Marriage Definition

[firehill]

Sherman:I would ammend this to say that marriage is "meant to be" a life long commitment that "should be only" severed upon the death of a spouse. Sadly too many marriages end in divorce; and divorce severs the relationship as well as death.

I beleive that this statement is addressed in Romans 7:2-3, "Let me illustrate. When a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries."

Did you know that Paul was speaking in reference to Roman law? The wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives according to Roman civil law. This is something I learned within the last year.

Are you saying Paul is only quoting Roman law, and not speaking from God?

That's what I learned if I'm remembering correctly. The 'law' Paul is refering to is Roman. Sherman is more knowledge on this subject than I so maybe He knows for sure. Anyway that is what I remember reading.

I don't think so. Paul is refering to things Jesus himself said, it was aimed at men because men were the only ones that could instigate divorce in Hebrew law. Rome was actually pretty civilized, women could own property, run a business and marry or divorce on her on. Not through the entire history but most of it. Jesus put it alittle more bluntly a bill of divorce was authorized by Moses because of the peoples hardness of heart, not because thats the way God wanted it he said; if you divorce for anything other than marital unfaithfulness and remarried you were commiting adultry. Matthew 19 7-10.

I also remember reading that Paul wasn't even speaking to the issue of divorce and remarriage in romans 7:2-3!

Hopefully Sherman can clear things up.

[Scarletprayers]

Sherman:I would ammend this to say that marriage is "meant to be" a life long commitment that "should be only" severed upon the death of a spouse. Sadly too many marriages end in divorce; and divorce severs the relationship as well as death.

I beleive that this statement is addressed in Romans 7:2-3, "Let me illustrate. When a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries."

Did you know that Paul was speaking in reference to Roman law? The wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives according to Roman civil law. This is something I learned within the last year.

Are you saying Paul is only quoting Roman law, and not speaking from God?

That's what I learned if I'm remembering correctly. The 'law' Paul is refering to is Roman. Sherman is more knowledge on this subject than I so maybe He knows for sure. Anyway that is what I remember reading.

I don't think so. Paul is refering to things Jesus himself said, it was aimed at men because men were the only ones that could instigate divorce in Hebrew law. Rome was actually pretty civilized, women could own property, run a business and marry or divorce on her on. Not through the entire history but most of it. Jesus put it alittle more bluntly a bill of divorce was authorized by Moses because of the peoples hardness of heart, not because thats the way God wanted it he said; if you divorce for anything other than marital unfaithfulness and remarried you were commiting adultry. Matthew 19 7-10.

I also remember reading that Paul wasn't even speaking to the issue of divorce and remarriage in romans 7:2-3!

Hopefully Sherman can clear things up.

Well I don't know Sherman and I know what I said above is true, so I don't have anything to clear up. Don't mean that to sound rude, thats not what I'm trying to convey. As for Romans 7:2-3 he is using the anology of marrige to explain being dead to the law after you come alive in Christ, that doesn't negate the part about marriage, since he is using the first truth to explain the second truth.

[Sherman]

Sherman:I would ammend this to say that marriage is "meant to be" a life long commitment that "should be only" severed upon the death of a spouse. Sadly too many marriages end in divorce; and divorce severs the relationship as well as death.

I beleive that this statement is addressed in Romans 7:2-3, "Let me illustrate. When a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries."

Did you know that Paul was speaking in reference to Roman law? The wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives according to Roman civil law. This is something I learned within the last year.

Are you saying Paul is only quoting Roman law, and not speaking from God?

That's what I learned if I'm remembering correctly. The 'law' Paul is refering to is Roman. Sherman is more knowledge on this subject than I so maybe He knows for sure. Anyway that is what I remember reading.

I don't think so. Paul is refering to things Jesus himself said, it was aimed at men because men were the only ones that could instigate divorce in Hebrew law. Rome was actually pretty civilized, women could own property, run a business and marry or divorce on her on. Not through the entire history but most of it. Jesus put it alittle more bluntly a bill of divorce was authorized by Moses because of the peoples hardness of heart, not because thats the way God wanted it he said; if you divorce for anything other than marital unfaithfulness and remarried you were commiting adultry. Matthew 19 7-10.

I also remember reading that Paul wasn't even speaking to the issue of divorce and remarriage in romans 7:2-3!

Hopefully Sherman can clear things up.

Well I don't know Sherman and I know what I said above is true, so I don't have anything to clear up. Don't mean that to sound rude, thats not what I'm trying to convey. As for Romans 7:2-3 he is using the anology of marrige to explain being dead to the law after you come alive in Christ, that doesn't negate the part about marriage, since he is using the first truth to explain the second truth.

Good morning everyone,

Silentprayer is correct in that in Rom.7 Paul is using a principle of marriage as an analogy to explain being dead to the law. But it's important in interpreting scripture to not take scripture out of context and make it say more than it does in context. The point, the essence of Rom.7.2 is that by being dead in Christ we are freed from the rule or dominion of law, just like a dead woman is freed from the rule or law of her husband. -- true

We all agree that death breaks the marriage union, true; people err though when they try to take this scripture and "prove" that death is the "Only" way a marriage union can be broken. This scripture does not imply, much less state tht death is the only way a marriage union can be broken. If I say that a glass breaks when it falls on the floor, I don't mean that a glass can "only" be broken by dropping it on the floor; it can also be broken by someone hitting it with a hammer. In the same way, Rom.7.2 reveals that the marriage covenant is broken by the death of a spouse, but it is NOT saying that divorce does not break the marriage covenant also.

