Can someone say their vows to one another
and ask God to be their witness? Will that be
justified as marriage in God's eyes?
I appreciate this question. I can also hear a silent
voice from the questionnaire. I hope you have not camped
someone secretly without parental consent; dowry paid and
assumes that lady as your wife? If you have; you need to do
things right as you go through this small piece of counsel,
which I believe will guide. Our God is a God of order. He is
also God of righteousness. Anything is that not right is
unrighteous and the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom
of God.
Marriage is God’s ordinance and should be well handled by
His children. God started marriage and expected something
great from it. In Genesis chapter 2:20-25 God’s framework of
marriage was seen here. Because the couple involved did not
obey the voice of the Lord, their destiny was ruined as a
result of disobedience. God intended to work with Adam and
Eve as the first couple.
Nevertheless after the fall, God still continued with human
race and never erased marriage as part of his program with
humans on the earth. You will discover that Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob married people from their race and it was well with
them. Believers are expected to be equally yoked - II Cor.
6:14-18.
OBEDIENCE TO PARENTAL COUNSEL
Gen. 28:6-9
“Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent
him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when
he blessed him he commanded him. “Do not marry a Canaanite
woman, and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and
had gone to Paddan Aram. Esau then realized how displeasing
the Canaanite women were to his father Isaac; so he went to
Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaoith and
daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives
he already had.”
Notice here that we are not encouraging polygamy. It was the
custom in the Old Testament. It is not so now. The emphasis
in this case is that the parents were involved. Parental
counsel, especially godly parents in choosing is desirable
for Christians. Pastoral counsel is also desirable because
your pastor will give account over your soul – Hebrews 13:7.
Although some of us claim to have the Holy Spirit as
guidance, but you should also remember that you are under an
authority of human beings whom God had made shepherds over
your life and you must respect their godly counsel to you on
issues that has to do with your life and destiny especially
marriage.
MARRIAGE IS NOT A SECRET ORDINANCE
Exchanging vows secretly is not of God. If marriage were to
be a cult Jesus, his parents, his disciples would not have
been in Marriage at Cana of Galilee. The Bible says Jesus
was there as a guest and he performed a miracle. Go through
the account in John 2:1-11. You discover what happened when
Jesus was in that marriage. He was invited and was there
physically with his mother and his disciples. Notice the
miracle that happened. Water turned to wine. Shame turned to
honor! What a blessing to involve the Lord Jesus in all that
you do.
You should involve your parents, your pastor, friends, and
church members to share in exchange of vows between you and
the person you want to marry. After all, is it not a joyful
thing to be married?
THERE IS HONOR IN MARRIAGE
Hebrews `13:4
“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed
kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the
sexually immoral”.
My friend, do not because of sin remove others from knowing
about your vows in marriage. It is not godly. You receive a
lot of blessings when you exchange your vows before godly
men in a church. Members of the same faith would be
obligated to you in prayers for success in your marriage.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,
whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have
learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it
into practice. And the God of peace will be with you!
“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will
give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the
Alpha and the Omega, the first and the Last, the Beginning
and the End. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that
they may have the right to the tree of life and may go
through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those
who practice magic acts, the sexually immoral, the
murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and
practices false-hood”.
Are you born again?
It is an important question you must answer sincerely. This
will guide you in life and your marriage here and
hereafter!.
God bless you.
Rev Debo Adeyemo
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At the heart of this question is, "What is the value of
the marriage ceremony?"
In the beginning God created Adam, and from His side, God
created Eve whom he brought to Adam to be his wife (Genesis
2:22-25). As to whether, or not, there was any sort of
ceremony marking this, the Bible doesn't say, however, it
does say that Eve was Adam's wife (Genesis 2:24, 3:8,17, 20,
21; 4:1).
We see from Biblical times that there was a ceremony which
marked one's marriage for all are aware of the event which
took place in Cana in Galilee when Jesus turned water to
wine at a wedding feast (John 2:1-3). Just as Christian
baptism symbolizes what has taken place in the life of the
one being baptized (that they have moved from the camp of
unbelievers to the camp of believers) the same is true when
one is married. The marriage ceremony is a public testimony
that the two who are being married have moved from a life of
being single to a life of commitment to one another, as
husband and wife, in the bonds of marriage; it's a testimony
to the world. It's also important to remember that it is God
who has instituted governmental authority within civilized
society and we are to obey the governing authorities (Romans
13:1). Civil government has set forth certain requirements
for marriage between a man and a woman and we are to abide
by them.
Jim Futral
http://www.biblepath.com (Answers to questions
from a Biblical perspective)
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Not in the Christian faith. Christians are given Scripture by which our lives are meant to be lived. Marriage, a sacred sacrament, is a commitment for life, and there are boundaries.
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No. It is God's wish for us to be brought together in front of a Man of the Cloth. A Minister or Priest. One cannot do it by themselves and be married. They do not have that authority. The Lord gave that authority to Ministers/Priests/Pastors. Of course, we must have the Lord as our witness in our spirits and souls and hearts because any claim for independence from the divine intention for marriage is simply wrong! Marriage is not an arrangement made between two individuals in isolation from God and other humans beings. A biblical marriage takes place with the gathering of others in order to to show the element of mutual responsibility in the relationship. Originally, Adam and Eve were united in the presence of God Himself. Since then the union of two persons in matrimony has been a community event (John 2:1). Trying to marry without the blessing of the Lord and the formal approval of the community in the presence of a Man of the Cloth is nothing more than 'living together.' Therefore it is a relationship for the immediate present with no regard or concern for the future of it.
Love DeeDee
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No, I feel that you need to have a public ceremony.. It is a pledge of faith just as you go up front of a group to inform everyone that you have received Jesus as your personal savior and you will stand on those words. Thanks for your great web site.
Lea
