First, we must always respect our parents. The Bible does say that ‘Honour your father and your mother…’ (Exo.20:12). In a way your parents would be happy that you have been transformed by Jesus. And your lifestyle must show evidence of your reformed behaviour. At times the parent’s greatest fear is that they are about to lose their offspring, who they think is being manipulated by some strange fundamentalists. On the other hand, they must see that your commitment to Jesus has only deepened your commitment (and respect) towards your parents and that it has made you a better son / daughter. You should be able to reason with them and convince them. Never forget to fast and pray beforehand. Do give them some time to recover from the shocking news of your faith.
The Bible specifically addresses those who are married to unbelievers in 1 Corinthians 7:12-14: “…If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And 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…”
Christians married to unbelievers will need to pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to enable them to profess Christ and live in the light of God’s presence (1 John 1:7). They should seek God’s transforming power to change their hearts and produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). A Christian wife is obligated to have a submissive heart, even toward her unbelieving husband (1 Peter 3:1), and she will need to remain close to God and rely on His grace to enable her to do so.
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