Marry in Registry Office

[David Lamb]

.......""I don't know what God's view would be about a couple who decided to get married in Colorado with no witnesses.
Me neither and I should have made that point earlier

Thanks.

 

[Jericho]

There's nothing in the Bible that says it has to be done in a church by a pastor or priest. There's no clear outline for a wedding ceremony at all. In ancient Judea, it was done between families via contract. Once they were betrothed, they were considered married even though they didn't consummate yet (which happened a year later). That's when the families got together and had a little ceremony and feast. So, it's largely dependent on the culture. The most important part is to say the wedding vows publicly before both God and man.

 

[doctrox]

I don't know what God's view would be about a couple who decided to get married in Colorado with no witnesses. Such details are (as far as I know) not mentioned in the Bible.

The Holy Bible has this to say about the value of witnesses:

This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. (2 Cor. 13:1)

and

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecc. 4:12)

I imagine it would depend upon why the couple wanted to get married with no witnesses. Were one or both of them already married? Were the two of them close blood relatives? If so, they might have wanted to marry secretly to avoid such things being made known.

The only reason for secrecy is to hide evil:

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. (John 3:19-21)

I think that must depend on where you live. Here in the UK, "CPS" stand for "Crown Prosecution Service", whose own website says what they exist for:

It depends on which master you have submitted to. If you have brought the corporation/Caesar into your union (e.g. via marriage license), then you will render unto that entity.

Neither the CPS nor any other agency bursts into people's homes and takes their children away at gunpoint. Sometimes, if a child is in danger from the parents, social workers may in rare cases remove that child to a place of safety, but that has nothing to do with whether or not the parents are married to each other.

At USA Inc., CPS = Child Protective Services. The family abuses perpetuated by that agency are legion.

There's nothing in the Bible that says it has to be done in a church by a pastor or priest.

...an incorporated business/"church" by a Caesarian-credentialed pastor or cemeteryseminary-schooled priest.

Rather, a believer is a member of the priesthood:

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called. (2 Pet. 2:9)

There's no clear outline for a wedding ceremony at all.

Indeed.

In ancient Judea, it was done between families via contract. Once they were betrothed, they were considered married even if they didn't consummate yet (which happened a year later).

Yes.

The most important part is to say the wedding vows publicly before both God and man.

By scriptural definition, a marriage without God as the centerpiece is no marriage at Law.

There is so much conflict raging (and, BTW, children gone missing), as folks unwittingly continue to serve two masters.

We must avoid making contracts with demonic forces.

A very important information you need to know about a contract is that it does not need to be a piece of paper with terms and conditions written on it. For example, the act of participating in a religious ritual, such as Christmas or Halloween, can bind you to whatever that religious ritual was designed to do.

The demonic forces like to use contracts to trick you to agree to participate in their world of legal fictions (dead entities and artificial persons). By contracting with them, you agree to play their matrix game to enslave mankind; therefore, they can prevent you from leaving their matrix. The good news is that their contracts are based on fraud, so when you know how to void contracts, you can nullify their contracts any time you want.

 

[David Lamb]

The Holy Bible has this to say about the value of witnesses:

This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. (2 Cor. 13:1)

and

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecc. 4:12)

Yes I agree. But we don't see the matter of marriage having to be before witnesses in the Bible (as far as I am aware).

The only reason for secrecy is to hide evil:

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. (John 3:19-21)

Yes, I cannot off-hand think of any other reason than secrecy.

It depends on which master you have submitted to. If you have brought the corporation/Caesar into your union (e.g. via marriage license), then you will render unto that entity.

Had the Jews "bought the Roman Empire/Caesar into their union"? Of course not. They didn't say to themselves, "Let us have the Roman Empire ruling our nation." Similarly (though not quite the same, of course) when I got married, I had to have a marriage certificate, not because my wife and I had brought the system of registering births, marriages and deaths into our union, but because by the laws of this country (UK), births, marriages and deaths must be registered.

At USA Inc., CPS = Child Protective Services. The family abuses perpetuated by that agency are legion.

