them the truth and let the truth draw them in. Paul states that if your married to a non believer then if you are willing stay married so that you might sanctify them or by your example lead them to the lord. Rather than just calling them anti christ because they will always be on the defensive and will reject what you are saying because you are confrontational.

 

Folks, we can argue catholicism until we are blue in the face. That's not they this thread is here. We need to support Bruce to give his marriage unity, harmony, and mostly sanity.

 

What his marriage needs is God, and you are proposing that Bruce start worshiping in a place of false religion. As another poster already said, "Shame on you."

 

Matt, take your argument somewhere else.

 

No, why should I? You are giving this person very, very poor advice. You are telling him to put aside worshiping God at a place where God is actually worshiped and instead you would have him go to a house of idols and participate in idol worship.

If your advice is so great, let's see some Biblical support for it? Show us, oh Johnv that knows all, where in God's Word that He tells us to worship in a place of false religion for the sake of unity and harmony?

 

Because this thread isn't for the purpose of arguing catholicism. It's about supporting Bruce and helping him in his marriage. If you're not interested in doing that, then please leave this thread to those who are so interested, and start a catholicism argument elsewhere.

 

I'm not arguing catholicism. I'm arguing the advice you've given about this man's marriage. It is poor, ungodly advice and shouldn't be followed. You should be completely ashamed for even suggesting to this man that he go and worship in a house of idols.

 

Brucebaptist, I have just read through all of your posts to this thread and am left with one question?

Do you treat your wife with the love and respect that she deserves as your wife?

The words that you use to describe her don't come across as loving or respectful - quite the opposite actually.

How could any woman change her spiritual beliefs at her husbands request if she does not feel deeply loved by him?

Perhaps if you stepped back a little and used less force of arguement and more love you might find her to be more responsive.

 

Amen and Amen. :thumbs:

 

Bruce, regardless of what these guys say, if going to "a house of idols" can be used to shine the light of Christ to help your spouse one day "escape romanism", then I encourage you to do so. I agree with Targus. It might be prudent to step back, use a little less force of arguement, and more love and gentleness. I believe you will find her to be more open and responsive to you.