against family?

To oppose your family is something that is not to be taken lightly. But there are circumstances when this might be necessary. Some are obvious, some not so obvious. An example of each.

Obviously, when a family member is physically abusing another you must take action. It must stop. Reporting them to the authorities will be part of this picture. Support for the victim is absolutely necessary.

Not so obvious are situations of faithfulness to Jesus when this stands in opposition to family harmony. Especially when you have a spouse who is not active in a faith life.

One situation would be if you have children you need to raise them Christian. You need to pass on your faith to the next generation. This is a command of God. So, many things come to mind.

Don’t marry someone who is not a seeking disciple of Jesus in the first place. As far as that goes, don’t date someone who is not a seeking disciple. There is just too much uncertainty for your future relationship and raising possible children some day to make it wise to commit your life to someone who doesn’t follow Christ. Included in this is not doing any “missionary” dating. Going out with someone and figuring you can lead them to Christ in due time isn’t helpful.

If you have become a follower of Jesus since you are married, then asking to raise the children Christian could well be a negotiation. There is so much benefit to following a Christian lifestyle that isn’t directly spiritual and a case for simple physical and emotional health can be made, if necessary. Also, being a godly spouse will have impact eventually.