Case Studies — Dangerous Affairs of the Heart

Youth and the Gospel

The stories that follow are typical of the kinds of situations that can occur in any ecclesia. The details related do not reflect the actual circumstances of any single case known to the author. Only a minimum of facts are given for the purpose of drawing lessons and taking warning. You are urged to look for the instruction and to resist being judgmental toward the individuals or the ecclesias portrayed.

Typical cases

Sister A

Background — In her 30’s. Grew up in the Sunday School and CYC, although her family always lived on the fringe of ecclesial life. Her mother, who also grew up in Christadelphian surroundings, did not submit to baptism until after Sis. A was grown up and baptized. Her father never came into the Truth.

Marriage — Married her high school sweetheart (not a Christadelphian) and lived several miles from the meeting. Attendance at meeting dropped off. More recently, Sis. A and her husband have bought a home even farther away.

Children — Four. They used to come to Sunday School occasionally, before the latest family move. Now they don’t come at all.

Brother B

Background — Now nearly 50. His father came into the Truth when Bro. B was small, but family life didn’t hold together. Attended Sunday School off and on and even went to one or two Bible schools. Performed alternative service as a CO during the Viet Nam War. Generally poor attendance characterized his ecclesial life, even before marriage.

Marriage — Married out of the faith and stopped coming to meeting altogether. The marriage ended in divorce a few years later.

Children — One bright child. He came to Sunday School a few times when he was small. The last anyone knew, the boy was in his mother’s custody. He hasn’t been to Sunday School in years.

Sister C

Background — In her early 40’s. Raised in an active Christadelphian home. Faithfully attended Sunday School, CYC and Bible schools. Was always serious about the Truth.

Marriage — Met and married a personable man while in college. During courtship and after marriage, she continued regular attendance at ecclesial functions. Her fiance, later her husband, was initially indifferent to the Truth. In time, however, with positive support from Sis. C’s family, he struck up a warm relationship with the ecclesia, took instruction, and was baptized. Today he is a pillar of spiritual strength with a strong missionary zeal.

Children — Three, all being brought up in the Truth.

Brother D

Background — About 45. Raised by a single Christadelphian parent. Attended meeting regularly as a young person. College and a professional career took priority after that.

Marriage — Met and married a strong-willed woman with tight, non-Christadelphian family ties. He has become deeply involved in the family business run by his wife’s father. Months can go by without seeing him at a memorial service.

Children — Two who were brought to Sunday School off and on, mostly when they were small. One of them went to Bible school a couple times with the grandmother and actually decided to be baptized. Both children, however, have now married non-Christadelphians and have nothing to do with the Truth anymore.

Sister E

Background — In her late 30’s. Raised in an active Christadelphian family. She and all siblings were baptized as teenagers. All were active in Sunday School, CYC and Bible school.

Marriage — Never had boyfriends, in or out of the Truth. Eventually married a much older man about whom she knew very little. He was not a Christadel­phian. An abused family life followed, and the marriage ended in divorce. She maintained ties with the ecclesia throughout the turmoil and the ecclesia did what it could to help her.

Children — Two. Both live with the mother and attend Sunday School, CYC and Bible schools much as she did when growing up.

Brother F

Background — Just turned 30. Raised in an active Christadelphian family. Every one of his siblings are baptized, married in the faith and are active in ecclesial life. He was a highly involved young person: Sunday School, CYC, Bible schools and preaching campaigns.

Marriage — He became friendly with some of the girls where he worked and had a child by one of them. After the baby was born, he decided the honorable thing to do was to get married and take responsibility for what he had done. To this day, his wife has no interest in the Truth. He attends Sunday meetings with good regularity, given the circumstances.

Children — Two girls. He gets them to Sunday School as often as he can, and his Christadelphian parents are also doing their best to help with the spiritual upbringing of the grandchildren.

Questions

  1. When each of the above brothers and sisters was interviewed for baptism, he or she was asked if it is scripturally wrong to marry out of the faith. All agreed that it is wrong and gave reasons why.
  • Why is it that any of us can know what is right and what is wrong and still put the rest of our life — even our eternal life — in jeopardy by deliberately doing the wrong things?
  • Are you capable of doing anything like this?
  • Does knowing the answers to the baptism questions assure that anyone will make faithful decisions after baptism?
  1. Based on the typical cases above and your own understanding of life, consider the following statements as a basis for thought and discussion.

Growing up in the Truth insures us against making very bad decisions like marrying out of the faith.

Being active young people — Sunday School, CYC, Bible school — insures us against making bad decisions like marrying out of the faith.

Growing up in a spiritually impoverished home increases the likelihood that a person will make a bad decision like marrying out of the faith.

Marrying out of the faith creates a strong likelihood that our children will not inherit eternal life.

Marriage out of the faith always ends up in spiritual disaster.

Marriage out of the faith is likely to lead to additional spiritual problems. Marriage out of the faith is worth the risk, especially if a brother or sister can’t find anybody in the Truth to marry.

If a brother or sister marries out of the faith, he/she will frequently influence the unbelieving partner to accept the Truth, especially if the brother or sister continues to go to meeting.

  1. When marriage problems overtake a brother or sister, spiritual difficulties are often closely associated with them or will follow in their wake.
  • Under such conditions, what can a brother or sister do to keep from making spiritual shipwreck of his or her life?
  • What responsibilities does the ecclesia have to help a brother or sister through such difficult times and assure that his or her spiritual health is not destroyed in the process?

The above questions should provide plenty of material for lively group discussion. Keep it Christlike!