A Biblical Definition of Marriage

Rex · Sep 1, 2004

Well where do you stand?

A Biblical Definition of Marriage - Charles Henderson

Warning: Updates may be required

In the context of heated debate about gay marriage, various politicians, preachers and pundits, from the smallest talk radio stations to the White House itself, are rising up with one accord to urge a hasty return to a "biblical" definition of marrige. President Bush has asked for the public's prayerful guidance as he seeks to find a legal remedy for recent court decisions that he finds disturbing. If these advocates of "traditional" marriage actually consult their Bibles carefully, however, they may come away from a close reading of the sacred text with something less than a feeling of comfort.

If one were to construct an amendment to the Constitution based on a literal reading of the Bible it might well contain the following stipulations:

Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one man and one or more women. (Gen 29:17-28; II Sam 3:2-5)

2. Marriage shall not impede a man's right to take concubines, in addition to his wife or wives. (II Sam 5:13; I Kings 11:3; II Chron 11:21)

3. A marriage shall be considered valid only if the wife is a virgin. If the wife is not a virgin, she shall be executed. (Deut 22:13-21)

4. Marriage of a believer and a non-believer shall be forbidden. (Gen 24:3; Num 25:1-9; Ezra 9:12; Neh 10:30)

5. Since marriage is for life, neither this Constitution nor the constitution of any State, nor any state or federal law, shall be construed to permit divorce. (Deut 22:19; Mark 10:9)

6. If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry the widow. If he refuses to marry his brother's widow or deliberately does not give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe, and be otherwise punished in a manner to be determined by law. (Gen. 38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10)

7. In lieu of marriage, if there are no acceptable men in your town, it is required that you get your dad drunk and have sex with him (even if he had previously offered you up as a sex toy to men young and old), tag-teaming with any sisters you may have. Of course, this rule applies only if you are female. (Gen 19:31-36)

Perhaps a more contemporary standard measures up better against the ancient near eastern tradition than one might have expected.

true blood · Sep 1, 2004

My stand is that a marriage is a union between one man and one woman.

Green Gaia · Sep 1, 2004

Then why not adhere to all the other definitions of marriage that can be found in the Bible? Why pick and choose?

true blood · Sep 1, 2004

I base my life and beliefs in the Epistals. Those "biblical" definitions were under different spiritual admins and were addressed to specific bodies of people.

Scott1 · Sep 1, 2004

Then why not adhere to all the other definitions of marriage that can be found in the Bible? Why pick and choose?

It is not a matter of "pick and choose", but a matter of discernment and education.

We don't follow every law (slavery. segregation etc..)put on the books thoughout American legal history, we follow current law/teaching........

You can't take a section of the Bible out of context and get it to make sense to you.

Peace,
Scott

painted wolf · Sep 1, 2004

the stands of most people arn't influinced by the bible but by thier cultures....
the bible is just a handy excuse and will be used to back up cultural ideals...

much like the Quran is used selectivly, to back up cultural ideal in other parts of the world.

wa:do

Pah · Sep 1, 2004

true blood said:
I base my life and beliefs in the Epistals. Those "biblical" definitions were under different spiritual admins and were addressed to specific bodies of people.

Perhaps you should define and explain "spiritual administration"

-pah-

Green Gaia · Sep 2, 2004

SOGFPP said:
It is not a matter of "pick and choose", but a matter of discernment and education.

We don't follow every law (slavery. segregation etc..)put on the books thoughout American legal history, we follow current law/teaching........

You can't take a section of the Bible out of context and get it to make sense to you.

Peace,
Scott

I agree. But if it is left up to discernment and education, then it is accepted that some laws in the Bible no longer are relevent to our society today. Who decides this? And shouldn't this only apply to Christians and not society as a whole?

Scott1 · Sep 2, 2004

I agree. But if it is left up to discernment and education, then it is accepted that some laws in the Bible no longer are relevent to our society today.

Correct.

Who decides this? And shouldn't this only apply to Christians and not society as a whole?

Who decides? In my faith, the Magesterium (or teaching office) of the Bishops in union with the Pope decides. To have a final authority in matters of faith and doctrine in one of the things that drew me to the Catholic Church.

