Marriage in God's eyes

[MattMooradian]

It is curious that no one ever preaches about what the woman at the well's marital status means about marriage in God's eyes.

The woman at the well had five husbands but was never married. Her current husband was married to someone else (Samaritans did not practice polygamy). Why does Jesus refer to her as having five husbands when she was never married. She clearly says, "I have no husband, Lord." Jesus clearly says, "you have five husbands."

God has said elsewhere that He does not "respect" the powers and principalities of this world. That is, God does not recognize the power of people in authority: this includes priests and pastors.

Adam & Eve became "one flesh", which we typically interpret as their becoming married. No pastor or priest involved, just sex. (despite what some people preach about God coming down and performing a wedding ceremony - no evidence in the Bible that that ever happened; just a fairy tale.) They were married because of the intercourse! I am proposing that sex is marriage and that we are married to everyone we have had sex with. This is not a problem for the afterlife because marriage is irrelevant in the afterlife. "In heaven there is no marriage."

Furthermore, if you get married by man's laws and do not have sex with your spouse - you are not married in God's eyes; you are married according to man's laws, however.

Do not fret that LGBTQs are usurping one of God's greatest "mysteries", the sacrament of marriage. This solves the problem of gay marriage - it is impossible! Gay people cannot have intercourse and, therefore, can never be married in God's eyes. Just because human laws say they are married does not mean they are married according to God's law. Nevertheless, the human decision to grant union to LGBTQs is a sign that humanity is becoming increasingly sinful and with seared conscienses.

 

[DNB]

It is curious that no one ever preaches about what the woman at the well's marital status means about marriage in God's eyes.

The woman at the well had five husbands but was never married. Her current husband was married to someone else (Samaritans did not practice polygamy). Why does Jesus refer to her as having five husbands when she was never married. She clearly says, "I have no husband, Lord." Jesus clearly says, "you have five husbands."

God has said elsewhere that He does not "respect" the powers and principalities of this world. That is, God does not recognize the power of people in authority: this includes priests and pastors.

Adam & Eve became "one flesh", which we typically interpret as their becoming married. No pastor or priest involved, just sex. (despite what some people preach about God coming down and performing a wedding ceremony - no evidence in the Bible that that ever happened; just a fairy tale.) They were married because of the intercourse! I am proposing that sex is marriage and that we are married to everyone we have had sex with. This is not a problem for the afterlife because marriage is irrelevant in the afterlife. "In heaven there is no marriage."

Furthermore, if you get married by man's laws and do not have sex with your spouse - you are not married in God's eyes; you are married according to man's laws, however.

Do not fret that LGBTQs are usurping one of God's greatest "mysteries", the sacrament of marriage. This solves the problem of gay marriage - it is impossible! Gay people cannot have intercourse and, therefore, can never be married in God's eyes. Just because human laws say they are married does not mean they are married according to God's law. Nevertheless, the human decision to grant union to LGBTQs is a sign that humanity is becoming increasingly sinful and with seared conscienses.

I agree with your ultimate conclusion Matt, but not at all with the means on how you got there.
Jesus said to the woman at the well that she had 5 husbands, not has. And, that the current man that she is now with, is not her husband.
I have absolutely no idea how you equate God as not being a 'respecter of persons', or Paul stating of the evil powers and principalities of this world, as including the priesthood of Christ (Bishops/Presbyters/Elders)? Yes, there are corrupt priests and charlatans out there, but Paul demanded the ordination of elders in the Church (Timothy, Titus).
Marriage is not defined by intercourse, just as becoming one with another is not defined solely by intercourse, as you stated. David & Jonathan were one, Christ and his Church are one with each other, and God.

Marriage in God's eyes is defined by commitment, love, respect and fidelity, ...for even an eunuch or impotent person can get married. If a couple stop having sex soon after being married, for whatever reason, are they now divorced? Sex does not define marriage.
Every point that you made was invalid, or based on a false predicate.
I am strongly against homosexuality, LGBTQ, and any sexual perversion and abuse out there. But your rationale was all wrong.

 

[DNB]

Paul was very much influenced by his Roman heritage, which led him to form a church hierarchy. The early church had no elders, no pastors, and no priests. In the early church, the believers often cast lots (determining God's will) to identify who would be the 'pastor' for that day. Other churches rotated through their believers who became 'pastor' for that day. Some early churches used inspiration (speaking in tongues) to identify their leader for the day. Early church marriages did not have priests, pastors, or any other Christian authority presiding over weddings. Jewish religious leaders did perform marriages for Christians in the early church (a cultural influence, not God's will). There was no hierarchy in the early churches (except James in Jerusalem). The hierarchy was deemed a necessity for managing larger & larger groups of people. This was primarily a Roman influence that became more prevalent over time, until churches everywhere were forming hierarchies. "God is not a respecter of persons." Which I take to mean: God does not recognize the authority of authority figures.

What!? Nothing to do with marriage on Earth. David & Jonathan were friends, not spouses. Where does it say that David & Jonathan 'became one flesh'? If the Bible does say that, maybe gay people are married in God's eyes (not!). Christ & his Church is a symbolic union meant to teach us about the Church's relationship with Christ.
No. You need to re-read that story more carefully. She had five husbands, but her current husband is "not her husband". How can she be married & not married at the same time.

No, don't make Paul out to be a secular minded person, who orchestrated the organization of God's Churches based on cultural conventions. Don't even try!
I have no idea where you get your information about the early Church, and it's hierarchy? You make them sound like a bunch of whimsical and frivolous children, who have not got enough sense to determine among them who are the mature and immature, the wise and unwise, the faithful and the double-minded. That is, who are qualified, or unqualified to lead. Paul, or other authors, acknowledged the leaders of the Church several times (Acts 21:18, Acts 16:4, Acts 20:17, 1 Peter 5:5, Hebrews 13:17, Hebrews 13:24, 1 Timothy 5:17, Titus 1:5)

If you are differentiating between one-flesh and one-spirit, then David & Jonathon do not apply. But, I think that becoming one-flesh is not necessarily exclusive to sex. Although Paul does refer to it as such, in one case, I believe that he was using that hyperbole as a deterrent. Meaning, sex is a sacred thing, meant for spouses to become one, therefore, don't desecrate it's sanctity. Because, no one truly becomes one with a prostitute, as intended by God.

So, you are entirely wrong equating sex with marriage, in God's eyes. God intended sex to be reserved for a married couple, and not abused or disrespected. But just because spouses have sex, doesn't mean that they are not showing contempt for God's gift, and thus, receiving God's approbation as a married couple.

 

[DNB]

I assume you are referring to my referencing the throwing of lots, rotating leaders & the use of inspiration in the early church. Besides early church writers, the use of casting lots to determine leaders was used by the disciples after the death of Judas. They picked the 'new' 12th apostle via casting lots. Apparently, they believed that God's will could be discovered in this way. (Acts 1:26). There is even precedence in the Old Testament (Leviticus 16:8).

No, I'm talking about Paul's explicit instructions to both Timothy & Titus, how to govern the Church, and chose leaders. All the criteria was set before them, so that they could make a concerted, practical and discerning judgement on who was qualified for a hierarchical position in the Church.

 

[theophilus]

Paul was very much influenced by his Roman heritage, which led him to form a church hierarchy.

What Roman heritage? Here is how he describes himself:

If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee.
Philippians 3:4,5 ESV

He was a Roman citizen and he used this citizenship to enable him to preach the gospel, but he wasn't influenced by Roman culture. His teaching about the church was the result of God's revealing new truth to him.