Hello All,
I have been reading all of the discussion threads which relate to what constitutes a marriage that are currently happening. They are all blurring together a bit for me, so instead of this getting buried on a comments section I decided to create a new post.
I wanted to propose a real life situation example for everyone to address. Instead of just working in theoreticals, what advice would you give to a woman in the below scenario so she would not be living in sin. Answers should be based on your understanding of what marriage is or is not.
Note: This is NOT MY issue, (happily married here) but its someone I know.
Suppose a woman comes to you asking for counsel.
Here is her situation: “I became saved after already living in sin with the father of my now two children. We are still not married. Since becoming saved, I have seen and learned why God wants us to be married before having children and living together. My partner, however, is not a believer and doesn’t see the need to ‘rush into’ getting married even though I want to honor God and do so. How do I handle this? He is a great father and I don’t see leading him to Christ by breaking apart our family?”
Is this woman biblically married, or living in fornication?
For being biblically married/covenant:
Does the fact they had sex mean they are married?
Does the fact they have children together mean they are married?
Does the fact that the husband is supporting his family, raising his kids, and having and is sexually exclusive with this woman (as her only sexual partner) constitute a marriage/covenant?
Or if in Fornication:
Are they living in fornication due to the fact that the man does not consider them to be married?
Are they living in fornication because they don't have a recognized marriage by the church/state?
If they are living in fornication should the wife stay with the man or leave him as she would be living in a state of sin?
If they separated:
Would the children belong to the man or woman if they are not technically married?
I am sure there are other questions that can be addressed but I wanted to throw some out there.
And GO!
I have been reading all of the discussion threads which relate to what constitutes a marriage that are currently happening. They are all blurring together a bit for me, so instead of this getting buried on a comments section I decided to create a new post.
I wanted to propose a real life situation example for everyone to address. Instead of just working in theoreticals, what advice would you give to a woman in the below scenario so she would not be living in sin. Answers should be based on your understanding of what marriage is or is not.
Note: This is NOT MY issue, (happily married here) but its someone I know.
Suppose a woman comes to you asking for counsel.
Here is her situation: “I became saved after already living in sin with the father of my now two children. We are still not married. Since becoming saved, I have seen and learned why God wants us to be married before having children and living together. My partner, however, is not a believer and doesn’t see the need to ‘rush into’ getting married even though I want to honor God and do so. How do I handle this? He is a great father and I don’t see leading him to Christ by breaking apart our family?”
Is this woman biblically married, or living in fornication?
For being biblically married/covenant:
Does the fact they had sex mean they are married?
Does the fact they have children together mean they are married?
Does the fact that the husband is supporting his family, raising his kids, and having and is sexually exclusive with this woman (as her only sexual partner) constitute a marriage/covenant?
Or if in Fornication:
Are they living in fornication due to the fact that the man does not consider them to be married?
Are they living in fornication because they don't have a recognized marriage by the church/state?
If they are living in fornication should the wife stay with the man or leave him as she would be living in a state of sin?
If they separated:
Would the children belong to the man or woman if they are not technically married?
I am sure there are other questions that can be addressed but I wanted to throw some out there.
And GO!
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