Thanks for explaining that American acronym. Do your Child Protection Services really take children away from their parents at gunpoint?

...an incorporated business/"church" by a Caesarian-credentialed pastor or cemeteryseminary-schooled priest.

Rather, a believer is a member of the priesthood:

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called. (2 Pet. 2:9)

I agree that every believer is a priest. Churches in the UK are not "incorporated." I am unsure what a "credentialed pastor" is. Here, depending on the denomination, the local church chooses its own pastor, or, in some denominations, a denominational body does so.

 

[doctrox]

Yes I agree. But we don't see the matter of marriage having to be before witnesses in the Bible (as far as I am aware).

Certainly, there is no "rule" concerning witnesses. But hopefully, you can discern the value of them and why there was celebration (witnesses) to a marriage - into God's family. Witnesses expose the evil that secrecy would bring.

when I got married, I had to have a marriage certificate, not because my wife and I had brought the system of registering births, marriages and deaths into our union, but because by the laws of this country (UK), births, marriages and deaths must be registered.

Yes, the master to which you voluntarily submitted requires that his subjects "register" etc. etc.

Thanks for explaining that American acronym. Do your Child Protection Services really take children away from their parents at gunpoint?

"Gunpoint" episodes are not uncommon. And CPS has been exposed as complicit in child trafficking.

Here, depending on the denomination, the local church chooses its own pastor, or, in some denominations, a denominational body does so.

Even UK charities are regulated by Caesar (the Charities Commission). The camel still has his nose in the tent.

 

[ProDeo]

My belief is that if a couple have consensual sex they are married in the sight of God ... which would mean an awful lot of people are living in adultery ... unless they have repented and asked forgiveness.

Fulfilling the legal requirements of the country are a different matter.

Agree.

Deut 22:28 “If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found,
Deut 22:29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days.

Ex 22:16 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife.

 

[Angelina]

A previously unmarried non-Christian couple marry in a Registry Office.
Later they both become Christian
Are they guilty of ongoing fornication until a Pastor marries them ?

No. A pastor doesn’t make a marriage valid; God recognizes lawful covenant marriage under civil authority (Romans 13:1–7). If they were legally married before coming to faith, they are already husband and wife. 1 Corinthians 7 treats such marriages as real marriages after conversion, not ongoing fornication. A church ceremony can be a blessing, but it isn’t what makes them married.

 

[quietthinker]

A previously unmarried non-Christian couple marry in a Registry Office.
Later they both become Christian
Are they guilty of ongoing fornication until a Pastor marries them ?

Questions of this nature are asked when Law supersedes Grace, when Judgement outraces Mercy, when Justice is interpreted as payback.

 

[David Lamb]

Certainly, there is no "rule" concerning witnesses. But hopefully, you can discern the value of them and why there was celebration (witnesses) to a marriage - into God's family. Witnesses expose the evil that secrecy would bring.

Yes, I agree that witnesses are desirable.

Yes, the master to which you voluntarily submitted requires that his subjects "register" etc. etc.

I don't view the state as my master. If the UK government suddenly issued a law that nobody should read the Bible, or meet with other Christians to worship and study God's word, I would have to say as the apostles did, "I must obey God rather than man."

"Gunpoint" episodes are not uncommon. And CPS has been exposed as complicit in child trafficking.

In that case I am glad I live in the UK.

Even UK charities are regulated by Caesar (the Charities Commission). The camel still has his nose in the tent.

It is only larger churches with annual income of over £100,000 which are required to register with the Charity Commission. Even then, the Commission does not have the right to dictate what the church believes, or how it operates.

 

[PeterAndroz]

No. A pastor doesn’t make a marriage valid; God recognizes lawful covenant marriage under civil authority (Romans 13:1–7). If they were legally married before coming to faith, they are already husband and wife. 1 Corinthians 7 treats such marriages as real marriages after conversion, not ongoing fornication. A church ceremony can be a blessing, but it isn’t what makes them married.

I later reworded the question :-
..
What about unbelievers who self-marry without any reference to GOD ?
eg :-
Colorado - do it yourself marraige ?
No witnesses required, any location, just the 2 of you
..