What are the requirements for a man and woman to say that they are married

[Emma33]

What are the requirements for a man and woman to say that they are married? What was the tradition of early Judaism and Christianity?

The reason why I'm asking is that my fiancé and I want to get married spiritually (aka in the eyes of God), but want to hold off on signing the legal papers until we are financially stable enough (mostly until our health insurance kicks in through his job, until then we can both remain under our parents' health insurance since we are both 21). This time gap between our covenant to each other and God and the signing of the papers would be short-not more than a month or two-and we would be living together the whole time with his parents. Would this arrangement hold up with the bible's expectation of marriage? Would we be seen as sexually immoral by not having the legal documents before consummating the marriage? Can you please reference specific scripture in your response?

 

[DiscipleHeLovesToo]

i'm not aware of any reference in the Bible to how people get married other than this:

(Mat 19:3) The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
(Mat 19:4) And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
(Mat 19:5) And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
(Mat 19:6) Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

this seems to be referring to the act of mating.

the legal aspect of marriage makes it much more difficult to quit though; on average, it costs much more to divorce than it does to get married, in the eyes of men's laws

 

[rockytopva]

What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. - 1 Corinthians 6:16

I believe God keeps tabs. If you have a sexual relationship with another you are considered one body with that one.

 

[bèlla]

If the time period is short I'd wait or marry now. I wouldn't forgo the legal tie.

Yours in His Service,

~bella

 

[HARK!]

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[dayhiker]

When I've looked at the definition of marriage one finds that it has always been changing. Even in the Bible it appears to have changed. It's often different for the poor from what kings do. In general, it was a family affair in ancient times, then it became a church affair till the reformation when it became a governmental affair. God seems to honor which ever way its done. The real test of character comes if their is a divorce. Do you love each other thru and after the divorce as in, does each party do the money right, do you do what is right for the kids.