Should I attend my husband’s church as a goodwill gesture?
Question:
Hello!
I have a question related to my current situation. My new husband and I have differing religious foundations. He is a Baptist, and I attend a church of Christ. We are in the military, and in our current area, he has been willing to come to church with me each week. As I have expressed, this is important to me. In our next move, however, we will return to his hometown. He has expressed that he will continue to come with me but would like me to come to church with him in the evening instead of going to church separately each week to meet our individual needs. I want to ask if it is wrong for me to do this as a goodwill gesture as long as my priority is my church and worshipping correctly. If I refuse to go with him but continue asking him to come with me, it will appear unfair, and he may not be willing to come. I wouldn't want that, as you never know which sermon could be the one that 'clicks' some points in his head that we disagree with. We have already studied with our preacher in the past, but he still does not agree with certain things. But it seems coming with me weekly has benefitted him. He continues to express that he enjoys coming with me currently and has no issue with it.
I appreciate whatever info you can provide!
Answer:
I've noticed that when compromises are made, they tend to increase. "Why won't you do 'x'? You were willing to do 'y' in the past." Can you worship appropriately at his church? What message are you giving to others (not just your husband) about the importance of worshiping in truth and being with the brethren? I know these are difficult things to consider, and it is why I discourage people from marrying people of a different faith. The choices will become even harder when you start to have children.
The argument that it is only fair to attend his church since you ask him to attend your church would only be reasonable if the two churches were equivalent. Remember that doing something wrong in hopes that good will result is a flawed argument (Romans 3:8).
Question:
Yeah, that completely makes sense. I think I just needed to know one day or the other. Since we agreed to go to my church in the morning, I wouldn't sacrifice any meeting with my brethren. I wasn't sure if my attendance there in the evening was considered wrong, even if I was still prioritizing my services, especially if people there knew that I was dedicated to a different church and was there for my husband.
I guess I am more or less trying to ask if it is definitively a sin to attend with him in the evening, even if I am not missing any services with my congregation.
Answer:
I'm gathering that your congregation doesn't have an evening service, so you aren't missing anything by attending the Baptist service. The question remains: Can you worship God correctly in a Baptist service? Personally, I would not consider using instrumental music in worship properly honoring God since God did not authorize it.
