Marriage: Legal vs Spiritual

[KitKatMatt]

Is a legal marriage looked upon by God the same as a spiritual marriage?

If two people get spiritually married by a Christian church leader and are not/do not get legally married, are they still married in the eyes of God?

If someone gets legally married and the ceremony is performed by a Justice of the Peace without any mention of religion or Christianity, are they still married in the eyes of God?

And one that's a little more difficult:

If two people proclaim to God, in prayer or whatever means, that they commit to each other for the rest of their lives, and wish to become one, are they considered spiritually married? Or must it be performed by a church leader?

These are actually important questions to me, because I don't see any reason for God to put any importance to legal marriage. Spiritual marriage, definitely, but legal marriage is a concept of man. This, if true, has implications with the future of marriage and how it is treated legally.

I also want to know because of things that are considered "not acceptable" between those who aren't married. If a couple is legally married but have not made a spiritual commitment to each other, can they have sex without it being a sin? Or are they still married to God for signing a document written by man, for man?

 

[Saleena]

watching :3

 

[Strachan]

My view on this is rather simple. If two people declare aloud that get take each other as man and wife, and through those spoken words a vow is made, and they both mean to be married, then it is. They are married. Simple. The fact that law, if society requires documents to be completed etc, doesn't change the fact that they are married before God.

 

[nlphypno80]

I've got and even simpler view on the whole thing and it all boils down to love. You can be legally get married without love, but unless you love the person that you are marrying, then you are marrying for all the wrong reasons such as convenience or money.

That may be too simplistic, but it's how I see it.

 

[KitKatMatt]

I've got and even simpler view on the whole thing and it all boils down to love. You can be legally get married without love, but unless you love the person that you are marrying, then you are marrying for all the wrong reasons such as convenience or money.

That may be too simplistic, but it's how I see it.

Yeah, that's another factor to add. Legal marriage without love.

I'm not sure I would call legal marriage without love "marrying for all the wrong reasons", though. As long as you aren't deceiving someone by telling you that you love them to get them to marry you, I don't see anything bad with legally marrying for money or convenience. Legal marriage has nothing to do with love anyways. All it is is a legal contract.

I almost married my friend a few years ago so we could file a joint tax return and have a better choice of health care plans (and possibly pay less for those). It was a mutual decision based on finances, though we never ended up doing it.

 

[Gadarene]

This is why I have never understand the desperation of the Christian anti-gay marriage crowd.

What does it matter if some people you live with do not recognise marriage the same as you do, surely God does not? The interference of such people in the lives of others is about power, pure and simple.

 

[Hetta]

My view on this is rather simple. If two people declare aloud that get take each other as man and wife, and through those spoken words a vow is made, and they both mean to be married, then it is. They are married. Simple. The fact that law, if society requires documents to be completed etc, doesn't change the fact that they are married before God.

^^ this pretty much.

If God is omnipotent then he is in the judge's office as well as the church. People who think their marriages are 'more' blessed because they got married in a church are basically saying that God is a limited being.

Ah, I didn't notice the wider question. You can be 'spiritually' married without paper or legalities, but I would just always caution people to take care of the legal side of things somehow. Rules vary between countries and, in the US, between states as to the legal standing of domestic partners. Common law spouses can be left in a tricky place if their SO dies and they are not married in the eyes of the law.

I also want to know because of things that are considered "not acceptable" between those who aren't married. If a couple is legally married but have not made a spiritual commitment to each other, can they have sex without it being a sin? Or are they still married to God for signing a document written by man, for man?

From what I read from other Christians, if a couple marries, then they have a 'right' to each other's bodies. Ho hum. It's not something I agree with.

 

[nlphypno80]

I don't believe in marriage without love. The whole point behind marriage is for a man and a woman to share themselves with each other mentally, emotionally and sexually in the eyes of God.

When it comes to stuff like that I'm a traditionalist. I'm not one to endorse same sex marriages nor am I one to endorse marriage without love. I don't have a problem with sex outside marriage if you're single, but I do have a problem with men and women getting married before they are ready to, to the wrong person, or for reasons that do not equate to love and the goal of reproduction.

 

[Paradoxum]

Why does it matter? Why would sex outside marriage be immoral in the eyes of God?

Either way, I don't think there is any difference between legal and religious marriage in the eyes of God. The point is a union between two people. Both accomplish this.

If you had to be Christian to be able to have sex and reproduce, then God would have had almost all the human race die out after the death of Christ, if He got His way. To me that sounds crazy.