Whether Paul was speaking of Roman law, or Mosaic Law does not matter, both recognized that death ended the marriage relationship. Furthermore, under Mosaic law, the purpose of the bill of divorce was to bring a legal end to broken marriages, legally freeing the wife from the rule or law of her husband. Under Roman law, either the husband or wife could initiate a legal divorce by simply leaving the relationship. The Romans did not have a "bill of divorce" and would have been wise to legislate such for many reasons.

Marriage ultimately is a civil/domestic union and thus under civil/domestic authority, which is under and as delegated by God. For Christians, marriage is also a spiritual yoking and thus as Christians we also ask God to bless our relationships, and we should submit our individual lives to the rule of God, His Spirit and His Word; but even Christian marriages are broken by divorce.

I hope this helps,

Blessings,

Sherman

[Phil.2:12]

That's what I learned if I'm remembering correctly. The 'law' Paul is refering to is Roman. Sherman is more knowledge on this subject than I so maybe He knows for sure. Anyway that is what I remember reading.

The law was a Roman law, as well as English law and American law, The English copied the Roman code of law while we copied the English code of Law. All of these codes of law are founded in the Scripture, even though they didn't realize it at the time the law was codified in these societies. God has a way of making His presence known even in matters like codifying the code of law. Paul was preaching the Word of God, so his viewpoint on the law might have reflected Roman law's viewpoint at that point in time, but it was putting God's stamp of approval on a law that currently existed.

[Sherman]

That's what I learned if I'm remembering correctly. The 'law' Paul is refering to is Roman. Sherman is more knowledge on this subject than I so maybe He knows for sure. Anyway that is what I remember reading.

The law was a Roman law, as well as English law and American law, The English copied the Roman code of law while we copied the English code of Law. All of these codes of law are founded in the Scripture, even though they didn't realize it at the time the law was codified in these societies. God has a way of making His presence known even in matters like codifying the code of law. Paul was preaching the Word of God, so his viewpoint on the law might have reflected Roman law's viewpoint at that point in time, but it was putting God's stamp of approval on a law that currently existed.

I think we can all agree that marriage ends at death. Is there another point trying to be made that I'm missing?

Thanks,

Sherman

Edited March 21, 2007 by Sherman

[Sherman]

THe key words here are what God has put together. Not all marraiges were put together by God and if they aren't they will fail. God doesn't consider it marraige either if he doesn't put it together.

The phrase "what God has put together" is a key phrase implying that there are marriages that God has not joined together. But that doesn't mean that the couple is not married, but that God is not in or behind the relationship. Such marriages should thus be broken - divorce, like in Ezra when God commanded the Israelites to put away their pagan wives. They had married but it was against the will of God, but they were married.

[firehill]

I'm enjoying this thread so much!

Keep on!

[Openly Curious]

'Silentprayer'

As for Romans 7:2-3 he is using the anology of marrige to explain being dead to the law after you come alive in Christ, that doesn't negate the part about marriage, since he is using the first truth to explain the second truth.

You are correct Silentprayer as the apostle Paul is using the analogy of marriage in how the law is binding until death and then one is freed from the law. As this is what Christ did for us He gave us His own life and died on the cross and set us free from the curse of the law as we through Christ have become dead to the law just as one is freed from the marriage contract if their spouse should die they are no longer boung by law but freed. It is a great truth in which Paul is using marriage to convey the truth in verse # 4 of the text. And it does not in no way negate as you have said the part about marriage.

OC

[Sherman]

'Silentprayer'

As for Romans 7:2-3 he is using the anology of marrige to explain being dead to the law after you come alive in Christ, that doesn't negate the part about marriage, since he is using the first truth to explain the second truth.

You are correct Silentprayer as the apostle Paul is using the analogy of marriage in how the law is binding until death and then one is freed from the law. As this is what Christ did for us He gave us His own life and died on the cross and set us free from the curse of the law as we through Christ have become dead to the law just as one is freed from the marriage contract if their spouse should die they are no longer boung by law but freed. It is a great truth in which Paul is using marriage to convey the truth in verse # 4 of the text. And it does not in no way negate as you have said the part about marriage.

OC

Ok, I agree that marriage ends at death; but are you also trying to say that this scripture teaches that death is the "ONLY" way marriages end and that marriages can not end in divorce?

And please don't misunderstand me and think that I'm advocating divorce; marriages should last for life, especially those whom God has joined together. I'm simply pointing out that scripturally marriages end either with the death of the spouse or in divorce. Sadly, the traditional doctrine of marriage has errantly said that marriage is indissoluble, as in unbreakable. But even Jesus' directive to not tear apart what God has joined together implies that it is possible to tear apart, not impossible. Just like we should not commit murder, why? Because if I was to murder someone, they would be dead. In like manner, Jesus' command to not divorce implies that divorce is possible, not impossible. And divorce is the legal end of a marriage covenant.

[Sherman]

Marriage has always been and will always be between ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN. Anything else is an abomination to God.

Sherman Said:

Actually, biblically speaking, polygamy is not an abomination to God. That is just not stated in the Word. In fact, God has recognized and even blessed polygamous marriages. Please don't misunderstand me, I believe that monogamy is part of the divine ideal for marriage, but it is not biblically legislated as the only viable form of family.

I believe that Exodus 20:14 covers this question,