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What constitutes marriage

Ahhh, always an interesting topic since so many Christians consider marriage (or lack of it) and the things it involves to be so paramount in their spiritual lives, yet scripture actually has so little to say directly about it.
 
Obadiah said:
Ahhh, always an interesting topic since so many Christians consider marriage (or lack of it) and the things it involves to be so paramount in their spiritual lives, yet scripture actually has so little to say directly about it.
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Not true. Paul actually addressed this very thing in one of his epistles.
 
wives were purchased
we the bride of Christ are purchased with His blood
we become one, He is the Head
 
1 Corinthians 7:1-2 Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

If I had been born again before I had met my husband, I could've remained wholly and totally devoted to Jesus in all things. God did not have that in my cards. I'm okay with it, cause I do have a husband and devoted to him and Christ. I don't have to remain abstinent, even though.....now I could've because I'm born again. Before I was born again, it would've been impossible for me to be abstinent.
 
reba said:
the topic is
What constitutes marriage according to the Bible?
I ask you Rollo Tamasi is the Old Testament part of the Bible?
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Fair questions.
They deserve answers.
According to the New Testament, the purchasing of wives is no longer addressed.
However, it is a form of slavery.
And Paul says if we can be freed of slavery, then that's a good thing.
Outside of the Moonies, I don't know anyone anymore purchasing wives.
It is a moot point to talk about Christ and then add the purchasing of wives.
They don't go together.
 
Knotical said:
Not true. Paul actually addressed this very thing in one of his epistles.
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Paul talked about what actually constitutes a marriage in God's eyes, as in is it done in a church service, do you need a marriage license, how is a ceremony carried out (if you actually need a ceremony), how many wives (or husbands) are you allowed to have if you are not going to be an elder or deacon, what exactly constitutes fornication and adultery and what is the responsibility of someone to the other if and when they have sex outside of what we today in modern society consider "marriage"? Are these things really addressed in clear terms with no assumptions added in?
 
Rollo Tamasi said:
It-is-no-longer-addressed\period.
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So if it is no longer addressed I take it you mean it wasn't mentioned one way or the other. So with no condemnation of it do we have to assume it's still OK if that's the route someone wants to go and everyone agrees to it? That would constitute a proper marriage in God's eyes?
It might not be proper in our society, but we are talking about in God's eyes and in God's way here.
 
Obadiah said:
Paul talked about what actually constitutes a marriage in God's eyes, as in is it done in a church service, do you need a marriage license, how is a ceremony carried out (if you actually need a ceremony), how many wives (or husbands) are you allowed to have if you are not going to be an elder or deacon, what exactly constitutes fornication and adultery and what is the responsibility of someone to the other if and when they have sex outside of what we today in modern society consider "marriage"? Are these things really addressed in clear terms with no assumptions added in?
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Actually, Paul goes into how husbands and wives should treat each other. Nothing about the ceremony, license, etc...

The ceremony, unless I miss my guess, was really fleshed out by the church. And licenses are a civil matter.
 
Knotical said:
Actually, Paul goes into how husbands and wives should treat each other. Nothing about the ceremony, license, etc...

The ceremony, unless I miss my guess, was really fleshed out by the church. And licenses are a civil matter.
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Right, I know he talks about how they should treat each other after they're married. I was thinking the OP as well as the article in the link were questioning more about what actually "makes" two people married in the first place. (Is it a certain type of ceremony, etc?) Not so much on how they should treat each other after they are already married.
 
I think reba means the dowry.

unless im mistaken that was still in practice in the time of joseph an mary.
 
If a man and a woman stand before God with no one else present and declare before Him that they join with Him in holy matrimony, is that a marriage. Setting aside the societal view of its legitimacy, I believe it is. Biblically, they would then consummate their marriage, but what if they were physically prevented from doing so? At this point, it's a faith-based covenant. God is the only one who acknowledges this covenant, so you might even say it's more vital that their vows are kept.

It's hard to separate our view of this covenant from what society defines as marriage, even as society "redefines" it as it goes.
 
Marriage is an earthly display of a more eternal truth: Christ and the Church. (Eph 6)
Marriage is an act of God. (Mark 10:9)
 
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