Questioner

If a Christian woman is married to an unbelieving husband and he wants her to have no part in the church, should she disconnect from the body of Christ or should she not forsake the assembling of believers?

Answer

As a Christian woman you are to submit to you husband:

"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord." [Ephesians 5:22]  "Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." [Ephesians 5:24]

However, when he asks or commands you to sin against the Word of God then you must, in love, obey your Lord. We see this truth in the example of Peter and the other apostles when the authorities commanded them not to teach about Jesus. We know that God's Word commands that we are to obey the authorities over us:

"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." [Romans 13:1-2]

But, then we see the exception to this command to obey the authorities:

""We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood." Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!" [Acts 5:28-29]

So, you must still obey God's command to corporately worship the Lord.

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching." [Hebrews 10:25]

Of course, being sensitive to your husband's desires, you should not try to go to every church meeting and function throughout the week, but going to Sunday School and the Sunday morning service would be appropriate.

Not sure if you had a chance to read this excellent message by John MacArthur on the subject (How to Win Your Unsaved Spouse):

http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/spouse.htm


Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "Tony Capoccia's Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
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Email: tony@biblebb.com
Online since 1986