I'm honestly curious and wondering what you guys think. Scripture or other references to back you up, please.

The "institution of marriage"....is it a SOCIETY thing or a GODLY thing? Or both? Do you have to have the paper marriage certificate for it to be a Godly marriage? Does somebody have to "pronounce" you husband & wife for it to be a Godly marriage?

I know somewhere in the Bible we are commanded to abide by the laws of the land (or something like that)....is THAT why we all run to get the marriage certificate?

I know as far as all the legal stuff, it's easier if you've been married by somebody & have the license....but ASIDE from that...I just want your views on what is a marriage in the eyes of God?

And on another note...can you have the legal paperwork and NOT be married in the eyes of God? What constitues THAT?

Discuss....if you dare.... B)

That's opening a can of worms. I know what I believe, but I don't have any scriptural basis for it. I'll have to do some research.

Here's what I believe: God recognizes any union that is faithful to Him. God blesses that union. I believe that the union must be confirmed (rite of marriage) by a legal entity - preacher, rabbi, JP etc.

I also believe, however, that God recognizes physical (sexual) unions as being identical to marriage (for the two have become one flesh...). He does not bless all of these physical unions (adultery, fornication, etc.), and condemns those that are not within the bonds of marriage.

I do not know about the legal marriage being a Godly marriage, and I refuse to speculate on that.

IMO...
The government has no right to regulate marriage. It is a commitment between two people before God, not a legal contract (or shouldn't be anyway). Of course in that statement I'm excluding polygamists, though the government really doesn't have a right to tell them not to marry either as long as the rights of everyone involved are being protected.
The proper role of government is to protect people from being exploited by one another. It is not there to enforce morality beyond that of not exploiting other people, and laws do not make anything moral or immoral. We have a societal obligation to follow the laws that are in place as long as they are not directly harming people, but we should also work to change the laws that are overstepping their bounds.

In the U.S., it is not illegal to consider yourself married without a marriage license, as long as you are clear about your legal status when it is necessary (i.e. for taxes), so it is not a question of obeying the laws of the land. It's more a taboo of society than anything.

I was thinking I should take that part out....or edit to just say:

"Scriptural references if you have any that apply"!!

I don't want that to keep people from posting in here, I'd just like to see it discussed....