INTERRACIAL DATING AND MARRIAGES - A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE

This is a typed copy of the letter sent... by Bob Jones University telling why they don't allow interracial dating and do not agree with interracial marriages.

Comments by this website follow each section of the letter in [brackets]

January 28, 1999

Thank you for your e-mail concerning interracial relations here at Bob Jones University. The University has an open admissions policy, and we accept students of any race. The student body is fully integrated with students participating in all activities and organizations regardless of race. Bob Jones University does, however, have a rule prohibiting interracial dating among its students. God has separated people for His own purpose.

[But that separation is not always along racial lines - now it is along spiritual lines since believers, God's Chosen of this Church Age/Christian dispensation, are from among all races and nationalities.

Furthermore, to what degree should fellowship be prohibited for the same separatist reasons; re: not only dating, but friendships, acquaintanceships or same sex interracial friendships? To be consistent this should lead to total separation, maybe even separate university campuses for each racial group. One has to be consistent with the separatist goal in mind if it is to be followed at all. So this opens up a whole bag of worms. Anything that allows man's input into the matter in such a judgmental and personal way over another believer is highly suspect and I know of no biblical doctrine that permits that without specific biblical command/guidelines; of which there are none.

Finally, the emphasis on banning interracial relationships is wrong because more pressing matters such as growing in the Word, going to church, staying in fellowship with God, making sure you are equally yoked all come before racial considerations]

He has made people different from one another and intends for those differences to remain.

[Not supported in Scripture. Furthermore, racial differences have blended over the ages as permitted by the sovereignty of God. God's will not being specifically stated on this issue, it may be within His will and not against it on a case by case basis - re: the individual believer's leading of the Holy Spirit for example, and the exercise of the believer's private priesthood relative to a number of things far more important, such as being equally yoked.]

Bob Jones University is opposed to intermarriage of the races because it breaks down the barriers God has established.

[Racial 'barriers' along with human government and language differences were established to forestall a one world anti-God religion/government under the control of Satan at the time. Nevertheless this will be accomplished shortly in accordance with God's sovereign plan not man's. In the absence of outright forbidding of interracial dating/marriages and in the light of the sovereign plan of God which permits Satan to accomplish a one-world order and in light of the private priesthood of the individual, perhaps this interdictive is out of line coming as it does from the University and not from God Himself through His Word or from the individual in the exercise of his personal priesthood]

It mixes that which God separated and intends to keep separate.

[There is no conclusive evidence of this continuing to be God's command in Scripture or in history. Men of like races have conflicted as much as men of different races. God permitted interacial marriages in the past without condemnation, not the least of which is that of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba as indicated in detail in the Song of Solomon - without mention of any condemnation; Abraham and Keturah; (Gen 25); Moses and Zipporah, (Ex 2:22); Ruth, a Moabite woman, (who is in the genealogy of our Lord, [Mt 1:1:5]), and Boaz; and a number of other marriages in Ruth's family, (Book of Ruth)].

Every effort in world history to bring the world together has demonstrated man's self-reliance and his unwillingness to remain as God ordains.

[But little of this was done along interracial lines]

The attempts at one-worldism have been to devise a system without God and have fostered the promotion of a unity designed to give the world strength so that God is not needed and can be overthrown.

[Again, little of this was done along interracial lines. Often separation to gain unity and strength amongst those of like races and then conquering or eradicating militarily is the strategy which will be what occurs in the end times]

Although there is no verse in the Bible that dogmatically says that races should not intermarry, the whole plan of God as He has dealt with the races down through the ages indicates that interracial marriage is not best for man. We do believe we see principles, not specific verses, to give us direction for the avoidance of it.

[Principles in the bible must come from verses, otherwise there are no principles at all, that is a given. So if there are no verses relative to this situation then there are no principles.

The statement, 'interracial marriage is not best for man', historically is also inconclusive, there is more strife evident among peoples of like race for any number of reasons. Differences among people re: races, faith, language often causes hatred and desire to subue or eradicate - the sin nature, the devil and the world are active in all scenarios]

The people who built the Tower of Babel were seeking a man-glorifying unity which God has not ordained (Gen. 11:4-6). Much of the agitation for intermarriage among the races today is for the same reason. It is promoted by one-worlders, and we oppose it for the same reason that we oppose religious ecumenism, globalism, one-world economy, one-world police force, unisex, etc. When Jesus Christ returns to earth, He will establish world unity, but until then, a divided earth seems to be His plan.

[That may be, but much is for separation and conquering and eradicaton also - all are wrong and unchristianlike. But the stepping on the authority of the private priesthood of the believer is also wrong. It is unbelievers, not believers, who are largely promulgating wrongs #1, 2 and #3 - not believers anyway. So why not at least attempt to take steps to change that by witnessing to the unbelievers with the gospel instead of overstepping the bounds of our own authority before God, restricting the freedom of the believer's liberty in Christ who have relatively little to do with racism or interracism or eradicaton in the first place?]

Of course, we realize that this is a controversial position and that there are many fine Christians who disagree with us on it. We recognize the right of other Christians to hold differing views; we only hope that they will recognize the sincerity and love with which we hold ours.

[It is possible that you are sincere yet sincerely wrong in light of what Scripture says and does not say. If you are wrong then you are not demonstrating your love at all: Jesus said, "If you love Me you will obey what I command" of which one command is to not interfere with the private priesthood of the individual believer]

Christian students of all races find a happy and harmonious atmosphere here at the University, and the number of minority students grows every year. We believe prejudice to be Biblically wrong, and it is not tolerated in the student body. I trust this information is helpful to you. Kind regards.

Sincerely yours,

Jonathan Pait

Community Relations Coordinator