Question regarding marriage

[Psalm 100]

Reading the thread about inconsistencies of qualifications got me thinking about something.

If a couple marries before they are saved, is it a Godly marriage? What if they are saved later in their marriage. Should they get remarried?

I ask because next year is my tenth anniversary. My wife and I married before I was a believer and she was backslidden. She doesn't know it yet, but I'm planning on suprising her by having a ceremony to renew our marriage vows, and take her on a second honeymoon.

So I'm just curious to know what everyone's opinions are on marriage and if it is ordained if you are an unbeliever....

 

[Brother James]

Congratulations and enjoy your second honeymoon.
You should not get remarried.

 

[Helen]

Marriage is marriage and you are married! However what you are planning for your wife is lovely. Clue: let her know so she can be excited and plan her dress and the guest list and refreshments and such, too. We tend to love doing that sort of thing!

God bless you both.

 

[Helen]

Originally posted by Brother James:
Congratulations and enjoy your second honeymoon.
You should not get remarried.

They are not getting remarried, but renewing their vows. Barry and I did that in the States, here, because we had been married in Australia. We wanted to share the time also with our friends here and had a lovely time.

During the renewal ceremony, when the minister asked Barry if he took me as his wife, instead of the "I do" or "I will", he grinned and said, "I most certainly DO!" Everyone cracked up. Because our youngest is profoundly retarded and only understands some of his favorite songs, Barry also interrupted the end of the renewal ceremony with something so special I almost cried. He turned to our friends in the chairs and mentioned that there was someone here who didn't understand what was going on but he would understand one thing -- could we all sing the Barney song for him?

"I love you
You love me
We're a happy family.
With a great big hug
And a kiss from me to you
Won't you say you love me, too?"

And everyone sang, and Chris rocked and clapped in his seat, and it was just as special as our original ceremony had been.

And then we were, again, pronounced man and wife and I got kissed again and we had the cake and laughter and friendship again. It was very, very special.

 

[Brother James]

I'm sorry Helen. I meant remarried and not renewing vows. My wife and I are renewing our vows for our 20th in May.

 

[Psalm 100]

What a wonderful story, Helen!

Congratulation, James. I'm sure it will be just as special as it was 20 years ago.

 

[Hope of Glory]

It depends upon how strongly you feel about it. Are you legally married? Yes. Are you married in the eyes of God? Not until you make that commitment, but you can make it privately or publicly. You can also put away your unbelieving wife if you so choose. When you become saved, you can also put away your multiple wives, the homosexual partner, the animal, or whatever you married legally.

 

[rjprince]

Legally married, married in the eyes of God? Just how far can we go with reading into the Word?!?! Where does this idea of being "married in the eys of God" as opposed to just married come from??? Can a person just make a private committment to someone they love and become married in the eyes of God? What a bunch of eisogesis (reading into the Word as opposed to drawing out of the text what is there!).

Put her away, NO! You cannot put away your unbelieving wife if you so chose. She can put you away, and you can go along with it, but the believer is clearly commanded to remain in the marriage if the unbeliever is willing.

You can put away multiple wives? Where does that come from in the Bible? Guess what, no where. In fact, in the OT, God regulates polygamy. You do not regulate that which you forbid. He did not regulate homosexuality or bestiality, that was forbidden. He did regulate polygamy, that was TOLERATED, but not the pattern established in Gen 1-3 -- it was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Eve and Sally and Mary... Nor was it Adam and Steve, for those in San Francisco and Bishop Spong.

Renewal of vows is fine, but I never have them repeat the SAME vows, they are reworded to recognize that the marriage is still valid and binding, only that the committment to love is being reaffirmed in the renewal ceremony.