Bible Question:
What does the Bible say about interracial marriages?
Bible Answer:
The Bible has nothing to say about interracial marriages. In the Old Testament, God did prohibit the Israelites from marrying men and women from other nations so that they would not follow after their gods. King Solomon was an example of one who followed other gods because of his foreign wives.
Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the sons of Israel, “You shall not associate with them, neither shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods.” Solomon held fast to these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away. For it came about when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. (NASB) 1 Kings 11:1-4
But God did that because the other nations worshipped other gods. The principle applies to anyone who is not a Christian. God never prohibits interracial marriages. The only principle that applies to us is interfaith marriages. The New Testament repeats the same point,
Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? (NASB) 2 Cor. 6:14
God’s command is that Christians marry ONLY Christians. Interfaith marriages are prohibited. This is the only biblical principle that would apply to interracial marriages.
Conclusion:
When it comes to racial distinctions, God is color blind. Praise the Lord! But when it comes to marriage, God does not want a Christian to marry a non-Christian. The attractiveness of the “outside package” when the individual has no relationship with God can be compared to a beautifully wrapped bomb. After awhile, most non-Christians do not want to hear the sacred music of the Christian spouse. After awhile, a non-Christian does not want his/her spouse going to church “all the time” or “attending that God stuff.” He/she feels that God has become more important to his/her spouse than he/she is. They want to associate with non-Christians and not their spouses’ Christian friends. They do not appreciate their spouses’ desire to give money to the church or buy Christian items. This is understandable. A non-Christian does not have a love for Jesus. The Holy Spirit has not changed his/her heart – their attitudes or desires. They are still mainly interested in themselves and not God. God cares about our Christian walk and life. He calls believers to marry only in the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:39).