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Are You Scripturally Married?

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by ktn4eg, Mar 19, 2007.

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  1. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

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    Just when I thought I'd heard/seen/read it all, I recently came across an article in a paper by some Baptist preacher entitled:

    Are You Scripturally Married?

    Since the article rambled on, I'll try to give you a summary of it. Please bear with me on this!

    He started out by saying that:

    1) Marriage is ordained by God. [About the only thing I probably agree with.]

    2) Since marriage is ordained by God, it is therefore an ordinance. [Huh?]

    3) From NT times onward, God has delegated the authority to administer the ordinances only to His [as he calls it] "true NT Baptist churches." [He never really defined what he meant by "true NT Baptist churches," but I'd suspect he meant only those that believe and practice exactly what he does.]

    4) Therefore, only if a couple was married under the approval and authority of a "true NT Baptist church" are they considered to be "scripturally married." [At least as he defines it.]

    He failed to elaborate exactly how a couple goes about acquiring this approval. I guess that church votes on it--some thing similar to them voting to receive a new member I suppose.

    More importantly, he also failed to cite any Bible passage where this is either commanded or an example of this is mentioned--probably because there aren't any that I know of.

    I was just wondering if any of my BB friends have ever heard of any such far-fetched "scripturally married" nonsense as this?

    Like I said at the beginning, just when I thought I'd heard/seen/read it all.......... :eek: :eek:
     
    #1 ktn4eg, Mar 19, 2007
  2. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    yeah the sticky point is "what is a true NT Baptist church." Particularly since Baptists didn't exist until the mid-1600s there are billions of people that just shacked up in his estimation since they were never legitimately married.

    Apparently I'm not either. But the state and my wife seem to think so.

    This is the kind of guy who probably thinks only baptists will be in Heaven too. ;)

    I've heard of this before and dismissed as ad hoc interpretations with no evidence or support in Scripture.

    thanks for the post.
     
    #2 preachinjesus, Mar 19, 2007
  3. His Blood Spoke My Name

    His Blood Spoke My Name New Member

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    Scriptural Marriage?

    Godly advice was given here
     
    #3 His Blood Spoke My Name, Mar 19, 2007
  4. Martin

    Martin Active Member

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    ==No, but then again I'm not married so I will not worry about it :laugh: .

    ==Does this gentleman that you are quoting believe in "marriage mandate" (ie...God requires people to get married?). If he believes marriage is a "ordinance" I have to wonder who he believes is exempt from that ordinance. I'm not aware of anyone being exempted from ordinances in Scripture. Thus my question....

    ==Very good observation. That is usually what people mean when they say something like that. Based on his statement I must assume his church does everything just like the church in Acts did, right? I am pretty sure they don't. But that is probably a mute point with someone like that anyway. They believe what they want.

    From a purely Biblical (New Testament) perspective a marriage is Biblical as long as the two people are both Christians. If neither person is a Christian, or if only one person is a Christian at the time of the marriage, they are still married. I don't know that the Bible ever claims either group is not really married.
     
    #4 Martin, Mar 19, 2007
  5. Joseph M. Smith

    Joseph M. Smith New Member

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    It is not only that the author you mention has bought a Landmark view of what constitutes a valid church; it is also that he has borrowed sacramentalism of a sort from the Roman Catholic tradition, just substituting the Baptist term "ordinance" for "sacrament".

    And, moreover, there is the assumption that marriages to be Biblical and Christian, must be "performed" in some way by or through a church or pastor. That may be the custom; but you cannot find anywhere in the New Testament a definition of description of a wedding. Marriage is assumed and discussed, but the process of becoming married is not.

    I suspect we would do well to imitate the Society of Friends (Quakers), who require no officiating minister, but ask the bride and groom to administer their vows themselves, before the community. If I had pursued that as a pastor, I would have saved myself a lot of heel-cooling during interminable rehearsals and waiting for out-of-town guests to show up!
     
    #5 Joseph M. Smith, Mar 19, 2007
  6. mnw

    mnw New Member

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    For the record, "Baptists" did not come into existance in the 1600's. But that is another topic.

    I read this and wondered if the Lord tarries His coming and a few hundred years pass, will they look back upon this century as a time when some extremist Baptists turned cultic and become something akin to the Roman Catholic Church?
     
    #6 mnw, Mar 19, 2007
  7. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    Years ago (around my 20th anniversary) I dug out our wedding certificate and noticed that is was signed by the pastors son, who was studying to be a pastor at the time.
    (...eventually he did become a pastor).

    So for me the question isn't "Am I Scripturally married?"
    It's: "Am I even married?"

    Rob
     
    #7 Deacon, Mar 19, 2007
  8. EdSutton

    EdSutton New Member

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    My bride :love2: would say I'm "Very!" And I don't even know where our "wedding certificate" is. :laugh:

    Ed
     
    #8 EdSutton, Mar 19, 2007
  9. EdSutton

    EdSutton New Member

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    Why doncha' run this by your bride, and see 'zackly how far this lead balloon flies? :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    Ed
     
    #9 EdSutton, Mar 19, 2007
  10. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

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    Guess I should ask the Pope. Sure hope he approves, otherwise, I have been living in sin for 30 years. Now that will take a lot of hale Marys and ring around the rosary beads.
     
    #10 saturneptune, Mar 19, 2007
  11. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Wow! I've heard some crazy things about marriage recently. Michael Pearl (don't know if you've heard of him - he wrote the book To Train Up a Child and his wife wrote Created to be His Helpmeet) doesn't believe in legal marriages - in other words, his children didn't get licenses to get married. You can read more here - and don't neglect to read the note on page 3 at the end of the article:

    http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/index.php?id=80&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=186&tx_ttnews[backPid]=67&cHash=9b432abbf8

    I was married in a Presbyterian church and AM happily married in the sight of God.
     
    #11 annsni, Mar 19, 2007
  12. bapmom

    bapmom New Member

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    Debi Pearl's book Created to be his Helpmeet is one of the best books Ive read on that subject.....BUT, yeah, they've got some views I wouldn't subscribe to.
     
    #12 bapmom, Mar 19, 2007
  13. rbell

    rbell Active Member

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    Most women I know believe in a mandate before they get married.

    Most men I know don't feel the same way...they prefer a womandate before marriage.



    :thumbs: :laugh:
     
    #13 rbell, Mar 19, 2007
  14. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    I SO didn't get that until you finished the thought. LOL!
     
    #14 annsni, Mar 19, 2007
  15. EdSutton

    EdSutton New Member

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    :laugh: :laugh:

    Ed
     
    #15 EdSutton, Mar 20, 2007
  16. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    :applause:
     
    #16 donnA, Mar 20, 2007
  17. Christlifter

    Christlifter New Member

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    Nyuknyuknuyk

    :laugh:

    "How very "'pish-toshy!'"

    :type:
     
    #17 Christlifter, Mar 20, 2007
  18. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
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    With the wife I have had for 38 years I don't care who says we're not Scripturally married.

    I'll have her anytime.
     
    #18 pinoybaptist, Mar 22, 2007
  19. guitarpreacher

    guitarpreacher New Member

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    If a Methodist pastor officiates your funeral, are you Scripturally buried?
     
    #19 guitarpreacher, Mar 22, 2007
  20. Amy.G

    Amy.G New Member

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    Depends on what denomination you are. :laugh: :laugh:
     
    #20 Amy.G, Mar 22, 2007
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