Is it time for The Marriage Pledge?

[Aquila]

Is it time for The Marriage Pledge?

"Therefore, in our roles as Christian ministers, we, the undersigned, commit ourselves to disengaging civil and Christian marriage in the performance of our pastoral duties. We will no longer serve as agents of the state in marriage. We will no longer sign government-provided marriage certificates. We will ask couples to seek civil marriage separately from their church-related vows and blessings."

http://www.firstthings.com/marriage-pledge

[Liteweight47]

I actually think this is a reasonable solution. If you took this pledge would you still encourage your members/those you marry to seek a state marriage license? Or would that be optional?

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Liteweight47

I actually think this is a reasonable solution. If you took this pledge would you still encourage your members/those you marry to seek a state marriage license? Or would that be optional?

I see it as being the personal conviction of the pastoral leadership of each body. Pastors/elders might want to offer advice or guidance for each couple individually as it might relate to their individual situations. However, a couple's options could be any of the following:

1.The couple first contracts a civil marriage at the courthouse followed at a convenient time by entering into a Christian marriage.

2.The couple first enters into Christian marriage followed in due course by contracting a civil marriage at the courthouse.

3.The couple could enter into a Christian marriage without entering into a civil contract at all. Civil law does not require that all religious marriages also be civil ones.

At the end of the day, couples would have options with regards to what kind of a marriage would truly suit their needs as an individual couple.

[Rudy]

In the case of some senior couples having a civil marriage would cause them to lose some benefits. Medical expenses could wipe out any savings accrued and create hardship.

With the government losing its moral direction I can't see a civil marriage being the norm anymore.

I don't know what a couple could do facing that scenario.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Rudy

In the case of some senior couples having a civil marriage would cause them to lose some benefits. Medical expenses could wipe out any savings accrued and create hardship.

With the government losing its moral direction I can't see a civil marriage being the norm anymore.

I don't know what a couple could do facing that scenario.

I agree.

I also think the church should use it's authority to make the call on some of these situations.

Matthew 18:18
Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

[Aquila]

Besides, Christians shouldn't look to courts and litigation to settle any dispute or injustice.

1 Corinthians 6:1-8 King James Version (KJV)
6 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?
6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

Thus, Christians should operate privately without entanglements with the civil system.

[jediwill83]

Good idea methinks

[FlamingZword]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Is it time for The Marriage Pledge?

"Therefore, in our roles as Christian ministers, we, the undersigned, commit ourselves to disengaging civil and Christian marriage in the performance of our pastoral duties. We will no longer serve as agents of the state in marriage. We will no longer sign government-provided marriage certificates. We will ask couples to seek civil marriage separately from their church-related vows and blessings."

http://www.firstthings.com/marriage-pledge

Dear Aquila

I totally agree with you in this issue, it is time for the church to simply refuse to recognize government marriage.
According to the Bible, marriage is a God created institution, government has not part in it.

I think some states are beginning to think of getting out of the marriage business altogether, good for them.

[votivesoul]

Anyone heard of Michael and Debbie Pearl from No Greater Joy Ministries?

Here is a link to something that pertains to this thread:

http://nogreaterjoy.org/articles/the-wedding/

None of my daughters or their husbands asked the state of Tennessee for permission to marry. They did not yoke themselves to government. It was a personal, private covenant, binding them together forever—until death.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

Anyone heard of Michael and Debbie Pearl from No Greater Joy Ministries?

Here is a link to something that pertains to this thread:

http://nogreaterjoy.org/articles/the-wedding/

Curious if you did any research on Michael or Debi Pearl? They have some rather disturbing views on raising children.