Before we tackle issues regarding soul mate, let us first read this passage regarding marriage....we will find this on Matthew 22:23-30
23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”
29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
First, when we talk about soul mate it is just appropriate to get resources from an authority that know our souls, someone who created that soul.We get our idea of soul from God and where can we find the word of God? The Holy Bible.
At the above given scenario, the people seems to be asking "who is the soul mate of the woman?" Since, she had been married to 7 men. So to whom she will be together eternally in heaven? Does it mean she had seven soul mates?
Now if we are taking into consideration what was Jesus reply, we can clearly see that, there is no such thing us soul mate destined for mankind. When I say soul mate here, this is the general notion that a man had a pre-destined woman for him or vice versa. According to earthly beliefs that there is only ONE person created for us to be betrothed.
The idea of soul mate also violate one basic principle. Our freedom of choice or free will. God make us human not robot. We had the option to like what we will like. Also, to dislike what we don't like.
Not only that the world view on soul mate is not Biblical it is also dangerous. Why? How many times I have heard people getting divorce because she or he reasoned out, that they finally found their soul mates.
Another, this idea became an excuse to say "Me and my spouse can not agree and will have a lifetime of bad karma." The two will either separate in the end or live a life full of regrets. Instead of working out a harmonious relationship.
But don't loose hope, there seems to be a Biblical support on soul mate. But it is not on terms we know.
After finding the one we love, and the courtship phase, there comes marriage...and what does Jesus said on this? Let us read Mark 10:7-8
7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one.
There is the Lord's will but never a pre-assigned and pre-arrange partner. In this way we can pray for God to choose a better person for us among the people we meet. This does not leave all the matter to God and blame him later on if we chose the wrong person because we "think" he is our soul mate.
Jumping into conclusion for soul mates which are often just infatuations is not reasonable at all. Just because we have so much in common it doesn't mean we will have a marriage made in heaven. Statistic shows that love usually fade after the honeymoon period. There are varied reason's and I know you are familiar with them.
There is a guideline from the Bible what kind of spouse is ideal. I hope I have cleared this issue.
Fher I do not believe that we have just one soul mate. Every person that comes into our lives are soul mates. I also believe that every person who comes into our lives comes for a reason, to either teach us something or to learn from us. When their time with us is over they move on and go away from our lives.it can be a marriage, a friendship, any relationship. And of course we have free will to choose. Very interesting post.
ReplyDeletehttp://rimlybezbaruah.blogspot.com/2011/09/our-truthsoul-mates.html
Thanks Rimly for airing your side on this issue.
ReplyDeleteI reread this tonight and looked at which angle you took 'soulmate'... I'm not an authority in the Bible but I think we should look at the contexts for which each passage has been written and not interpret them in our own way...
ReplyDeleteAnd then again, the whole idea of a soul mate isn't something that we mistake for a partner of a lifetime....or somebody we fancy as one...
Connecting with Rimly, a soul mate is someone who could help us grow in loving God...
hmmm... what do you think?
Well, that was meant by New Age Religion which started the idea of Soul Mate...
ReplyDeleteOur Soul which belong to the heavenly realm does not need another human partner as stated in Matthew 22.
The job of the Holy Spirit as comforter of our soul must not be taken away by another human being.
Fher, thank you for participating in my collage making event. It's nice how everybody interprets one thing in so many different ways, it makes for good reading and sharing of views.Enjoyed reading your post.
ReplyDeleteSoulmates are not biblical. Sure there are some instances in the Bible where God specifically choose out a mate but most of the time he allows man to make his own choices with a few guidelines. Adam and eve are the first two people to be matched together by God. The second is Rebekkah in Genesis after Isaacs servant prays to God for a wife. Maybe it Wasnt Isaac but Abraham, either way one of the two I believe. Notice that God never intervened until the servant presented the request before the Lord. The Lord answered the prayer exactly as the servant asked. These are the only two cases I remember of God doing the matchmaking though there may be a couple others I missed. But also notice these occasions are very rare. In fact you hear more about God creating guidelines about finding and loving a spouse than picking specific spouses out. His first guidelines were not to merry of certain tribes because their ungodly religions would drag the Christian to his or her doom. When did God ever tell his servants to marry a specific woman? Later in Corinthians we hear from Paul "A woman must be married to her husband as long as he lives. But if he dies, she is free to marry whomever she wishes, but he must love the Lord." Although one could object that this is only so after the first husband or "soulmate" dies, is it not logical to say that the rule also applies even before the woman is married? Paul is simply saying that she is free to marry whomever she wishes on one condition. That the man must be a godly man and love the Lord his God. See, a guideline. Why lay out guidelines if God won't even allow us to choose based onthe judgment he have us on the first place? Don't get me wrong, I do think occasionally God might demand a person married someone specific for a specific plan of his, but overall it is not Biblically supported that God match makes everyone. I do believe God will send a potential husband your way if you ask it of him and wait on him. I also believe God leads many potential mates into your life and gives you the freedom to choose based on the guidelines he has set up for us in the Bible.
ReplyDeleteI believe too dat de soulmate concept is nt biblical as it violates many basic principles especially de one of whn one is created there is a splitting of ur soul n u hv to search for it while here on earth. Another concerning is the idea of afterlife, dat u wl be stil joined wit it in de resurrection whereas Jesus said dat all shall be presented to de father n ders no marriage or dat earthly marriage u knew.
ReplyDeleteYes it also violates free will principle bestowed upon human unlike Angels of God or jst angels in general. God whn He created man, He placed life n death n we hv a to choose, with guidelines ofcourse He gives, every moment we are faced wit choice, den its a decision, always nt knowin wat will happen next bt only guided bt de choice u make based on the guidelines God told u abt. Unlike angels of God or Satan, whn sent to do a task dey knw wat dey r told, understand it, dey already knw hw everything dat will happen ways left is dem to do wat dey r told to do, dey dnt hv a choice. Do dey worry abt de consequences, dey r told abt it bt dey dnt worry much abt de consequences cos ders nthn much standing in deir way except de human. The human gives to either side by de daily, second by second decisions he take, either angel of God or Satan de angel gets fuelled to the will of it Master by the stand of the human:belonging to God or Satan. So sorry I knw I went off topic a bit bt der are smthings dat have bn introduced to us that completely violate God's Law dat He placed here on earth for us.
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