Marriage Rejuvenation?

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

I was not factoring that into my post. Since I was dealing with man and a woman (Aquila and Christine, I think he said her name was), my comments at the end were meant only within that purview.

Therefore, a man and woman, saints of the Most High, getting a marriage license from their local government, are not worse off spiritually in any way for having done so.

I don't think I was saying they'd be worse off for getting a civil marriage. But I thought you were saying they'd be worse off unless they got a civil marriage? And that a civil marriage ipso facto places the couple in a divinely sanctioned state?

Two people claiming marriage but not being married, however, are in a different spot spiritually speaking.

Like two men with a bona fide legal civil marriage? I would agree, such are just claiming marriage, but aren't actually married.

Which raises the question at the root of the whole discussion: What constitutes genuine marriage? And, Does God only sanction those unions which are sanctioned by the state?