To me, God is a god of love and understanding... not one of arbitrary rules He just made up for the fun of it.

I don't believe in marriage without love. The whole point behind marriage is for a man and a woman to share themselves with each other mentally, emotionally and sexually in the eyes of God.

When it comes to stuff like that I'm a traditionalist. I'm not one to endorse same sex marriages nor am I one to endorse marriage without love. I don't have a problem with sex outside marriage if you're single, but I do have a problem with men and women getting married before they are ready to, to the wrong person, or for reasons that do not equate to love and the goal of reproduction.

How is that traditional? Marriage used to be about property, status, etc. Marriage based on love is relatively recent from what I've heard.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Is a legal marriage looked upon by God the same as a spiritual marriage?

If two people get spiritually married by a Christian church leader and are not/do not get legally married, are they still married in the eyes of God?

If someone gets legally married and the ceremony is performed by a Justice of the Peace without any mention of religion or Christianity, are they still married in the eyes of God?

And one that's a little more difficult:

If two people proclaim to God, in prayer or whatever means, that they commit to each other for the rest of their lives, and wish to become one, are they considered spiritually married? Or must it be performed by a church leader?

These are actually important questions to me, because I don't see any reason for God to put any importance to legal marriage. Spiritual marriage, definitely, but legal marriage is a concept of man. This, if true, has implications with the future of marriage and how it is treated legally.

I also want to know because of things that are considered "not acceptable" between those who aren't married. If a couple is legally married but have not made a spiritual commitment to each other, can they have sex without it being a sin? Or are they still married to God for signing a document written by man, for man?

Your questions indicate that you don't like, or don't understand, the information available in the bible.

 

[KitKatMatt]

Your questions indicate that you don't like, or don't understand, the information available in the bible.

My questions indicate that I am curious, and using the brain that God gave me to use

 

[OldWiseGuy]

My questions indicate that I am curious, and using the brain that God gave me to use

That same God inspired the information already available. Why reinvent the wheel? Do you think the advice forthcoming here is going to be superior to that of God's?

 

[KitKatMatt]

That same God inspired the information already available. Why reinvent the wheel?

The Bible never says what differences there are between a spiritual marriage and a legal marriage, or if signing a legal document that has nothing to do with Christianity has anything to do with the joining of two souls in the eyes of God.

 

[nlphypno80]

From the sounds of everything you are all complicating something that is very simple and straightforward.

I personally don't see the need for long drawn out debates like this over something that is basic common sense.

 

[Hetta]

From the sounds of everything you are all complicating something that is very simple and straightforward.

I personally don't see the need for long drawn out debates like this over something that is basic common sense.

So because you have made your mind up, you don't think anyone should talk about it? LOL.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

The Bible never says what differences there are between a spiritual marriage and a legal marriage, or if signing a legal document that has nothing to do with Christianity has anything to do with the joining of two souls in the eyes of God.

Marriage is the commitment between a man and a woman. Everything else is just ritual, tradition, and public records.

 

[Cearbhall]

Is a legal marriage looked upon by God the same as a spiritual marriage?

If two people get spiritually married by a Christian church leader and are not/do not get legally married, are they still married in the eyes of God?

I would think it would depend. For example, you can get remarried legally without getting an annulment, and that supposedly would be adultery in the eyes of God.

This is why "God doesn't recognize it" isn't an argument against same-sex marriage. The law doesn't care whether or not a Christian church would recognize a particular opposite-sex marriage.

 

[nlphypno80]

So because you have made your mind up, you don't think anyone should talk about it? LOL.

Why argue with common sense? The entire point of dating is for men an and women to find the right person for them, settle down, get married, and have some kids.

It's also why God made women in the first place.

 

[Gadarene]

Why argue with common sense?

Because the vast majority of the time people using the term "common sense" to bolster their argument are not employing much in the way of sense themselves.

It's virtually a de facto logical fallacy at this point in time.

The entire point of dating is for men an and women to find the right person for them, settle down, get married, and have some kids.

It's also why God made women in the first place.

not enough popcorn for this thread

*deckchair*

 

[KitKatMatt]

Why argue with common sense? The entire point of dating is for men an and women to find the right person for them, settle down, get married, and have some kids.

It's also why God made women in the first place.

The point of this thread is not to question the point of marriage. If you want to talk about that, I can start a new thread about it (because it's something I could very well rant about).