What Is Marriage

A few years ago I did some research regarding marriage. What I discovered bothered me. Here are a few of those things; maybe you could shed some more light on them. 1 Why do we need a license from the State to get married? 2 The marriage is a contract between the State and the husband and wife, with the State being the principle party. Remember the phrase “by the power invested in me by the state of _____” (or something like that) Try getting a divorce and see who has the last word in how property and children are divided. (I am not endorsing divorce) 3 It is a secular contract. You may believe it is a covenant between God and the husband and wife. It is a business license allowing the husband and wife, in the name of the marriage, to enter into contracts with third parties and contract mortgages and debts. 4 Christians will say you are living in sin without this contract. Why as Christians do we need the State’s approval and endorsement? 5 God said; “therefore doth a man leave his father and his mother, and hath cleaved unto his wife, and they have become one flesh”. Why do we follow the tradition of man rather then listening to God? The tradition of getting married by a duly appointed representative of the State is deeply ingrained in us. God’s command seems too simple. Please enlighten me if there is more to getting married than this. Genesis 2:22. And Jehovah God buildeth up the rib which He hath taken out of the man into a woman, and bringeth her in unto the man; 23. and the man saith, ' This [is] the [proper] step! bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh!'for this it is called Woman, for from a man hath this been taken; 24. therefore doth a man leave his father and his mother, and hath cleaved unto his wife, and they have become one flesh. 25. And they are both of them naked, the man and his wife, and they are not ashamed of themselves. Matthew 19:1. And it came to pass, when Jesus finished these words, he removed from Galilee, and did come to the borders of Judea, beyond the Jordan, 2. and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there. 3. And the Pharisees came near to him, tempting him, and saying to him, ' Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?' 4. And he answering said to them, ' Did ye not read, that He who made [them], from the beginning a male and a female made them, 5. and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and they shall be - the two - for one flesh? 6. so that they are no more two, but one flesh; what therefore God did join together, let no man put asunder.'

7. They say to him, ' Why then did Moses command to give a roll of divorce, and to put her away?' 8. He saith to them - ' Moses for your stiffness of heart did suffer you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it hath not been so.