That if you don't consumate your marriage at all, that you're not really considered married? Any scriptures on it? Or is that just man's law? A situation came up about this and I was just curious about it. I'm really only interested in Christians opinions. Thanks.
2007-11-09 06:30:09 · 14 answers · asked by Gail R 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm confused as to how this happend and it's quite shocking 'cause I can't even imagine that. In this case, the husband didn't want sex and the wife did
2007-11-09 06:45:08 · update #1
Many keep saying that it's the vow and I know God honors vows, but God doesn't bring everyone together either. What God joins together, no man can separate. Sometimes people put themselves together (as it would've had to been the case in this situation) because they're no longer together. I believe it's spiritual, but I just wanted to know what other Christians thought. Thanks.
2007-11-09 06:58:38 · update #2
in actuality sis its true in the old teatament times but i am not 100% sure now ,, in them days u had to be a virgin and the covenant was the blood , sorry but its spiritual in nature ,, now if u were married before i dont know how then this applies. , The union between husband and wife also then is spirtual signifying the unit between father and son and the holy spirit . dont run out of time if need be extend this question! . ITS VERY GOOD AND THOUGHT PROVOKING! . IN MANY STATES AND oother countries a marriage has to be consiminated also to be valid . .. of course today people have sex outside of marriage without being married . biblically this was considered prostitution. i wont get into that! mj
2007-11-09 06:46:24 · answer #1 · answered by mjbrightergem33 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Marriages, or love relationships, or for pleasure in an informal sense, are said to be consummated when the act of sexual intercourse has taken place after the ceremony or confession of love. In some theologies or societies, a marriage is not considered a binding contract until and unless it has been consummated. Within the Catholic Church, a marriage that has not yet been consummated, regardless of the reason for non-consummation, can be dissolved by the Pope (see also canons 1697-1706). Additionally, an inability or an intention to refuse to consummate the marriage is probable grounds for an annulment. Catholic canon law defines (canon 1061 §1) that a marriage has been consummated when the "spouses have performed between themselves in a human fashion a conjugal act which is suitable in itself for the procreation of offspring, to which marriage is ordered by its nature and by which the spouses become one flesh." Some theologians, such as Fr. John A. Hardon, have stated that contraceptive intercourse does not consummate a marriage.
In Colonial America, hand-fast marriages were allowed in several of the Colonies. These marriages were not done in church; instead there were public verbal commitments made between the man and the woman, and then they consummated it by having sexual relations. If the woman did not become pregnant within one year, the marriage was considered annulled. If she did become pregnant, the relationship would automatically become a fully-recognized marriage
There are no scriptures that I know of,,but in the sight of God,,,once you take a vow,,,you are considered married...a vow is a promise to God, so if you are joined together in his sight,,,,no man should be able to break that union...although as you can see above,,,the Catholic Church does just that.
2007-11-09 06:43:41 · answer #2 · answered by dreamdress2 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That's interesting. The sociological definition of marriage includes normative sexual behavior, but does the Bible? Well, I honestly don't know. I wouldn't think a couple would have to have sex, provided they both agreed on it. Then again, it does say that a man and his wife become one flesh. I don't know.
2007-11-09 06:41:15 · answer #3 · answered by SFECU12 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No,the vows are what is the binding of the union with God.The sex act is the binding of the flesh for the couple.That doesn't diminish the union in any way.Read the N.T. where one is considered to have multiple spouses due to becoming one flesh with the sex act.It is certainly important.But vows are so important that we are told not to make them lightly.
2007-11-09 06:45:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The way to consider a couple to be married is by the human law. God takes the human law as a base to consider a couple married.
2007-11-09 06:50:44 · answer #5 · answered by Nino 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Marriage is a binding commitment between 1 man & 1 woman before the Lord.
Sex has nothing to do with the binding
2007-11-09 06:34:21 · answer #6 · answered by primoa1970 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Well, Joseph took Mary as his wife after he found out that she was pregnant, but the Bible is clear that he "had no union with her" until Jesus' birth. It's pretty clear that even though they had not consumated their union, they were still considered to be married.
2007-11-09 06:33:46 · answer #7 · answered by Firestorm 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
It does say in Genesis that Isaac took Rebekah into his tent (assumedly for sex) and she became his wife.
Why wouldn't a married couple consummate?
2007-11-09 06:33:23 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Part of 1 Corinthians encourage abstinance even within marriage (nevermind that parts of it say otherwise as well).
2007-11-09 06:39:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
just man's law.... a man and woman may commit themselves to each other in the sight of God with out the sexual commitment... I know of a couple who have done this... they are married in the eyes of God and The Church... they have no need of man's validation...
2007-11-09 06:36:05 · answer #10 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