What does the Bible say about interracial marriages?

Answer 1

The short answer there is nothing other than a warning against believers marrying unbelievers, the Bible does not say that interracial marriage is wrong.

Expanded Answer

The Old Testament Law commanded the Israelites not to unite in interracial marriage (Deuteronomy 7:3-4).

Deuteronomy 7:3-4 (NKJV)

3 Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. 4 For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the LORD will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly.

Though, the reason for this was not principally racial in nature. Rather, it was religious. The reason God commanded against interracial marriage existed because individuals of other races were idolaters and worshippers of false gods. The Israelites potentially would stray from God if they intermarried with idol worshippers, pagans, or heathens.

A similar principle is laid out in the New Testament, but at a much different level: "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14).(NKJV)

14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

Just as the Israelites (believers in the one true God) were commanded not to marry idolaters, so Christians (believers in the one true God) are commanded not to marry unbelievers.

A person should be judged by his or her character, not by skin color. All of us should be careful not to show favortism to some, nor be prejudiced or racial to others (James 2:1-10, see especially verses 1 and 9). A Christian man or woman's standard for selecting a mate should always be to find out if the person they are interested in is a Christian (2 Corinthians 6:14), someone who is born again by faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:3-5). Faith in Christ, not skin color, is the Biblical standard for choosing a spouse. Interracial marriage is not a matter of right or wrong, but of wisdom, discernment, and prayer.

James 2:1-10 (NKJV)

James 2

Beware of Personal Favortism

1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool," 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?

8 If you really fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself,"[a] you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

The only reason interracial marriage should be well-thought-out is because of the difficulties a mixed-race couple may experience because others will have a hard time accepting them. Many interracial couples experience discrimination and ridicule, sometimes even from their own families. Some interracial couples experience difficulties when their children have skin tones of different shades from the parents and/or siblings. An interracial couple needs to take these things into consideration and be prepared for them, should they decide to marry. Again, though, the only Biblical restriction placed on whom a Christian can marry is whether the other person is a member of the Body of Christ.

Answer 2

There are some who state that God desired and created variety into man via the three main races - White, Black, and Yellow. These believe however, that God, knowing of the various genetic idiosyncrasies that were to develop over the generations, did not desire changes - however free will would prevail as always. They point to this verse as a probable interpretation of 'perfect:'

Genesis 6:9New King James Version (NKJV) Noah Pleases God9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.

More specifically, when God called out the Israelites, He told them not to intermarry in Deuteronomy 7. Later, the Apostle Paul tells the newly called disciples to avoid unbelievers in 2 Corinthians 6:14. This however, has been interpreted to be a barring from mixing with unbelievers and does not put a restriction upon the color of one's skin.

The Apostle James seems to direct his 2 chapter of the Book of James to this meaning as well even comparing richness to poorness as another dichotomy of judgement we humans make:

James 2:8-12New King James Version (NKJV)

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture,"You shall love your neighbor as yourself,"[a]you do well;9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, "Do not commit adultery,"[b] also said, "Do not murder."[c] Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.

Footnotes:

1. James 2:8 Leviticus 19:18
2. James 2:11 Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18
3. James 2:11 Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17

In any event, in our globalization of society into progressive and secular thought, there will be those who will chose to intermarry. Without doubt they will be those who disapprove of their choice and will probably make it well known if 'challenged.' For them it may be of little concern, but for their children, it might be more regretful. Yet we all have free will but that doesn't mean we all make the right choices. While it is true God loves all his potential children, He does not want any of us to be in conflict or held in lesser regard, thereby desiring us to follow His ways and not ours.

Additionally:

God's reason in His Word, The Bible, for "not intermarrying" is a matter of the "spirit" or "faith"... not race. Race automatically comes into play in this matter, because the different races in the world engage in all sorts of different religions, beliefsand practices contrary to God's Commandments -- of which our Creator [Jesus Christ, the God of the Old Testament - John 1:3] is "jealously intolerant," regarding those, His people, whom His Father is calling.

Paul's admonition [command] to the Corinthians [cited above - II Cor.6:14], to: "...NOT be yoked together [married] with UNBELIEVERS..." [NIV] -- is NOT a matter of race, but Faith and Spirit.

Paul was reared and "thoroughly trained in the law" at the feet of the Pharisee, Gamaliel [see Acts 5:34 & 22:3]. And even in the aftermath of his "conversion" and resulting zeal to follow, obey and preach Christ -- his admontition to the Corinthians [and all of the other churches of Christ] reflects PRECISELY the same reason that the law in Deuteronomy 7 forbids it:

"Do not intermarry with them [the unchosen, heathen Gentile nations around them]. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for THEY WILL TURN YOUR SONS AWAY FROM FOLLOWING ME [Jesus Christ; the WORD of God] to server OTHER GODS, and the LORD's anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you." (Deut.7:3-4 NIV)

God doesn't "SHARE HIS PEOPLE's WORSHIP" with any other god [1st Commandment] -- THEN, among the called and chosen ancient Israelites... or NOW, among the called-out-ones in His church.

It's not a "race" thing... because God is calling [inviting] ALL RACES to "repent" of their past ignorance and unbelief regarding the laws of their Creator; the transgression of which is what "sin" is [I John 3:4], and to turn to Him in obedience to His ways.

The Bible's reason not to intermarry is a matter of "obeying the voice of God": holding dear and maintaining one's untarnished "FAITH" toward God's Commandments... not "race."

Abraham, the "father of the faithful," was a Gentile who came from a long family history of "idol worshipers." He repented, converted and "believed" what God told him... and the stage was set for all of the future Faithful in the generations to come, to follow in his steps to Jesus Christ:

"...because ABRAHAM OBEYED ME and kept My requirements, My Commands, My decrees and My laws.'" (Gen.26:5 NIV)

"Understand, then, that those who BELIEVE are children of Abraham." (Gal.3:7 NIV)

Anyone from any race can "repent" of their past "beliefs" that they were taught, and obey and follow Christ. But according to the Jealous God of the Bible -- they have to discard their old gods to do it. And marrying an "unbeliever" [of whatever race; even one's own] just makes it that much harder for the believer.

Paul didn't say anything different to the Corinthians from what Deuteronomy 7 says.

A deceived world of many nations and races and "religiousbeliefs" declare that "all men worship the same God" in all of their many and diverse ways. And it shall be shocked to learn at the Last Day [Judgment Day] just how correct they were, when they discover just who that commonly-worshiped god truly is.

It will be the books of the Bible that will be opened to Judge all men at the Last Day [Rev.20:12] -- to compare what's written therein to our life's works. The things we have done, based on those things in which we've placed our Faith and Trust.

God's Word, the Bible, doesn't condemn "interracial marriage." It warns us against gambling with our Salvation in Jesus Christ through "inter-faith" marriages.

God's primary concerned is with our "spirit"... not the "color of our skin."

"...if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband... if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in Peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or , how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? [such marriages are a spiritual gamble -- but there's not one mention of race, here]

"Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches." (I Cor.7:13-17 NIV)