I have titled this expositional essay which passionately, informatively and factually details my strongly and sincerely held Christian convictions in this matter… because… it is a cogent question, especially in today’s society. The miasma of government interventions has further tainted a beautiful God ordained organic institution.

 

What you will read here is not all that can be said about such an important societal subject and practice. Next to receiving CHRIST as one’s Savior and Lord, natural marriage is the next all encompassing decision with blessings and the associated consequences.

 

I am not looking for a name of who.  Perhaps, I should change the title to who married you? Was it The God of The Bible or the state?

 

Thus saith THE LORD!

Genesis 2:18King James Version (KJV)

¹⁸ And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

Matthew 19:5

For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

 

1 Corinthians 7:9

But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

 

^{Hebrews 13:4} Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

 

Just a few Holy Scriptures  and there are more

 

There are a few more fundamental questions I need for you to answer before we really get rolling here.

 

 

 

 

Such as:

• Who invented marriage?
• Where did the first marriage on record take place?
• Who got married then & there?
• Who was the marriage officiant?

 

By the way, this is a test and your answers will be graded (and not on a curve).

 

Answers are:

• God Almighty Our Heavenly Father Our Creator (you know The God of The Bible and such as The Declaration of Independence)
• The Garden of Eden
• Adam & Eve

4)   Our Heavenly Father

You can turn to Genesis 2:2-25; 5:1-2

This represents the true will of God for holy matrimony and the natural family.

 

For most of man’s history, one man & one woman came together before God and witnesses with the preacher if you will and were joined together to be one flesh.

That certainly is a mystery as we read in Ephesians 5:32. This marriage is the only one truly sanctioned by The Lord Hebrews 13:4… all others are false. (We do not worry about political correctness or pleasing man here at this website)… Acts 5:29.

Jesus Christ is the bridegroom and His church is His bride, who is to be without spot, blemish or wrinkle. So, marriage here on earth (there is none in Heaven)… represents Jesus and His bride.

 

 

I will grant you that The Bible does not actually have a marriage wedding ceremony in it per se. Read The Song of Solomon for some ideas and Psalm 11.

Marriage, wives, husbands are mentioned often. So how one goes about the ceremony is up to debate as to culture, tradition and time frame.

 

What is in my mind and heart is that it is surely holy and it is from God in the way He planned it. It should not be taken lightly or profaned as some non binding useless formality. A secular wedding is no wedding at all… certainly from a Christian value system perspective. That brings me to the main thrust of this essay.

 

 

Should a man and woman who are going to marry get a state issued wedding license (ie the government’s permission)?

With what I know and have experienced, I say no! (as have many others).

 

• The definition of license in Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of The English Language is: v. t. To permit by grant of authority – to remove legal restraint by a grant of permission; To authorize to act in a particular character etc.

In Black’s Law Dictionary 4^th edition License is a certificate or document itself which gives permission. The state has no authority to grant/sell permission to do what violates God’s law. (For example abortion may be legal but it is not lawful; same sex marriage may be legal but it is not lawful.

I am not “comfortable “with the above definitions I object to them, they violate my strongly held Christian convictions. They also violate established American Foundational Principles as our rights being inalienable from Our Creator (The

Declaration) and freedom of religion (Bill of Rights).

 

 

 

Matthew 19:6

 

 

 

 

• The state should not be involved in marriage; it is a “ministry function” of the church. Since 1929 when the state got involved with licensing marriage it has thoroughly messed things up to the detriment of the health of our country. For the purposes of this writing I will not go further than to say Romans 13 tells us that civil government is necessary and has a limited function…. Messing with marriage/divorce etc is not one of those functions.

 

 

 

 

• The state obviously does not know what holy matrimony/marriage is and is proving that daily as we speak. Legislatures and courts have harmed many by their unacceptable imperial No other king but KING JESUS

 

 

 

 

 

• When there is a state issued license the state then has ownership (subject matter jurisdiction) over that marriage. That is why when there is a divorce (which The Lord frowns on) it is subject to a civil trial (usually not well handled, unfair and unjust) instead of an ecclesiastical court (church gathering). Divorce is big business in America and with no fault many a marriage that could be healed and fixed is “dissolved” destroying families needlessly for years to come.

 

 

• Until 1929, the state stayed out of marriage (with the exception of outlawing miscegenation- which later changed).

 

• At this juncture I want to let it be known that I do not intend to support ways “to force” anyone to go to the church to be married or keep them from going to the secular civil court to dissolve their marriage.
• If a couple chooses a non Christian, non Biblical, secular civil “marriage” with all the fixins (sic) then so be it. Let them take responsibility for that. On the other hand, neither will I be coerced/intimidated/held captive/tyrannized /forced into compromising/violating/abandoning my pledge & oath of loyalty to Almighty God to please an over active state or to my fellow citizens who choose to live a secular atheistic rebellious lifestyle!

 

Years ago in Louisiana, covenant marriage was offered as an option to those who did not want the state to have subject matter jurisdiction in their marriage. Good idea for every state.

 

 

 

In explaining why I believe what I believe to those who inquire, I often use this question.

Is a couple really married that goes to some commercial venue (such as a hotel ball room, court house, or business office etc?)  engages the services of a Justice of The Peace for 10 minutes or less who signs their state issued marriage license (you know by the power vested in me by the state of East Overshoe)?

 

Is a man and a woman who go through premarital counseling (or even if not) who go to see the preacher (of The Gospel of Jesus Christ) to be joined together in holy matrimony in the church by a wedding covenant ceremony service with witnesses present who have not bought a state license really married? I say they truly are because marriage is from The Father, The Son & The Holy Spirit.

 

As an ordained minister of The Gospel of Jesus Christ for over half my life as a pastor, evangelist and Bible teacher I was once licensed by a state as a marriage officiant (A-3197  I still remember the certification number which I was supposed to enter with my signature on the state issued license).

 

On one beautiful day while “officiating” at a wedding, it was a Biblical wedding (as far a vows, music, etc.)… when we were nearly finished, I said by the power vested in me by The State I pronounce you husband and wife. A doom & gloom came over me; this thought pierced my very soul, who are you Garrett Lear to pronounce any one anything? What ever “power/authority” you possess is not because of the state it is because of Jesus! From then until now… I have said by the anointing and authority of Jesus Christ, I declare publicly with you, what JESUS The Lord has made you husband and wife. Kind of reminds you of Jesus before Pontius Pilate John 19:11

 

 

Rather than begging for our rights, we have chosen to ASSERT them