The teachings of Christianity to a believer are universal.... to not believe that we have the TRUTH would be contrary to a logical definition of faith.
That being said, I don't think that the Church has the power to influence society (at least in this country)....... the faith of individual voters as believers in a moral system can have effect, but no more than a atheist or UU.

Peace,
Scott

true blood · Sep 2, 2004

pah said:
Perhaps you should define and explain "spiritual administration"

-pah-

Its like in governmental organizations, from local gov't to federal, there is different administrations. For instance, we may have a Republican or a Democratic admin., or we may speak of an admin of a certain President. So it is in the Bible. Before the end of time, there will have been seven different administrations, the counting begins with Genesis 1:1 and going to Revelations 21:20. The administration preceding the day of Pentecost was the admin of Christ's personal presence upon earth. The Bible refers to this period as the Christ Administration or the Kingdom of Heaven. This admin officially ended with his ascension, but in practice, people have acted as though it continued on, and has caused gross misunderstanding. The next admin is called the Church of Grace or Age of Grace or Grace Administration, but many born-again believers continued abiding by the law many years after as if they're still under the Age of Law admin, even unto this very day. Acts:21:20 "how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law"... In the future will be the Revelation Administration. This is when the admin of Grace has culminated and Jesus Christ as the bridegroom begins the new admin. Then Christ will be the king of kings and lord of lords.

Pah · Sep 2, 2004

true blood said:
Its like in governmental organizations, from local gov't to federal, there is different administrations. For instance, we may have a Republican or a Democratic admin., or we may speak of an admin of a certain President. So it is in the Bible. Before the end of time, there will have been seven different administrations, the counting begins with Genesis 1:1 and going to Revelations 21:20. The administration preceding the day of Pentecost was the admin of Christ's personal presence upon earth. The Bible refers to this period as the Christ Administration or the Kingdom of Heaven. This admin officially ended with his ascension, but in practice, people have acted as though it continued on, and has caused gross misunderstanding. The next admin is called the Church of Grace or Age of Grace or Grace Administration, but many born-again believers continued abiding by the law many years after as if they're still under the Age of Law admin, even unto this very day. Acts:21:20 "how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law"... In the future will be the Revelation Administration. This is when the admin of Grace has culminated and Jesus Christ as the bridegroom begins the new admin. Then Christ will be the king of kings and lord of lords.

Thank you! Of course answering one question invariably leads to asking others but I'll forego them for now.

-pah-

anders · Sep 15, 2004

6. If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry the widow. If he refuses to marry his brother's widow or deliberately does not give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe, and be otherwise punished in a manner to be determined by law. (Gen. 38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10)

The punishment the loving God metes out is, of course, death (Gen 38:10).

Seriously, seeing how many laws of the OT that are disregarded by Christians, I don't understand why the OT hasn't been eliminated from the Bible in its entirety.

Wleeper · Oct 6, 2004

Why are all these Old Testament passages being used to determine the Biblical definition of marriage. The Old Testament was for the Jewish nation and is not applicable to Christians today. The world today is ameniable to the New Testament, not the Old. I realse that most of you don't understand this because you don't understand the Bible. Never the less, the biblical definition for the present dispensation is found in Mat. 19:4-6. Jesus himself makes the distinction between what Moses allowed (Old Testament) and His commands (New Testament). Paul further discusses this subject in Ephesians 5:24-31.

linwood · Oct 6, 2004

The teachings of Christianity to a believer are universal..

The Old Testament was for the Jewish nation and is not applicable to Christians today.

In just thought those two quotes next to each other were interesting.

I realse that most of you don't understand this because you don't understand the Bible.

No..we don`t understand this because Christians do not agree on what or which rules to follow.
Nor can they give one conclusive standard by which they decide which to follow.

I`ve asked..begged for a standard by which these laws are followed and never got one...I did get three or four different ones but never one conclusive standard.

If y`all don`t even know what you`re doing how can anyone else figure it out?

