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THE CONCURRENCE OF MARRIAGE IN REGARD TO Today there are many questions concerning marriage. There are many different views stemming from social, legal, and religious philosophy. From a Christian perspective the biblical law of the Old Testament delineates the boundaries of marriage: the Apostle Paul wrote, "Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?" (Romans 7:1) Jesus, upholding the guidance of the law, said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil" (Mt. 5:17). Ancient Israel was subjected to the law and the prophets. The church is the Israel of God today (Gal. 6:16). Christians are subject now to both the New and Old Testaments. Monogamy replaced polygamy in the early church, and celibacy was highly honored. Sometimes people think of the concurrence of marriage only as the mutual consent of a male and female, but this perception may be an illusion if the female is not a virgin or a widow--marriage was also instituted to prevent unchastity in ancient Israel. God honors moral-sexual cleanliness, purity and unity in marriage. The Lord upheld the virginity of a woman so as if a male violated her chastity he was obligated to marry her. The obedience, moral cleanliness, beauty, glory, purity, magnificence and innocence of virginity possesses perpetual oversight and protection from the Lord. According to Dt. 22:29, a male was commanded to marry (take for a wife) a girl if he raped her; and it was disclosed; and under the condition that she was not engaged to anyone. He was never able to divorce her. The virginity of a girl is more than a state of chastity before marriage--it is the undefiled housing of potential reproduction of life, significance of sexual purity--God honors its holiness and innocence; and he protected the virgin against impulsive divorce once having married. The Old Testament Law states specifically, "She shall continue to be his wife; he must not divorce her as long as he lives" (Dt. 22:19). |
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