What defines a marriage?

[SemperReformanda]

Or...
What is required for one to be considered married (or two :P )

or..

What makes two people married?

Or something to that effect..
What have people found scriptures to say about it?

[god'schild219]

Well look at here, marriage is the question? What is required is two witnesses someone to present the marriage vows or someone of leadership whom is ordained, and the both of you saying "I Do".

Make sure that when you do decided to marry that, you are a believer in christ, and definitely makes sure your so to be husband IS too.

Don't make the mistake that I did in marrying unequally yoked.

Read all of corinthians chapter I and II it talks about family, marriage, and commitment.

[OneJoe]

Excellent question. I would like to add a question to this topic also. It could I suppose be answered the same as the others.

Must a marriage be in writing?

The bible states for a divorce to be put in writing so must the marriage taking place be in writing? Obviously these days that is the case for legal reasons, but how about for those who try to live fully independant of the world?



Onejoe

[god'schild219]

It all depends on the country, economy, culture you live in because I believe in (pakinstand) forgive my spelling, they can renounce their vows by saying I Divorce you three times. So it depends.

[SemperReformanda]

Well look at here, marriage is the question? What is required is two witnesses someone to present the marriage vows or someone of leadership whom is ordained, and the both of you saying "I Do".



Intresting thoughts. Are yousaying "look at here [america]". Or that the biblical requirements for one to be wed are a) two witnesses, an ordained leader,and a presentation of vows and "I do".

IF the second, where do we find these requirements in Scripture?

[OneJoe]

According to the bible, divorce does not depend on the country. The bible says a divorce is to be in writing. Mat 5:31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

[god'schild219]

I understand that onejoe, and i must have misunderstood the question.

[m.o.m.]

This question was explored in a previous thread started by Tamara. There are some interesting responses there.

http://www.christianchatforum.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=853&highlight=marriage

Hope this helps. I think I might bump that thread up so you guys can find it easily.

m.o.m.

[Solus]

unilateral commitment before God in an honorable and blessed manner(man and woman)

[mhusoy]

It all depends on the country, economy, culture you live in because I believe in (pakinstand) forgive my spelling, they can renounce their vows by saying I Divorce you three times. So it depends.

Hey, I think that it's the islamic way.. I think that the Quran metions it...

but we are christiains.. and should follow the Bible.... (not anything else, like the Quran etc.)


your brother in Christ

Magnus

[WhiterThanSnow]

It seems to me that the only consistant thing throughout the Bible reguarding mairrage is that is was officiated by one thing: the two becoming one; sex. I think cultures have twisted sex into a flipant thing, but when the two become one flesh that sounds as close to mairrage as it can get. I guess there are different ceramonies for different cultures, but what makes it official is that final act as we see all through the Bible. From what I remember (correct me if I'm wrong), the only thing requiring paperwork was when someone wanted a divorce.

[Junebug]

I think I agree with WhiterThanSnow. There is no place in the Bible when a man and a woman joins that it is stated that paperwork is involved. The Bible says that the husband would go in to his wife. Remember Jacob didn't even know he had the wrong one until the next morning! Culture and tradition plays a lot in how the marriage ceremony is performed, but the actual act of marriage in the sight of God is the coming together to be one in a sexual manner before the Lord. That is why fornication and adultery is wrong, because it creates a bond that is supposed to be holy in the sight of God, but when it is done incorrectly, it defiles the bed and goes against everything that God has created marriage to be.