Wleeper · Oct 6, 2004

linwood. Your point is well taken and that is truly ashamed. People who call themselves Christians do indeed difer on their understanding of the Bible. The truth is that they don't disagree on what it says, they disagree on what it means. The main reason for this is that most people, including Christians, go to the Bible, not to learn, but to prove their preconceived notions. It is no wonder that many people are turned off by the myrid of claims supposedly supported by the Bible. A wise man once told me that the Bible message is so clear that to misunderstand it you have to have a preacher to help you. That is unfortunate, but true. When Jesus said that marriage is between one man and one woman that is a very simple statement to understand. It is only when people want to get around this clear teaching that come up with alternate teachings and try to justify them with obscure or inapplicable Bible passages. If a person could sit down with a Bible and shut his ears to all the religious noise he could learn the truth for himself. That takes time, however, and most people do not want to take the time necessary so they let someone else study it (the preacher) then let him tell them what it says. So there are as many understandings as there are preachers. Get your self a copy of the Bible and figure it out for yourself, ignoring all outside opinions, including mine.

linwood · Oct 7, 2004

The main reason for this is that most people, including Christians, go to the Bible, not to learn, but to prove their preconceived notions.

I do this myself but being an atheist I do not take the action seriously, most often I do it to show that for every message I can find that supports my pre-concieved notion I can find another that directly contradicts it...if taken literally.

A wise man once told me that the Bible message is so clear that to misunderstand it you have to have a preacher to help you.

I like that, I`ll remember it.

Get your self a copy of the Bible and figure it out for yourself, ignoring all outside opinions, including mine.

You`d be surprised at the Biblical library I have here considering my lack of belief.

I`m not very close to understanding it in the way you believe it can be understood however.

Wleeper · Oct 7, 2004

So why do you have a problem taking it literally. Try applying this rule of Bible study. A passage must be taken literal unless the text or the context demands a figuative translation. If the Bible says " Husbands, love your wives.", there is no reason not to take the passage literally. On the other hand, when Jesus said "I am a door." he was obviously speaking figuratively. If the commands of the Bible cannot be taken literally then it should be discorded as having no value.

linwood · Oct 7, 2004

So why do you have a problem taking it literally.

I`m sorry I might not have been very clear.
I do consider myself a "Biblical Literalist", I do take the Bible in aliteral sense.

I also recognise and understand when metaphor and parables are being used.

This still leaves alot of interpretation necessary in order to give the Bible a consistent message.

Our earlier debate about the serpent in Eden being an example.
I see no reference to that serpent as Satan in the book itself yet everyone including yourself thinks it is.
Why ..I cannot understand.

The Voice of Reason · Oct 7, 2004

true blood said:
Its like in governmental organizations, from local gov't to federal, there is different administrations. For instance, we may have a Republican or a Democratic admin., or we may speak of an admin of a certain President. So it is in the Bible. Before the end of time, there will have been seven different administrations, the counting begins with Genesis 1:1 and going to Revelations 21:20. The administration preceding the day of Pentecost was the admin of Christ's personal presence upon earth. The Bible refers to this period as the Christ Administration or the Kingdom of Heaven. This admin officially ended with his ascension, but in practice, people have acted as though it continued on, and has caused gross misunderstanding. The next admin is called the Church of Grace or Age of Grace or Grace Administration, but many born-again believers continued abiding by the law many years after as if they're still under the Age of Law admin, even unto this very day. Acts:21:20 "how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law"... In the future will be the Revelation Administration. This is when the admin of Grace has culminated and Jesus Christ as the bridegroom begins the new admin. Then Christ will be the king of kings and lord of lords.

You'll have to help me here, true blood. I don't have the depth of knowledge and understanding of the Bible that many others do, but this is the first I have heard of the "seven administrations". Can you tell me where this is delineated in the Bible (or is this one of those times where I need to be able to "read between the lines")?

Thanks,
TVOR

The Voice of Reason · Oct 7, 2004

Quote:
The teachings of Christianity to a believer are universal..

The Old Testament was for the Jewish nation and is not applicable to Christians today.

linwood said:
In just thought those two quotes next to each other were interesting.

Linwood - this is so beautiful I almost cried. I don't think I have ever seen a more concrete example of selective reading resulting in situational ethics. This perfectly captures the essence of why Christianity is so fractured, and impossible to buy into from a rational, logical standpoint. This should be carved into stone, lest it be lost to the ages.

TVOR

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