Biblical Marriage

The Bible says nothing about that except that believers should marry other believers. And since your topic is titled BIBLICAL marriage, that's probably about all anyone can say....

We might have all kinds of opinions on the matter, but they'd be EXTRABIBLICAL.

 

Oops, forgot one!

And a man should marry a woman, and a woman should marry a man.....

 

And what constitutes marriage? A license and a ceremony? Or at the moment the two become one flesh?

 

All of these are valid areas of concern but there is no one right answer. Things must be handled as they come up. People who are different in these important areas will find marriage very frustrating.

A marriage is a covenant of companionship made between a man and a woman before God. In our society is is necessary to have it recognized by the state. The simple "one flesh" union does not constitute a marriage. A marriage is solemnized by a ceremony performed by a duly recognized agent of the state.

 

I know what the state requires.

 

It is difficult to see specifically what you are getting at. Maybe the only way is to use some specific examples...

Should a woman with a dominant personality marry a man who is a wimp? For the sake of the wimp, No.

Should a man prone to be very jealous marry a woman with a career that keeps her traveling most of the time? Probably not, unless one or both of them change well before the wedding.

Should one person marry another person who is an invalid? Only if they are uniquely suited otherwise.

Are these the type of situations you have in mind? If they are, there are no biblical guidelines [the dominant woman / wimpish man example deals with personality types, not practicalities]. But it's only in failry modern times that people even had very much freedom of choice in who, if anyone, they married; and thus compatibility in marriage is a modern concept. So it has to be up to the individuals.

[ October 15, 2003, 05:24 AM: Message edited by: Alcott ]

 

I know what the state requires. [/QUOTE]

I believe what the state requires and what God requires are two different things.

Thanks -----Bart “The dueling society was a polite society”.

 

But what the state requires, God requires.

 

Only when the state is on the same page as God. Pastors who solomnize marriages for the state are agents of the state. When the state says Sodomite marriages are legal (and we are rapidly moving there) then the Pastors who are agents of the state in state marriages have something to think about. God called me, I will not be an agent of a wicked hell filled state and I will not be a part of their marriages (now or later).
Those of you who are still "working" for the state remind me of those who said, "We have no king but Ceasar!"
Thanks ----Bart “The dueling society was a polite society”.

 

Please explain what you mean by this and who you are referring to.
Murph

 

You are very confused. Performing marriages does not make one an agent of the state. The state does not required a minister to perform a marriage for anyone. If the state legalize homosexual marriages, it will have no affect on who I or any other minister has to marry. No one here is working for the state when they perform a marriage. The state allows ministers to perform marriages for them because of tradition. The minister does not have to marry anyone. The minister who performs a ceremony for the couple is doing a favor for the couple, not the state.
There are countries where the minister has no such privilege. There, a couple is first married by the state and then has a ceremony in teh church.

Are you single?? If you are not single, then you are a part of hell filled state system you claim to despise becuase you had to get a state marriage license from that hell-filled state to be married. If you didn't get a marriage license and are living with a woman, you are living in immorality no matter what some pastor said over you. The bottom line is that you are grossly confused on the role of the state in marriage and what God requires vs. what man requires.

God requires certain things of a couple to be married (i.e, man and woman, both saved, submission to whatever government ordinance applies). That is the bottom line. Your invective makes little sense and is misplaced.

 

But what the state requires, God requires. </font>[/QUOTE]Be careful now Bro Larry, that is not always true and you know it. We could go back into history and you would find many Baptists who were true to God and did not do what the state required. We can also look at the Scriptures. Daniel purposed in his heart he would not eat the King's meat, even though "the state" mandated it.

Thanks ----Bart "the dueling society was a polite society".

 

There's a preference for a believer to marry a believer. It doesn't forbid marriages between a believer and a non-believer, however.

There's not limitation as far as race, religion, culture, age (though the government is allowed to set the age of accountability), or any of the more societal preferences.

 

Bro Larry,
Any pastor who solomnizes a marriage under the authority of the state is an agent of the state. Any pastor who signs a marriage license to verify a ceremony is recognized by state statute as an agent of that state. These are facts that cannot be refuted. These are codified principles of law.
The next issue you take exception to is on sodomite marriages. If you continue to act as an agent of the state when that state legalizes sodomite marriages you are taking part in their system. It would be the same if I bought and sold racehorses for a living. I would be taking part in the gambling industry. You will have to make a choice. Get out of the ship and follow Christ or stay in and be a hireling.
Now on the issue of "favor for the couple". Lets just have all the preachers and churches quit doing marriages. What do you think would happen? The state would have to pick up the slack. We would have huge marriage license centers. I can see it now .....state organ players and everything else. What a mess!
Once again you are dead wrong. You are obviously ignorant of the law. The covenant marriage is Holy first and then lawful second. That is without your state marriage license. The Fed has already recognized it through the Military and many states are following suite.
Now the bottom line. Acts 17:7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

Thanks -----Bart "the dueling society was a polite society".

 

Excuse my possible ignorance here Bart.

Are you saying that if a gay church performs a wedding of a homosexual couple without a licence it is legal?